Car Emergency Warning Lights Explained

We’ve all been in that situation. You’re enjoying a drive around town and out of nowhere you hear a soft beep followed by an illuminated symbol on your dashboard. If you’re not familiar with your car emergency warning lights, this situation may cause you to panic. Fortunately, diagnosing the problem is quite simple if you know what you’re looking at! 

Warning lights shine on your dash when there is something wrong, or there has been a malfunction with your vehicle. Some symbols on your dashboard may be easier to decipher than others, but you’ll definitely want to know what all of the warnings mean, just in case you’ll need to call for help if the problem is severe. 

Types of Emergency Warning Lights

Car emergency warning lights can illuminate for a number of reasons. Whether you’re not wearing a seatbelt, or your engine needs a check, your car will let you know with its emergency warning lights.

Not every symbol that appears on your dashboard is a warning. But it is important to know which ones are warning signs. You can differentiate the category of the symbols between their different colors.

Emergency Warning Light Colors

A yellow or orange light is usually indicative that something needs to be serviced or replaced soon. For example, the orange oil can light reminds you it’s time to change your oil. 

Green or blue lights on your dashboard are usually harmless. Blue symbols means your system is operating. A common blue symbol is the high beam light indicator, which is there to remind you your bright lights are on. 

The real problem is when you see red lights illuminated. Red emergency warning lights mean there is a problem that needs immediate attention, such as an overheating engine. 

6 Most Common Car Emergency Warning Lights 

1. Check Engine Light

The check engine light is not only one of the most common car emergency warning lights, but also the least specific symbol there is. A check engine light warning illuminates when any engine-related issue occurs, so it could mean a number of things. 

Your car’s check engine light could illuminate due to a loose gas cap, or a much more serious problem with your engine. Whenever you see this orange warning light up your dash, you should bring your car in to see a technician as soon as possible to avoid any further damage. 

2. Low Tire Pressure

If you see your low tire pressure light on your dash while you’re driving, don’t panic. Instead, safely pull over and inspect your tires. If you think one, or more, of your tires is lacking air, drive to your closest gas station and pay to fill up your tires. In most vehicles, after you have filled your tires up to the required amount of air (usually between 30 and 35 psi) the light should go off on its own. 

3. Traction Control Light

Your traction control light is there to tell you when one, or more, of your wheels has begun to slip and lose traction. Loss of traction occurs most often in conditions of rain, snow, or ice. 

When the traction control light comes on, the traction control system shifts the car’s power from a wheel that is slipping to the remaining wheels that still have traction to the road. Because of this transfer, in most cases, the car will continue to move safely in the desired direction. The light will often go off on its own after it recognizes all four wheels have regained traction control. 

Learn more: Correcting Traction Loss: Understeer and Oversteer Recovery for Drivers

4. Brake System Warning Light

In the event you see this warning symbol, you should safely pull your car over and call a tow truck. Having your brake system warning light on your dashboard means there is something wrong with your brakes, and you should not drive. Driving with faulty brakes of any kind is extremely dangerous and should never be done. 

5. Battery Light

When your battery light is shining on your dash, it simply means that your car isn’t getting enough voltage from the car battery to operate properly. There’s a number of reasons that cause this lack of power, such as a loose or corroded cable, an alternator issue, or faulty wiring in the car’s charging system. 

When your battery light comes on, the best course of action is to take it in to be looked at by a certified technician. They will be able to find the root cause and repair your battery. 

6. Low Fuel Level

Your low fuel level light is there for the exact reason you’re thinking — to let you know when your gas tank is nearing empty. When this light is on, there is no reason to be alarmed (unless you are miles from the nearest gas station). 

To get this warning to disappear from your dashboard, simply go fill your gas tank up. Once there is a sufficient amount of gas in the tank, the light will go off on its own.  

Don’t Wait Until Your Dash Lights Up, Bring Your Car in For a Maintenance Check

The best way to avoid these car emergency warning lights while driving is to have routine maintenance checks done on your vehicle. Here at M&L, our certified technicians will do a thorough look through of your vehicle to make sure everything is working properly. Contact us today to schedule a service appointment!