What Are These Lights on My Dashboard? Ten Auto Warning Lights Explained

Have you ever noticed a light pop up on your vehicle’s dashboard and wondered, “What does that mean?” Car dashboards are filled with various warning lights, each designed to alert you to a potential issue with your vehicle. While some lights are more serious than others, understanding what each one means can help you stay on top of your vehicle’s health and avoid costly repairs. 

Check Engine Light 

This yellow, orangish light known as the check engine light illuminates once something needs to be attended to! It could be a very simple fix from just needing the replacement of your gas cap, or a more involved fix such as your purge valve, oxygen sensor, charcoal canister, or spark plugs! Now, if your engine light is flashing instead of being solid, by how your vehicle is driving, you know it is time to bring your vehicle to your mechanic (Scotts U Save) Also, if you need your license plate sticker, you better make sure that light is off due to with it being on, you will fail your emissions test!  

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) 

This dashboard light which could be orange as well as red, entails that your anti-locking braking system is not working as it should. Something as simple as your tire pressure, being too low or high, will result in your ABS system detecting mismatching wheel speeds. Other reasonings, like low brake fluid, could be an issue as why the light is on and would pull over and restart the vehicle to see if the light remains on, if so, would recommend a tow due to the vehicle may be driving fine, but if something is wrong with the brakes you do not want to find out while driving.  

Oil Pressure Light 

Your oil pressure light, which you will not miss due to how red this light is, is a HUGE deal and dealt with immediately. This light indicates that the oil pressure in your engine is low. This could be due to a lack of oil changes, a clogged oil filter, a faulty oil pressure sensor, or what you don’t want, which would be internal engine damage.  

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 

This light entails that there is an issue with your tire pressure such as a low tire or a faulty TPMS sensor. A quick test is if this light does come on, you can either fill your tires yourself (the correct air pressure is noted on the sticker on the inside of your door on the door jam) or you can have them filled for FREE at any of the Scott’s U Save locations. Now, once filled, if that light does re-appear, it indicates a slow leak and needs to be repaired. If the light does not go away and tends to “flash” when the vehicle is started, shows it might either be a dead TPMS sensor or a low battery. If ignored, it can cause a blowout or left stranded, and I know none of us want that.  

Traction Control Light 

A traction control light indicates a problem with your vehicle’s traction control system. Issues that entail loss of traction while driving (which will pop on and righty back off), faulty sensors, or wiring issues. Remember, traction control is ALWAYS on, so make sure it isn’t switched off (all modern vehicles have a button to turn on & off) 

Battery Light 

Your battery light appears when you are having an issue with your charging system. Other mechanic shops, such as Scotts U Save, can check your battery for FREE, but if other issues are noticed, it would have to be fully diagnosed. With this light, you may notice your interior lights as well as your exterior lights may be dim, make sure to mention that when bringing in your vehicle. Common failure points are your battery, battery terminals, alternator, or even wiring issues in between. Make sure you get it checked before it leaves you stranded and needs a jump start!  

Transmission Light 

This light, just like your check engine light, lets you know when there is an issue going on with your transmission which transmits power from the engine to the wheels. If the vehicle is driving fine, doesn’t mean it should be driven, so make sure to get it checked out as soon as you can. A few failure points could be fluid temp (overhearing), a sensor, or an internal issue with your transmission.  

Brake Light  

This issue, like the name, is tied to your vehicle braking system. An easy fix is checking that your parking brake is not engaged, if so, disengage it. Something more serious is low brake fluid (which sometimes, you can feel in the pedal that something is wrong before this light appears) Just like the ABS light, there could be something wrong with your Anti-Braking System & should be checked out ASAP.  

Engine Coolant Light

The engine coolant light being on indicates issues with your vehicle’s cooling system, this can mean that your vehicle is overheating.  Coolant is a vital fluid in your vehicle that regulates the temperature of the engine.  Low coolant levels and faulty coolant system parts are likely the cause of your vehicle overheating.  It is important to shut off your vehicle when you notice the coolant light, and have it addressed as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

SRS Light

The SRS light, or the supplemental restraint system light, is a dashboard warning light that indicates issues with your vehicle’s airbag system, seatbelt, or crash sensors. If you see this light on, it is important to have your vehicle inspected, as there is a fault in the system and the airbags will likely not deploy in the event of a collision.

Warning Light Diagnostics at Scott’s U-Save

All these warning lights and failure points are definitely hard to keep track of and could be overwhelming knowing all of these are bound to happen, but these are here for you to be able to repair your vehicle and keep it running for as long as you need it to! Without these lights, we could never know what your vehicle needs which is why they are called “warning” lights. To warn you that if you don’t get the necessary repairs done, it will cost you more in the long run.  

Put your newly acquired knowledge to work and help friends and family know what their vehicle is trying to tell them next time a light pops on. Plus, you can always rest assured the auto repair experts at Scott’s U-Save Tire and Auto Repair in Steger, IL (60475), New Lenox, IL (60451), Schererville, IN (46375), and Crown Point, IN (46307) are here to guide, advise and provide any driver help maintaining and repairing their vehicle. Give us a call or schedule online today!