Do you know your car warning lights? 10 Tips
Do you know your DPF from your TPMS light? Regency Car Park (Parking-Here.com) will give you a broad introduction into the ever-changing world of car dash warning lights. We explain which dashboard warning lights you need to do something about to keep you safe on the road and hopefully avoid.
Dashboard lights are colour-coded and not all of them are things you need to worry about. If they’re green or blue, it’s usually for information only.
But you do need to pay attention to yellow or amber warning lights which usually indicate there is a problem that you should get checked as soon as possible.
The most serious is a red warning light. If this appears you should stop driving and seek assistance from your breakdown provider or better still, if you are in London, call Kar Dok Garage on 0207 722 5228 for immediate advice.
Here are 10 of the most common warning lights for petrol and diesel cars, which you shouldn’t ignore. The symbols can vary depending on your car’s make and model so it’s important to also refer to your car’s manual.
1. Airbag warning light
An airbag warning light could mean there is a problem with one of your car’s airbags, the entire airbag system or the seat belt pretensioner. You should get your car checked at a garage as soon as possible or you risk the airbag system not working during a collision or deploying unexpectedly. If you are in London, call Kar Dok on 0207 722 5228.
2. Battery warning light
Battery failure is one of the most common causes of a vehicle breakdown and the battery warning light will illuminate when the battery isn’t charging. If your battery drains completely then nothing in your car will work so try to get to your nearest garage before that happens. For more information on what to do with a flat or faulty battery, you can check out Kar Dok’s guide to common car issues and solutions.
3. Brake warning light
If the brake warning light comes on the first thing to check is that your handbrake is fully released. If the light stays on check the brake fluid level, following the guidance in your owner’s manual. If it’s below the minimum mark, there may be a leak in the brake system. The brake warning light could also mean there’s a sensor fault or your brake pads need replacing so it’s best to go to contact Kar Dok Kar-Dok.co.uk
4. Coolant temperature warning light
The coolant temperature warning light (also known as the engine temperature warning light) means that your car’s engine is too hot. It could simply be that the coolant levels are low, and you need to pull over and top up (once you’ve waited for the engine to cool down) But if the warning light remains on afterwards, it suggests there’s a more serious issue and you should get your car checked.
5. Diesel particulate filter (DPF) warning light
The DPF traps and removes harmful particulate matter from the exhaust gases to reduce emissions. But if you do a lot of stop-start driving your DPF could get blocked with soot and can’t self-clean. You may be able to clear it by driving above 40mph for about 10 minutes. If the DPF warning light stays on you’ll need to go to a garage as soon as possible in case it needs replacing.
6. Engine management warning ligh
If the engine management warning light (also called the check engine warning light) is red or flashes amber, it means there is a problem with your engine. Lots of things can trigger it to come on but if you ignore it and it’s a serious fault then you risk irreparable damage to your engine.