Car Dashboard Warning Lights: Causes and Solutions

Every symbol on your car’s dashboard is not a warning light. Some are vehicle features like cruise control, fog lights, lane assist and departure lights, fuel level, etc. They assist you in driving and monitoring various systems of your car. However, warning lights indicate something out of the ordinary, often a malfunction in a system or part of your vehicle.

Depending on the vehicle, there can be several warning lights and symbols on your vehicle. Each symbol has a different color and is classified into 3 categories: red or flashing, green or blue, and orange or yellow. These colors are classified based on the degree of importance of your car's warning light.

• Red or Flashing Light: Requires immediate action, should not be ignored, and take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible.

• Green or Blue Light: Indicates that a particular system is turned on or operating.

• Yellow or Orange: Indicates that the vehicle’s system needs to be repaired or serviced.

Before you learn what all the symbols on your car’s dashboard mean, you should keep a few things in mind. Every car is different, and the symbols can vary compared to this list. Always consult your owner's manual for more clarity. Some of these warning lights will illuminate briefly when you turn on the ignition key. If these lights go off after a few seconds, everything is functioning normally in your vehicle.

Cause: The engine temperature warning light means your engine is overheating. This can happen due to low coolant levels, a leak in the cooling system, or other issues.

Solution: The engine temperature light looks like a red thermometer dipped in a liquid. In some cars, it is simply the word "TEMP". If you see this sign, immediately pull over and let your vehicle cool down, or the high temperature can harm your engine and lead to a complete breakdown.

Do not open the hood while the engine is hot because the hot smoke and steam can harm you. Check the coolant level and look for broken radiator hoses, signs of coolant leakage, or a broken radiator after the engine has cooled. It can also be caused by a blown head gasket, which is accompanied by white smoke from the exhaust. Learn more about how to maintain your cooling system to avoid future problems.

When you start your car, you will also notice a blue engine temperature warning light, which indicates that your engine is cold. When this light is on, you should avoid pushing the accelerator pedal too hard until the light has disappeared and the engine has warmed up.

Cause: The oil pressure warning light looks like an old-fashioned oil can symbol and indicates that you are running low on engine oil. It can also mean your engine’s oil pump is not circulating enough oil. Some cars display the “OIL” symbol on the dashboard.

Solution: Running on low engine oil can cause major engine damage. Therefore, if you see a low oil pressure warning light, pull over and check the engine oil level. A dipstick is located under the hood of your vehicle and in the engine bay. Check the engine oil level with the dipstick. If the engine oil is low, topping it up will usually clear the warning light.

The oil pressure warning light can also illuminate due to a malfunctioning oil pump accompanied by a noisy engine. If the engine oil level is adequate and the engine runs smoothly, your oil pressure sensor might be faulty. You can continue driving if the oil pressure light goes away after topping up the oil. If the oil pressure warning light remains illuminated, drive to the mechanic as soon as possible.

Cause: A battery warning symbol on your dashboard means there is a problem with the vehicle's charging system. This can happen due to a damaged battery cable, a loose connection, a faulty alternator, or any other electrical fault.

Solution: If you see a battery warning light on your car's dashboard, it means that your battery is not charging or there is a potential problem with the vehicle's electrical components. Do not ignore the light if your car starts and drives normally. There could be a bigger issue with the battery or the alternator. In such a scenario, it's important to get your battery and charging system checked.

Cause: An antilock-braking system (ABS) warning light indicates there is a problem with the ABS system. It is not a signal of brake failure.

Solution: If you see an ABS warning light on your dashboard, drive with caution. Your brakes will still work, but if you press the brake pedal hard, your wheel might lock up. ABS is an important safety feature that prevents your vehicle from skidding under heavy braking. This warning light can appear due to a broken ABS wire, a faulty ABS sensor, or a malfunctioning ABS system. 

If you can see both the ABS light and the brake fluid or parking brake warning light, immediately pull over your vehicle. There could be a problem with the complete braking system of your vehicle.

Cause: The check engine light can come up due to bad oxygen sensors, a loose gas cap, a failing catalytic converter, bad mass air flow sensors, and faulty spark plugs.

Solution: Some cars display the word "CHECK ENGINE" instead of light. The engine light, or the engine warning light, is the most common warning light witnessed by car owners. The cause of a check engine light can range from an issue in the car's engine to the emission system and even a loose gas cap.

If you see a check engine light on your dashboard and you can hear no unusual noises or weird car smells, there is no need to panic and you can continue driving. However, it should not be ignored, and you should get your car diagnosed by a mechanic. Usually, a check engine light can be diagnosed by using an On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) Tool or Scanner. This tool reads the error codes generated by the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of the vehicle so the source of the problem can be identified. Learn more about OBD error codes and the causes of the check engine light.

