In life, we always want that someone gives us signs before we are going to get in some trouble. Well, I cannot guarantee you about the life signs but your car surely has Dashboard Warning Lights that can let you know of the upcoming problems in advance. All you need to know is, what to look for.
When you start the car, you see some warning lights on the dashboard and go after because your car always checks the systems when it starts. If any indicators stay on even after 5 seconds of starting the car, then there is a problem. Dashboard warning lights are in Red, Yellow, or Orange, and green or blue in colours. Each has its own significant meaning.
Red:
Red warning lights are emergency ones and state that you should take immediate action and get it checked ASAP.
Yellow or Orange:
Yellow or Orange isn’t crucial but still are advisors. You can drive with those signs but make sure to take care of it in advance for the best.
Green or Blue:
Green or blue colour lights are the least urgent signs. They appear to confirm that the feature or system is activated.
Now that you are aware of the colour importance of the signs on the dashboard, let’s take a look at the various Dashboard Warning Lights and what they meant.
1. ABS-Anti Lock Braking System Warning Light
ABS Dashboard Warning Light | Source
ABS helps the vehicle tires to maintain speed and contact with the road while you are braking. It prevents slidings on slick surfaces. If this sign comes while you are driving, that means the ABS is not working properly. The brakes still work, but there will be a delay when you need the emergency stop. At these times, it is not advisable to drive a car with ABS warning lights on. One must need to go to the mechanic garage and get it repaired.
2. Check Engine Warning Light
Check Engine Light | Source
It is the most hateful Warning light for a driver because it is allied with the car motor and emission system. It may appear because of various reasons like when the gas cap is open, cracked, causing fuel to evaporate, and incorrectly installation of the mass air-flow sensor. When the light is flashing, it could be serious, such as a misfire that overheats the catalytic converter. Driving with the blinking or flashing check engine warning light is not a good idea and not good for your safety.
3. Engine Temperature Warning light
Engine Temperature warning light
You see the light on when the engine is running too hot. It happens when our car is running for a long time without a break. It could also be when the radiator is leaky, broken thermostat, and Low coolant levels in the radiator.
In this case, pull over the car aside and turn off the engine. Wait until the engine is cooled because running a vehicle at this time can destroy the engine. This light also shows in blue colour, which means the coolant temperature is below. Usually, this is shown when the car is started in the morning and it should disappear once the engine is warm enough.
4. Battery Charge Warning light
Battery Dashboard Warning Light | Source
When the Battery charge Warning light illuminates, you can easily recognize it by seeing its icon. There may be several causes for the light to get on, like when an alternator belt is broken, corrosion of battery terminals, loose battery cable, and when the battery gets drained. You just can not avoid it, because it may be a long-term issue as well, which leads to battery death. A dead battery leads to many problems as the entire car’s electric systems depend on it. So, when you face this problem, get your car to the service station and get the battery checked.
5. Automatic Shift Lock Warning Light
Automatic Shift Lock Warning Light | Source
We all know transmission comes in two-Manual and Automatic Transmission. In Manual, you need to shift the gears by pushing the clutch by yourself, so there will be no Shift lock. In an Automatic case, it has a shift lock; it does everything by itself. The warning light is shown when you try to shift the gear or start the ignition without engaging the brake.
6. Tyre Pressure Warning Light
Low Tyre Pressure Indicator Dashboard Warning Lights
Most likely, the Tyre Pressure Warning Light pops up in the infotainment system of Dashboard when the tire is under-inflated or over-inflated. Under-inflated means low pressure. Generally, the tire tends to lose its air for a time being. If you drive with these tire conditions, it leads to tire failure and also affects the braking. Maintain and check the tire pressure regularly.
7. Fuel Indicator and Door Open Warning Lights
Door Open Dashboard Warning Lights
A gas pump on the infotainment system shows that to warn you that the fuel is low and needs to refuel it. When the fuel has reached the minimum level, the Fuel indicator is shown. Maintaining the fuel at least a quarter full.
This is the basic fact that everyone is aware of what Open door warning lights. While driving the vehicle, when the car door is unlocked or not closed properly, the door open warning lights are shown.
8. Engine Oil Pressure Warning Light
Oil Indicator Dashboard Warning Lights
Engine Oil Pressure lights on when the oil in the engine is low because of leakage in the engine, defective sensor, and broken oil pump. You can check the level of the oil with the help of the dipstick. If that doesn’t help with the Engine Oil pressure light, it should get checked with the professionals. It is not advisable to drive the car with this light on. It costs you a lot once the engine is damaged.
9. Seat Belt and Airbag Warning Lights
Airbag Dashboard warning lights
Seat Belts are the one that saves you in an accident. Every car has this sensor and light on when you are not wearing the seat belt. People usually ignore the to wear the seat belt, Please keep the seat belts on you to help yourself to injure minorly when the accident is caused. The Airbag warning light comes on when there is a problem with the Airbag system. In that case, you should not ignore it, as the Airbag may not open when an accident is caused. Take it to the professionals to check the data of the ECU.
10. Fog Lamp Warning Light
This sign appears when you are using Fog Lamp. It is used when there is difficulty to see through the path because of the foggy weather. It is advised to use fog lamps when visibility is less than 100 meters.
Also, read 10 Ways To Protect Your Clutch System Of Your Car
These are the most common Dashboard Warning lights that can appear. Other warning lights can come on, refer to the owner’s manual book for every detail. You should never be neglectful or be lazy about Dashboard warning lights. Ignoring these warning lights is like putting your life at risk. Take these under consideration to save your car and to save your life and also to save your money. If you see any of these lights glowing, call for an inspection from expert mechanics at Pitstop.
