Common Dashboard Light Warnings and How to Diagnose Them

Jun 21, 2024

Welcome back to another installment of our Gearhead Guru Guide series! We’re here to help educate you on all the tips, tricks, ins-and-outs of vehicle maintenance and repair. Today, we’re sharing a small decoder to some of the most common dashboard lights you’ll see on your vehicle’s display. We also hope this can help serve as a primer for new car owners and new drivers to learn how to spot an issue before it becomes a crisis.

Please note that dashboard lights may vary slightly from model to model, or even from year to year. The symbols below will help guide you through and avoid guesswork, and are standard on most vehicles. For the most accurate depiction of your make/model’s lights, you can check your vehicle’s instruction manual from the manufacturer.

The Engine Temperature Warning Light

This is one of the major lights you do not want to ignore. This is a sign that your engine is experiencing a serious problem and is overheating, and may be on the verge of seizing or other dangers. The best thing to do is pull over as soon as you can, and turn off the engine. You will want to pull over and request emergency roadside assistance and have it towed to the nearest or local service center. See our previous blog on what to do when your engine overheats to learn more!

The Oil Pressure/Oil Level Light

When this light is on, it means that your vehicle’s oil is dangerously low. It may be remedied by topping off your oil, or bringing in the vehicle for regular oil changes. However, in some cases it may also indicate an oil pressure issue such as a leak in the engine, a blown piston ring, or damage to the oil pump. If adding oil to the reservoir turns the light off, you’re good to go. However, if it doesn’t, it may be one of the aforementioned larger issues. Driving with this light on for an extended period may lead to serious problems, as engine oil and related components are vital to the vehicle’ functionality and performance. Bring it in for a repair and service ASAP!

The Check Engine Light

Take a deep breath! We’re here to reassure you that this light is not always an indicator of a crisis issue, but it’s still best that you do bring your vehicle ASAP to ensure that it is not a catastrophic issue; the sooner you bring it in, the less likely you are to continue to do more costly damage to your vehicle. This symbol looks like a miniature car engine, or may just be the word ENGINE in all caps. It indicates that your vehicle’s on board computer system has received an error code, also known as a Diagnostic Trouble code or DTC. Your local mechanic will be able to read the code using a special piece of equipment to find out what triggered the light. If you’d like to learn more about how to diagnose the issue, and see if it’s something you can repair as a home mechanic, you can purchase an OBD2 Diagnostic Code Reader for a low price and check it yourself.

Brake System Warning Lights

Generally, this light indicates that you’ve accidentally left your parking brake engaged. However, if the light is still illuminated when the parking brake has been disengaged, you’ll want to bring the car in for an inspection at your local mechanic. This may indicate a serious problem in your vehicle’s brakes system, and that is a vital repair as it’s dangerous to drive with faulty or damaged brakes and reduces your ability to avoid accidents. It may also indicate that you are experiencing hydraulic loss, low brake fluid in the master cylinder, an issue with the ABS, new brake pads, or parking brake adjustment among other things.

This battery warning light is very easily decoded, as it looks exactly like the item it monitors. It may indicate an issue with the battery itself, issues with the alternator, faulty electrical wiring, or some other related electrical component. If this light is also accompanied by start up issues, this may indicate you need a replacement battery or a jumpstart.

This light indicates that you’re driving on tires that are over- or under-inflated, as indicated by the wheel shaped symbol with a flat bottom and bulging sides. Most modern vehicles will offer an option in the infotainment system that details a diagram of which tires are having the issue, and the exact tire pressure of each one. Take a second to add some air to your tires or let it out, and then turn the car back on and see if the light is still illuminated. If it is, this could indicate that there is a leak or damage to one or more of the tires, and you’ll need to bring it in for a service checkup.

This little fuel-pump symbol indicates that the vehicle is low on fuel. You need to make a quick pit stop at a local gas station immediately, as you’re in danger of running on an entirely empty tank and breaking down. It’s good practice for safety and vehicle performance to ensure that you never drive below ¼ tank of gas if you can help it. When traveling long distances, you’ll want to refuel and top off the tank whenever you pass a fueling station; see our previous blog on preparing your vehicle for a road trip to learn more!