Dashboard Warning Lights & What They Mean

Dashboard Warning Lights

Away from the speedometers and the mileage counters, our cars’ dashboards are littered with different symbols that light up when they need your attention. This can be confusing and somewhat worrying if you don’t know what these symbols mean, particularly when more than one lights up at once. Our handy infographic is here to help you make sense of your dashboard’s warning lights.

Engine Warning Light

This one means that there’s a potential issue with your engine. When you see it, either pull over in a safe spot and call your repair company, or visit a garage, if there is one in close proximity.

Oil Warning Light

This one means that your car is low on oil – pull over safely and check your oil levels. You may need to take your car to a garage, or you can top your oil up at home if you aren’t too far away.

Battery Warning Light

The symbol looks like a battery, and when it’s illuminated, it means you need to get your battery replaced. Take it to a garage for the replacement.

Brake Warning Light

Perhaps the most dramatic of the lot – an exclamation mark in a circle – this means there’s an issue with your brakes. This can be that the handbrake hasn’t been fully disengaged, or that your brake system may have a fault. If it’s not the former, visit a mechanic.

ABS Warning Light

ABS means Anti-Lock Braking System, and if the light comes on, it’s very important that you get your vehicle checked ASAP. Your anti-lock brakes are crucial to the safety of your vehicle.

Service Required Light

Coming in different formats, from an exclamation mark in a cog to a simple ‘service required’ message, this means that you’ll need to arrange a service with your nearest mechanic.

Engine Temperature

One of the most significant of all the warning lights, this requires immediate attention. It means your engine is too hot – this could be because it doesn’t have enough water or coolant in it.

Seatbelt Indicator Light

The beeping or dinging sound is probably more recognisable than the warning symbol, but it means that one or more of your passengers hasn’t put their seatbelt on.

Windscreen Wiper Fluid

You need to refill your window washer fluid at the next possible opportunity. This is a more urgent scenario if it’s raining – every service station has the facilities for this.

Airbag Warning Light

This means that one or more of your airbags is not working, or that there may be a problem with the system as a whole.

Fuel Light

The illuminated petrol pump means that you’re running low on fuel and need to head to the nearest petrol station.

Door Indicator Light

This means that one or more of your doors is not fully closed.

Regular drivers will more than likely see several of these warning lights over the course of their time on the road. While some are more severe than others, and some are indicators of oversights rather than faults, it’s important that we take good care of our vehicles to minimise the likelihood of warning symbols flashing on our dashboards.

Watling Tyres offer full and interim servicing at a number of our branches, including:

– Ashford

– Canterbury

– Catford

– Dover

– Gillingham

– Gravesend

– Hastings

– Maidstone

– Rainham

– Northfleet

– Sittingbourne