For anyone driving, especially if you’re fairly new to the roads, there are lots of demands on your attention when behind the wheel. Keeping an eye on what you’re doing, where you’re going, other road users and any potential hazards will gradually become second nature, but it’s also essential to pay attention to any warning lights that might appear on your dashboard.
Warning lights are often the first sign that something isn’t quite right with the car and should never be ignored. In this guide, we explain what all the different common symbols mean so that if you have an unexpected warning light suddenly appear on the dash while you’re driving, you’ll know exactly what to do about it.
What do my dashboard warning lights mean?
As a quick rule of thumb when it comes to dashboard warning lights:
- A red symbol means immediate action is needed.
- An amber symbol means that something isn’t working as it should. Take extra care and check out the problem as soon as you can.
- A green symbol usually means that a specific element of the car is working as it should be.
When you first start up the car, it’s common for all the dashboard lights to flash up for a few seconds, but they should disappear before you start driving. If a warning light stays on or appears suddenly while you are driving, it needs looking into.
The most common dashboard warning symbols include:
Brake warning light
If you don’t have the handbrake applied when this light is on or if it comes on when driving, it could be a sign that your brake fluid level is low. This is something that usually needs checking by a professional if you’re not familiar with how to check your car’s brake fluid yourself.
If the brake warning light comes on in combination with the ABS warning light, it might mean that your braking system is malfunctioning, which means you need to see a mechanic as soon as possible and the car may be unsafe to drive.
Engine management light
Sometimes also called the check engine light or the ECU warning light, seeing this symbol appear may be accompanied by signs that the car’s engine isn’t working as it should be. This might mean the car is stuttering, or there is a loss of power if pressing the accelerator.
There are quite a lot of mechanical issues that could cause this symbol to appear, for example:
- The catalytic converter fails or has a connection issue
- Problems with the ignition system (spark plugs, ignition coils)
- Sensors within the gear system, or other areas of the vehicle are broken
- Your engine is overheating causing the engine to misfire
If your ECU warning light appears, take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic as soon as possible. If you carry on driving when this light is showing, or try to fix it yourself, you could be causing more damage to the engine.
Airbag warning light
Sometimes also called the supplemental restraint system (SRS), this symbol appearing in red means that an element of the airbag safety system isn’t working properly. This should be checked out by a professional as soon as possible to make sure this essential safety feature is fully operational if needed.
Power steering warning light
Sometimes also called the EPAS or EPS warning light, this symbol means that the car’s power steering has a problem.
You can try pulling over in a safe place, turning the car’s engine off and waiting for 30 seconds before restarting the car. If the light stays on after this, it needs to be checked out as soon as possible.
Exhaust particulate filter warning light
The particulate filter warning light is found in gasoline and diesel vehicles and signals an issue with the filter responsible for trapping harmful soot particles.
In gasoline vehicles, this filter is known as the Gasoline Particulate Filter (GPF), while in diesel vehicles, it's called the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).
A clogged filter, caused by soot build-up or a malfunctioning regeneration process, can lead to reduced engine performance, increased fuel consumption and even potential engine damage. If this warning light is on, consult your vehicle's owner's manual for specific instructions. Diesel vehicle owners might attempt a forced regeneration by driving at higher speeds for an extended period. However, if the problem persists, seek professional assistance.
Engine temperature warning light
The engine temperature symbol will light up red if the engine is overheating. Sometimes this is due to low coolant levels or it can be a serious engine issue, such as a faulty head gasket.
It’s important to stop driving and pull over safely if you see this red warning light as it can cause irreparable damage to the engine if it gets too hot.
Once the engine has cooled off, you can check the coolant levels in the tank next to the engine and top up with more coolant if the level is too low. If the light goes off when you restart the car, you can carefully continue with your journey. If the light comes back on, there may be a coolant leak or another issue with the engine, so this needs a professional to take a look as soon as possible and you should arrange recovery rather than continue to drive the car.
Coolant levels warning light
The amber coolant level warning light will come on if your coolant levels are too low. Some models of car will display this symbol with a blue light until the car engine warms up properly, which isn’t a problem, so you only need to take action when the light is amber or red.
You will need to wait until the engine has cooled down before topping up the coolant tank, which will be fairly close to the engine. If the light comes back on within days or weeks, you may have a coolant leak that needs to be checked out by a mechanic.
Engine oil warning light
This light might be displayed in red if the oil temperature is too high or the oil levels or pressure are too low. Engine oil is essential to the safe operation of the car and its engine, so acting quickly is essential when this light shows.
You should pull over where it is safe to stop and turn off the engine straight away. Once the engine has cooled, you can check your engine oil levels. If the oil is below the minimum level, you can top up and this might be all that is needed. However, if your oil tank is already full, or if the warning light stays on or comes back on quickly after setting off again, it might be an oil leak or the oil pump at fault. This will need checking out by a professional before you continue your journey to avoid doing damage to the engine.
Low tyre pressure warning light
This warning light means that the pressure in one or more of your tyres has dropped, which could mean that you have a puncture.
It’s important to check that the tyre is still inflated when this light comes on before continuing to drive and check for visual signs that the tyre has been damaged, such as a nail in the tyre. If the tyre is still inflated, you can continue your journey with care but you’ll need to get the tyre pressure checked and topped up to the manufacturer’s specification as soon as you can. Many fuel stations will have an air compressor you can use for this if you don’t have your own with you.
If you have a flat tyre or obvious puncture, you can change it if you have a spare. Otherwise, you may need to call for recovery.
Battery warning light
The battery warning light coming on when you are driving will usually mean that the battery is not being charged properly. This could be caused by a number of different things, so it’s important to get the issue checked out by a professional.
You can continue your current journey, but once your battery runs out, the car won’t start and none of the electrics will work, so it’s important to get it seen to quickly.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) warning light
ABS is a safety system that helps if you need to brake quickly, such as to avoid a collision, or in tricky driving conditions like ice or snow.
This light coming on in itself (without any other warning lights appearing) won’t usually mean that your car is unsafe to continue on your current journey, as your normal brakes should still be operational, but drive with care and get it looked at by a mechanic as soon as you can.
If this light comes on together with the brake warning light, this could mean that your braking system is faulty so you should stop driving straight away.
Electronic stability problem (ESP) system light
This warning light coming on when driving means that there is an issue with the car’s traction control system. The light flashing intermittently means that the system is actually working as it should and intervening while you are driving in conditions such as a slippery wet or icy road.
If the light stays on, even after you have tried turning off the engine and then restarting the car after 30 seconds, then it means the system isn’t working as it should be and you should get it checked out.
Brake pad warning light
This light appearing means that your car’s sensor has detected that one or more of your brake pads is wearing thin and needs replacing. The sensor should pick this up before the brake pad is dangerously thin, so you can continue your journey and get the brake pads checked and replaced where necessary as soon as possible afterwards.
Stay prepared by keeping essential supplies ready
While you can’t always prepare for every eventuality when driving, or know which warning lights might crop up in the middle of a journey, you can keep a few essential supplies in your car so that you’re ready for things such as topping up your car’s engine oil, coolant or other fluids if needed when on the go.
While it’s not always possible to prevent your car from issues, taking care of your vehicle with regular maintenance and high quality car products are a good place to start.