As the weather begins to get colder, you may start to notice certain lights popping up on people’s houses and trees. While these lights are joyous, there are other lights that can spark concern. For example, the lights on your dashboard that may signify issues with your car. In preparation for these kinds of lights, here is a breakdown of some of the important notifications to look out for and what they mean.
Warning Lights
Battery charge warning
Your car might have an issue with the car battery or the alternator that is causing the charging system to be low on power.
Brake warning
When your handbrake, or emergency brake, is engaged, this light will appear. If it is on continuously after the handbrake is disengaged, it means that one side of the brake system has lost hydraulic pressure, or the master cylinder is low on fluid.
Engine temperature warning
Your engine has exceeded its normal temperature limits if this light is on. It is most likely due to an issue with the coolant, the fan, or the radiator cap.
Oil pressure warning
This means your car is low on lubrication or is completely empty due to a loss of oil pressure. You should check the oil level in your car immediately.
Safety Lights
Check engine
This light is a general warning that there is some kind of malfunction with the engine that needs to be checked.
Service vehicle soon
This light will turn on when there are minor engine issues in your car. These can mean a variety of issues so it’s best to take it into a mechanic.
Tire pressure warning
This means that one of your tires is low on pressure. You can check them with an air pressure gauge or you can take your car into a shop so they can check it for you and fix the issue.
Traction control
This light isn’t a cause for too much concern, It means that a wheel slip was detected and the car’s system had to kick in to adjust the issue.
Different cars may have slight differences how these lights appear, so it’s important to look at your car’s manual for the symbols and what they mean as well. Usually, the more serious issues will be in red on your dashboard. Lower-grade issues will typically be orange or yellow while a green or blue light just means that one of the car’s features is engaged. If one or more of the red, yellow, or orange lights comes on and stays on, don’t hesitate to stop into Houska Automotive to get it checked out. Our team of experts are ready to help!
Images taken from Car Dashboard Warning and Indicator Light Meanings | DashboardSymbols.com.