5 Most Important Warning Lights on Your Dashboard


As modern cars continue to evolve and improve the driving experience, an old problem remains. A warning light popping up on your dashboard seems to always appear at the worst time. While touch screens, GPSs, heated steering wheels have all made the driving experience much better, the fact remains: cars will always need maintenance. Below are the most important maintenance/warning lights you should pay attention to, and fix.

 

1. Tire Pressure Warning Light

What it Looks Like: A tire pressure warning can vary from car to car, however, it is almost always the symbol of a tire. In some modern cars, an exclamation point may appear, along with the "low tire pressure" phrase appearing on your dashboard.

 

What it Means: Given how important tire pressure is in a car, it is surprising it has taken this long for cars to become standardized with tire pressure sensors. Correct tire pressure is extremely important for the safety and efficiency of a vehicle. From an efficiency point of view, having incorrect tire pressure can drastically affect the miles per gallon performance. From a safety point of view, improperly pressurized tires make the vehicle harder to handle.

 

2. Check Engine

What it Looks Like: every car owner dreads it, and it is almost always the same. Look for an engine block that has an exclamation point in the middle.

 

What it Means: The element of the unknown is what makes this light so dreadful. While it can be a simple fix, it can also mean there are serious problems with your engine. Do not ignore this light, and get it checked as soon as you can.

 

3. Electrical System Fault

What it Looks Like: This light usually resembles a car battery and will appear solid in color.

 

What it Means: Another broad light, this warning indicates there is a fault in the electrical charging system, for example, the vehicle alternator, or burnt electrical wiring.

 

4. Low Engine Oil Pressure

What it Looks Like: The warning light often appears as an old-school style oilcan. Usually red in color, it can sometimes be orange.

 

What it Means: While it can indicate you are low on oil, there can be other issues with your vehicle such as problems with the oil pump or oil filter. This is a light that should not be ignored, and dealt with immediately.

 

5. Coolant Temperature Warning

What it Looks Like: This warning light looks like a thermometer dipped into a liquid. This is one of the easier warning lights to spot, a gauge will be located in your car with the symbols C and H.

 

What it Means: Your engine is on the verge of overheating, the closer the arrow is to the H (hot, in this instance), the warmer it is becoming. Oftentimes it means you are low on coolant.

 

Thankfully, many of these warning lights can be fixed in a timely manner. Whatever warning light comes on, we invite you to bring your vehicle to Carmasters Automotive in Norfolk, VA, today!

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