What do my dashboard lights mean

If your car is constantly overheating, you need to get it looked at by a garage. This is a warning light that comes on when the amount of fuel in the tank has passed a certain level. A garage will be able to check this for you. Essentially, it constantly monitors the amount of air in the tyres. This is important, because low tyre pressures can adversely affect braking and cornering and a sudden drop in pressure can cause a dangerous blow-out at high speed.

Instead, they use compression and temperature to induce combustion in the mixture. This will make your engine sound a bit rough and not run as smoothly or efficiently as it should, resulting in a drop in fuel economy.

These warnings may be accompanied by an unusual noise, too. Instead, they tell you that one of the openings — be it a door, boot or bonnet — is open. As electrified cars become ever more popular, they bring with them a new selection of warning lights to decipher. The following examples appear exclusively on hybrid and electric vehicles.

Unlike a standard petrol or diesel, a hybrid or electric vehicle will be virtually silent when starting up. To avoid any confusion, this light simply informs you that your car is ready to be driven, so there is no cause for concern. Having a tortoise on the dashboard may seem fun but this warning light actually means that your vehicle is running on limited power. There are a number of faults that could be causing this lack of power and they vary in severity. This light will appear if your battery is at a critically low level of charge.

If you do not stop the vehicle soon, you could end up stranded. The best, and most obvious, course of action is to seek the nearest available charging point, whether this is at home or a public facility.

Because electric and hybrid vehicles can be so quiet, especially at low speeds, it can be difficult for pedestrians to hear them approaching. In order to prevent any accidents, these vehicles are usually fitted with a system that emits a sound to alert pedestrians to your presence, without the aggression of using the horn. If this light stays illuminated, regardless of your speed, then there is a fault with this system.

This will require a dealer visit in order to determine the problem. Read our Top five engine management light causes and prevent your car from costly repairs. Whether it's an improperly closed door, or the dreaded check-engine alert, dashboard warning lights are how your car communicates with you when something goes wrong. They light every time you start your vehicle, illuminated briefly as your car or truck warms up and makes sure all systems are safe and ready to go.

If they aren't functioning, you might not be able to detect a problem they'd warn you about. But if you don't understand what a warning light means—or choose to ignore it—a small problem could turn into a bigger, more expensive, and potentially dangerous issue. And even the savviest car owner can have trouble deciphering the message a warning light is trying to convey.

Until you don't. A career spent conducting crash tests and researching automobile safety gives Arbelaez unique insight into how cars protect their occupants.

Yet, as vehicles grow increasingly complex, it's the human factor that can present hurdles. Very, very few. According to Matt Anderson, curator of transportation at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, one of the earliest dashboard warning lights was found in a Hudson.

Anderson points to a page in a Hudson Super Six owner's manual in which a generator warning light is referred to as "the red jewel" on the car's dashboard. The manual advises the light should turn off once the car reaches a speed just above idle.

Should it start flashing while traveling above 20 mph, it means the battery isn't being charged. So, nearly 90 years ago, our cars were already trying to tell us when something was wrong.

To make up for lost time and past misunderstandings, let's explore some of the most common dashboard warning lights and what each one means.

We'll start with the worst. The check-engine light is the one car owners hate most. While it seems like the scariest, this light is one the most ambiguous because it relates to anything having to do with the car's motor and emissions system. The potential issue could be as minor as a loose wire, an ill-fitting gas cap, or worn solenoid. Or it could mean something far more serious is wrong in the heart of the engine itself.

If the check-engine light illuminates while you're driving and everything seems fine with the car, don't panic, but don't ignore it, either.

Charging system warning light The charging system warning light notifies you of a malfunction in the vehicle's charging system, such as a problem with the battery. Cruise control indicator Toyota models with cruise control will have this light illuminated any time the cruise control function is activated.

High-beam headlight indicator Indicates that the high-beam headlights have been activated. Low engine oil pressure Illuminates when the engine oil pressure drops and is too low.

Low fuel level warning light Alerts you to when the fuel level is low. Low washer fluid warning light Notifies you of a low level of windshield washing fluid. Maintenance required reminder Many new Toyota models for sale at our Bellevue Toyota dealer offer a maintenance required reminder light to help you stay up to date with factory-recommended maintenance.

Slip indicator When your vehicle loses traction and it's in danger of slipping, the slip indicator will illuminate. SRS warning light The SRS warning light indicates a malfunction in the airbag system, front passenger occupant classification system or the seatbelt pretensioner system. Tire pressure warning light If the air pressure in your tires falls beneath the recommended limit, this light will illuminate.

Turn signal indicator Illuminates when the left or right turn signal is activated. Stay safe on the roads and catch any issues as soon as possible, if you are unsure it's always safer to ask a professional. While DIY engine code scanners are available, simply removing persistent dashboard warning lights only treats the symptom and not the cause. Your car has been built with sensors to identify faults that range from mild to potentially catastrophic, so if you find a dashboard warning light keeps returning, it is likely indicative of a larger problem.

Our mobile mechanics can repair electrical systems and clear engine codes on most makes, including Toyota and Mazda dashboard warning lights.