Your dashboard warning lights are there to warn you that there’s a problem. Whether it’s the Tire Pressure Monitoring System letting you know there’s one or more tires that are low on air or the brake warning light, these lights should not be ignored. Some, however, are critical to your engine and its longevity. If you ignore these lights, you will end up with a serious problem and you may even have to replace your engine or your vehicle.
The most important thing to remember about a dashboard warning light is the color. When it comes on and stays on, what color is it? Lights like the Check Engine, Service Engine Soon, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and ABS warning lights are designated “orange” in color. It means there’s a problem – you need to get it taken care of but it’s not critical. We have some blogs on each of these lights for you to learn more. “Red” warning lights, however, are critical warning lights. When one of these lights comes on, you do not want to drive your vehicle any further. Safely pull over to the side of the road and call for a tow.
Here’s some information on each of the critical dashboard warning lights:
Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light will come on when there is a drop in engine oil pressure. This happens because either there isn’t enough oil in the system or the oil pump isn’t circulating enough oil throughout the system. If this warning light comes on and stays on while you are driving, safely pull over to the side of the road. If you continue to drive, very serious engine damage will occur. Have the vehicle towed to our shop.
Engine Temperature Warning Light
Your vehicle’s engine is designed to run at a certain temperature that is managed by the cooling system. As coolant flows through the system, it removes the heat from the engine and dissipates it back into the air through the radiator. When the engine temperature warning light comes on, it means the temperature of the engine has exceeded the safe maximum. More commonly, this happens because of a broken hose or belt. It could also occur when there’s a problem with the radiator, water pump or thermostat. When the light comes on, it means the temperature of the engine has exceeded the safe maximum. Safely pull off to the side of the road, open the hood and call for a tow. Do NOT open the radiator cap as you could sustain serious injury from the hot coolant.
Brake Warning Light
If the Brake Warning Light comes on while you are driving, it is not safe to drive. In some vehicles the Brake Warning Light is the same one that’s used to let you know the Emergency Brake is engaged. If the light is on when you turn your vehicle on, check to see if the Emergency Brake is on. If it is, disengage it before you start to drive. The Brake Warning Light comes on when there’s no fluid in the system. Perhaps there is a leak somewhere, the Master Cylinder needs to be replaced or there is a problem in one of the hydraulic lines. Have your vehicle towed.
The best way to avoid having these lights come on unexpectedly is to have your vehicle serviced regularly at our auto repair shop in Morristown, New Jersey. The certified technicians at Shade Tree Garage will be able to identify the problem that triggered the light to come on and get it fixed. Click here to schedule service or repair now.