First things first, don’t panic… There are many reasons your dash lights could come on. Some symbols on your car’s dashboard could mean you are enabling regular features you car offers such as Blind Spot Monitoring, Traction Control, Lane Departure Warning, & more. Some are easier to figure out than others. However, it’s important to know exactly what these warning lights mean in case you need to stop your car and call for help. One thing that is important to remember is colors matter! To put it simply, Green or Blue lights let you know that a system is on or operating. Orange/yellow warning lights are basically a heads up. warning. It is signaling that your car needs to be serviced or looked at for something. Red and/or flashing lights means something is serious and you should take action immediately! ALSO, LOOK AT YOUR OWNERS MANUAL! Your cars manual will be your go to in figuring out what some lights mean, because lets be honest, nobody can keep up with all those lights! Of course you can always stop by Woody’s Service Department and they will be more than happy to help you figure out what your car needs in relation to the warning lights.
When These Lights Come On, You Should Pull Over Safely ASAP:
- Engine Temperature/Coolant Light (A hot set of wheels is a cool thing; an overheated engine is not.)
- Oil Pressure (This is a potentially engine-frying hazard.)
- Powertrain Malfunction (Something might be amiss with your transmission. Indicates either a malfunction or a high transmission temperature.)
When These Lights Come On, You Should Head Directly to an Auto Repair Shop:
- Battery or Alternator (A power outage can be enraging, and your car may not restart if you pull over and turn the engine off.)
- Flashing Check Engine Light (This is more critical than the Check Engine Light staying on steady.)
- If a combination of warning lights are displayed or if your dashboard lights up like a holiday tree.
When These Lights Come On, You Should Schedule an Appointment at Your Earliest Convenience:
- Brake Light (Stopping when you want to is such a great feeling.)
- Tire Pressure Monitor (Underinflated tires not only compromise safety, they slurp gas.)
- Parking Brake (A constantly illuminated one of these could mean more than just an engaged parking brake.)
- Airbag (Only a crash test dummy would risk faulty airbags.)
- Traction Control
- Bulb Failure (There’s a reason the roads suddenly seem darker at night.)
- Tire Rotation (Passed your 7,000-mile mark?)
