Dashboard Warning Lights – What Do They Mean?

Pretty much all modern cars out on the road today have a dashboard light system. It’s your vehicle’s way of telling you what’s going on and bringing anything important to your attention in an easy visual format.

However, over the years more lights have been added and some drivers – especially those new drivers – might not be clear on what each sign means. That’s why this month at Auto Exhausts & Tyres, we’re providing you with an extensive list of dashboard warning lights and what they mean*.

We’ll break them down between green, yellow and red. The colours correspond like a traffic light system; green meaning everything is ok, yellow meaning something needs to be looked at and red meaning there is an issue that could prevent you from driving safely.

*Please note that the following is just an illustrative list – light systems may vary between makes and models. Always consult the handbook for your vehicle for more information.

Green Warning Lights

Adaptive cruise control – This green light signals you are under the maximum speed set by your speed limiter.

Electronic parking brake warning light – This green light shows when you have come to a stop and the parking brake has been activated automatically.

Lane assist – This green light means your lane assist system is on, helping to detect road markings.

Press brake pedal – This green light appears when you need to press and hold your brake – only for cars with automatic transmission.

Cruise control – This green light indicates cruise control has been activated and will adhere to the speed set.

Amber Warning Lights

Anti-lock Brake System – This amber light is a warning that your anti-lock brake system may not be working correctly and should be attended to.

Power steering – This amber light lets you know that there may be a fault with your power steering.

Fuel warning – This amber light lets you know you are low on fuel and should stop to fill up at the next opportunity.

Engine oil level warning light – This amber light (sometimes red) indicates your oil level is low and needs topping up.

Red Warning Lights

Brake system warning – This red light is to indicate the handbrake is applied. If this shows and it is not applied there may be a fault (try to put the handbrake all the way down to check).

Airbag warning – This red light indicates a fault with the airbag system in your vehicle and should be looked at immediately for safety purposes.

Seat belt warning – This red light tells you when the driver or passenger seat belt is not engaged correctly.

Battery warning – This red light warns you when your battery is not charging or if you have a faulty battery.

Engine light for the cooling system – This red light tells you if your engine coolant level is too low. If you have topped up your coolant level and the light still appears, speak to a mechanic.

Are your dashboard lights leaving you dizzy? If you’ve got a warning light that won’t go away and you don’t know what the issue is, our team at Auto Exhaust & Tyres are on hand to help. Whether it’s a diagnostic issue or simply just an electrical fault, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the safety of your vehicle on the roads.

Call today to book in with our team at our Lincoln autocentre – we’re highly rated by our customers for our friendly service and swift turnarounds.