If the check engine light flashes or is red, you should immediately pull over and stop driving. A flashing or red check engine light is a sign of major damage that can lead to a complete vehicle breakdown and expensive damage. If you see a yellow check engine light, drive to a mechanic to prevent further issues.

Cause: The traction control system warning light looks like a car with lines bending away from the tires. This warning light can come up due to various reasons, depending on the situation.

Solution: If the warning light is on, it indicates that the traction control system is working. Often, vehicles are equipped with an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system similar to a traction control system and have the same symbol. This system allows the tires to maintain proper grip and prevent slip and hydroplaning. If you are driving in bad weather and on wet roads, it means the traction control system (TCS) is working properly, as it is trying to maintain proper tire grip. The light can even turn on and off frequently in such conditions.

However, if your TCS warning light is on in good weather and on dry roads, there could be an issue with the system. If the traction control light turns on briefly and goes off, your wheel speed sensors are faulty or the traction control system is malfunctioning. If the traction control light stays on without blinking, your TCS is deactivated.

If the traction control light comes up in good weather and on dry roads, safely pull your car over and restart your car. If the light stays on, take your vehicle to a mechanic to diagnose the issue. A traction control light combined with an ABS warning light or the brake warning light indicates that your entire braking system may be faulty.

Cause: A brake warning light on the dashboard means worn-out brake pads, a low brake fluid level, or the parking brake is engaged.

Solution: The brake warning light or the word "BRAKE" in red on your car's dashboard indicates that your braking system is malfunctioning. The first thing to check is your parking brake and ensure it is not engaged. If the light is still on, check your brake fluid. If it's low, top it up to the recommended level. The brake warning light can also light up due to worn-out brake pads. Some vehicles are equipped with brake pad wear sensors which signal the driver if the brake pads are too thin. If the light remains illuminated, have your braking system inspected by a mechanic.

Cause: A tire pressure warning light indicates that one of your vehicle's wheels has low tire pressure, a puncture, or a TPMS sensor is malfunctioning.

Solution: The tire pressure warning symbol is also known as the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) symbol. If you see a solid TPMS light, then the tire pressure in one of your tires is too low or too high. If your TPMS light flashes for a while and stays illuminated, then something is wrong with the TPMS sensors. Driving on low or high tire pressures can cause uneven wear and reduce the life of your tires. It is recommended to drive at the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure to ensure better vehicle stability and handling.

If you see a tire pressure warning light, get your wheels inflated to recommended values. Another reason for a TPMS light can be malfunctioning TPMS sensors that have to be diagnosed to ensure they are working fine. Refer to our TPMS diagnosis article on how to diagnose the Tire Pressure Monitoring System of your vehicle.

Cause: An airbag warning light means something is wrong with one of your airbags or the entire system.

Solution: When you turn on the ignition, the airbag warning light or the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) warning light usually illuminates. If it remains on and you can see the red warning light, your airbag system is faulty.  This can happen due to various reasons, including various components of the airbag system like the front passenger occupant classification system, seat belt pre-tensioner system, etc.

It can also light up if one of the sensors has failed. If you can see the airbag warning light on your dash, you should take your car to a mechanic to diagnose the issue and the cause of the problem.

Cause: A glow plug symbol on your dashboard means the glow plugs are active. A flashing glow plug symbol means either the glow plug has failed or there is a malfunction.

Solution: Unlike petrol engines, diesel engines do not have spark plugs. They use compression and temperature to combust the air-fuel mixture inside the engine. Glow plugs are used for warming the engine and preventing a failed start. If the glow plug light is on, it means your engine is warming up and you should not start it yet. When the light comes on, the engine is cold, and you should not start it until it goes out.

However, if the glow plugs' lights flash or blink, they may be faulty and must be replaced. It is recommended that you take your vehicle to a professional mechanic to have the problem diagnosed.

Modern cars today are loaded with different systems, and there can be different types of warning symbols you can see on a car's dashboard. Vehicles equipped with electric power steering may display a power steering warning light, while diesel vehicles display a separate diesel particulate filter warning light. Apart from warning lights, there are several symbols too, which do not indicate a malfunction but alert the driver about important things like seat belts, fog lamps, washer fluid, lane departure, etc.

Since there are several cryptic warning signs on vehicles today, people tend to ignore them, leading to a bigger issue. Therefore, it's important to learn about car dashboard warning lights to keep your car in proper condition and prevent breakdowns.