23 September 2024
Car Dashboard Symbols and Meanings
Company News
Your car has numerous sensors and mechanisms to keep you and your passengers safe. When a light flashes up on your dashboard, it’s your car communicating with you that something’s wrong.
Our handy guide will tell you all you need to know about some of the most common dashboard warning lights. Read on to find out what they mean, why the come on, and what steps you’ll need to take.
At our Lloyd Service Centres, we offer repairs and diagnostics, so we can identify the cause of your car’s warning light and ensure that any repairs are completed to the highest of standards. Find your nearest service centre by tapping the button below.
Jump to:
- Brake Warning Light
- Engine Management Light
- Airbag Warning Light
- Power Steering Warning Light
- Engine Temperature Warning Light
- Oil Warning Light
- Low Tyre Pressure Warning Light
- Battery Warning Light
- Electronic Stability Problem Warning Light
- Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
Car Warning Light Colour System
The lights on your dashboard follow a simple traffic light colour system:
- Green means everything is ok, and the system is working correctly
- Yellow means that something isn’t working properly and you should have it looked at as soon as possible.
- Red indicates a serious and potentially dangerous problem, and you should stop driving as soon as its safe to do so and take action.
Car Warning Light Meanings
Brake Warning Light
This light will come on when you put your handbrake on. If it stays on when you’ve fully released the handbrake, or appears when you’re already driving, it could indicate that your brake fluid levels are low. Your brakes are one of the most important safety features of your car, so don’t risk driving with this light on – get your brake fluid levels checked right away.
Engine Management Light
This light could suggest a number of issues, like a broken electrical sensor to larger issues like a fault with the catalytic converter. You should get this checked as soon as you can – continuing to drive with this light on could risk causing further damage to the engine.
Airbag Warning Light
If this light is illuminated red, it means that at least one part of the airbag system isn’t working properly. You should get this looked at immediately, and don’t risk driving with this light on; A fault with the airbag system could mean that it won’t deploy in the event of a crash, or that it will deploy when it’s not needed and result in a crash.
Power Steering Warning Light
This light indicates a problem with your power steering. Get this checked as soon as possible - drive extremely carefully to your nearest garage for a full diagnosis or call for roadside assistance. The most common cause of this is a problem with fluid levels in cars that have hydraulic power steering, caused by a leak in the system.
Engine Temperature Warning Light
This warning light lets you know that your car is running too hot. You'll need to pull over and wait until the engine has cooled off before checking your engine’s coolant levels, by looking at gauge on the side of the coolant tank under the bonnet. Top your coolant levels up as required. If you find it comes back on, there could be a leak, and you’ll need to get this seen to.
Oil Warning Light
If this light pops up on your dash, you need to stop and check your oil level. You might simply just need to top up your oil, or it could mean a more serious leak in the engine or worn parts like a broken oil pump. If after topping up your oil the light soon comes back on again, you’ll need to get this checked.
Low Tyre Pressure Warning Light
When this warning light comes on, it means the pressure in your tyres is getting low and they may be underinflated. In most modern cars, tyre pressure monitors tell the driver the exact tire pressure at each wheel, which is available to see within the infotainment system. Pump air into the affected tyre and try driving again. If the light comes back on, this may show that you have a slow puncture, in which case you’ll need replace the tyre.
Battery Warning Light
A red battery light flashing up on your dash means that your battery’s not charging properly. The cause of this could be a faulty alternator, faulty battery, or a bad electrical connection. You’ll need to have this looked at quickly – your car will continue to run as normal, until the battery completely dies – at this point nothing in the car will work. Get to a garage as soon as possible, and if you do run out of charge, call for breakdown assistance.
Electronic Stability Problem Warning Light
This light will come on is you’re driving on a wet and slippery road, which shows that the system is working properly. If it shows up when you’re not driving in these conditions, this could suggest an issue with the ESP system, and you should have this checked right away. You can continue driving as you normally would if the light only flashes while you’re driving on wet or slippery roads. If the light keeps coming on in normal driving conditions, get your vehicle checked.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
Your car’s ABS prevents its wheels from locking up when the brakes are applied suddenly. If this ABS light comes on by itself, you’ll need to get this checked as soon as possible. Keep your distance and take extra care, as you will only have normal, unassisted braking. If the ABS light shows alongside the brake warning light, it could indicate that your car’s brake system is failing and you’ll need to stop straight away. Call your local service centre to check your car over as soon as you can.
We hope you won’t be seeing any of these warning lights on your vehicle any time soon! But in the event any of them do flash up, contact your local Lloyd service centre.
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