Has this happened to you? You’re minding your own business, driving down the road when a funny-looking symbol lights up on the dashboard of your car.
What the heck does that little light mean?
Even if it’s obvious (The dreaded Check Engine Light, for example) does the light mean that it is something simple (You forgot to tighten the gas cap), or is it something dreadful?
While some symbols are fairly clear, others are a mystery to most people.
In this article, we want to help you decode some of the symbols that may light up your dashboard, so you can make a smart decision about whether you should stop the car right now and call My Mechanic for an appointment.
Common Warning Lights/Symbols and What They Mean
Depending on your make and model, your vehicle might use a different symbol, but the following is a list of the most common dash light warning problems that most drivers experience.
- Check Engine or Service Engine Soon
This is perhaps the most common and the most annoying symbol that drivers see. Because the message is vague, it can mean something serious or not so serious.
Some manufacturers try to differentiate between serious and not an emergency with a flashing Check Engine light. If the light flashes on and off regularly without stopping, this is often a sign that the problem is urgent, and you should drive ASAP to your local mechanic.
If the light comes and goes, or if it stays on steadily and you don’t hear or feel anything strange while driving, you can call the pros at My Mechanic for an appointment.
Don’t make the mistake of just ignoring that light. It is trying to tell you that something is wrong, and you won’t be able to pass your next emissions test anyway while it is lit, so you might as well get it fixed sooner rather than later.
- Temperature Warning
Some vehicles have a very clear light that says Engine Overheat or Excessive Engine Temp, which is pretty straightforward, right?
Other models will have a red thermometer symbol, which means that the engine is close to overheating.
If you see these symbols, stop your car immediately! Pull over as soon as you can and stop the motor to prevent serious (and expensive) damage to the motor.
While these lights operate with sensors and the sensors sometimes fail, telling you that the motor is hot when it isn’t, that is a rare exception. The majority of the time, this is a true emergency, and you need to stop the car.
Call My Mechanic and explain the situation. We will be happy to diagnose the problem so you can have your car repaired quickly and with as little inconvenience to you as possible.
- Traction Control
The overwhelming majority of cars today use traction control. This system helps to keep your car more stable if one wheel should turn faster than another.
Most cars use the symbol of a car with “S” tracks behind them. This light should simply flash once or on and off a few times, then stop once your car is on stable ground once more.
If the light comes on and stays on, you should call My Mechanic for an appointment. Traction control works with the anti-lock brakes on your vehicle, so it’s a matter of safety.
- Anti-Lock or ABS Warning Light
The anti-lock braking system on your vehicle is a very important one. If you should panic and slam on the brakes, it prevents your car wheels from locking up and sliding. Sometimes referred to as ABS, the anti-lock system will pump the brakes for you so you can safely stop the car.
This symbol often uses the letters ABS (automatic braking system) inside a circle or two circles.
While you may not feel any difference, you should call My Mechanic for an appointment as soon as you can. This is another safety feature, and no one should be driving with a failing or malfunctioning braking system.
- Tire Pressure Warning Light
Depending on the year and model of your vehicle, chances are that you have a sensor inside the wheel that monitors the air pressure of the tires.
Some car manufacturers use one sensor for all the tires, others have individual sensors for each wheel.
This symbol is often a yellow or orange light that looks like a flat tire that has an exclamation point inside of it.
Also called the TPMS symbol, when this lights up, you should check your tire pressure ASAP. Tires that have low air pressure, even if it’s only 2-5 pounds, can substantially increase your chances of having a blowout and possibly causing an accident.
If all the tires are properly inflated and the light does not go out, call My Mechanic for an appointment. Chances are that one or more of the sensors has failed and needs to be replaced.
- Oil Pressure Warning Light – URGENT
This symbol is often shown as an old-fashioned oil can with a drop of oil coming out. When you see this symbol, you need to stop your car immediately.
When the engine oil is low enough that this light is on, you are risking serious engine damage if you continue to drive, and you could possibly even destroy the motor.
Sometimes, the motor has plenty of oil but the oil pump itself is weak or plugged or broken and it can’t send motor oil where it needs to go.
Check the oil level immediately and add whatever amount of oil the vehicle needs. If the light goes out, you should be good to go.
However, if you add oil and the light is still on, stop the vehicle and call My Mechanic right away. Don’t drive the vehicle or you risk damaging the motor, which could be a very expensive repair.
- Change Engine Oil Soon Light
The Change Engine Oil Soon message can appear on your dash. When the dash displays this message, it means that your oil should be changed soon. The Change Engine Oil Soon message is based on the last time the Oil Life System settings were reset, so be sure to reset the Oil Life System every time the engine oil is changed.
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer system that indicates when to change the oil and filter. This interval is based on engine revolutions and temperature – not on actual mileage. For the oil life system to work properly, it must be reset every time the oil is changed.
At the End of the Day
While the low-fuel light isn’t a big cause for concern (assuming you are near a gas station!) nearly all other lights are attempts to tell you that the vehicle has a problem, and it probably requires the attention of a highly qualified mechanic.
Of course, you can always ignore the warning lights, but you risk a much more extensive and expensive repair.
If your vehicle has a light on the dash that this article didn’t cover or if your vehicle needs servicing, call the ASE-Certified Mechanics at My Mechanic right away for an appointment. You will be really glad that you did.
