Which service and how frequently differs by make and model, and if you follow our accelerated service plan you will find yourself resetting this light frequently before it is even activated. Often an amber or red wrench will appear, or the words "service engine soon", to let you know that it is time for an oil change or other service. The computers in cars today keep track of general driving conditions, and mileage, to be able to remind you to have your car serviced periodically. Many are just reminders to perform ordinary maintenance tasks. Not every warning indicator on the dashboard is something serious that you ought to be concerned about. Most modern cars will now warn you before a dangerous situation happens, like an unlatched hood flipping up and blocking your view of the road. Slightly less dangerous than a door being unlatched, the hood or trunk/hatch coming open while driving is still a safety issue. If one or more doors are not properly latched, you should stop and fix it as some as it is safe to do so. Some cars illuminate the same light in blue when the car is cold to remind you to drive less aggressively until the engine is fully warm. If this light comes on red soon after starting the engine, it likely indicates the coolant level is low. Typically when this dashboard warning light glows red it means your car is getting close to overheating, and you risk causing serious damage if you continue to drive. If the light glows amber, it is less serious, but still means you need to check and possibly add oil as soon as possible. You must pull over and shut off the car immediately or the engine could be damaged. When this light is red it means that there is not enough oil pressure in the engine to circulate the oil and prevent wear. Similar lights can mean oil pressure, oil level (an oil jug with a wavy line below it), or oil temperature (with a thermometer). This old-style oil fill jug warning light indicates that something in the engine oil is below optimal. A variation of this light could light to indicate the passenger side air bag has been deactivated, manually or because a baby seat is detected. Driving with extra caution is suggested, but you should be safe to continue on to home or work. It doesn't affect the way the car drives or handles but could be very serious if you are involved in an accident. This warning light indicates a fault with the airbag system, also known as the supplemental restraint system (SRS). Either way, if it calls it a day, not only will the dashboard warning light illuminate, but you'll be more than aware of the issue because the steering will suddenly become very heavy indeed. Without power steering a car can still be driven safely, but it will take considerable strength to steer emergency maneuvers might be affected. Modern cars use power steering, with either electric or hydraulic assistance, or sometimes both. The brake light may also light up if your car has lost some brake fluid, or if the emergency brake has been left engaged. If it is an ABS issue, the car may be able to be driven, but you lose the added safety of ABS in a panic stop, and if it is a bad ABS sensor, you may lose stability and traction control as well. This indicates an issue with the brakes or the anti-lock braking system (ABS), and driving while the brakes are compromised is more than a little unwise.
Dashlights code#
The problem could be mechanical, or electronic, or could even be nothing more than a sensor going bad you won't be able to tell without a code reader, but you should stop as soon as possible to investigate. If it is flashing it indicates a serious problem and you should pull over and turn off the car as soon as it is safe. When it lights up, it means the computer electronic control unit (ECU) has detected a problem in the engine or emission controls systems. With the introduction of the OBDII system (onboard diagnostics, version 2) this light appeared in every car and on some motorcycles. Depending on the issue, some of these lights may indicate you need to call a tow truck or roadside assistance, because even if possible continuing to drive would be dangerous.Ĭheck Engine Light (CEL)/Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) You or your car are at serious risk, and you should pull over and shut off the engine as soon as it’s safe to do so. Dashboard warning lights get no more serious than these.
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