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Understanding Your Car

What Do Those Dashboard Warning Lights Mean?

MyFirstCar Team · · 5 min read

You’re driving along and suddenly a little symbol lights up on your dashboard. Your heart rate spikes. Is the car about to explode? Is it fine? Should you pull over right now?

Relax. Most dashboard warning lights aren’t emergencies — but some are. Here’s what the most common ones mean, how serious they are, and what you should do when they pop up.

The Color Code

Before we get into specific lights, here’s a general rule:

  • 🟢 Green/Blue: Informational. Something is active (headlights, cruise control, turn signal). No action needed.
  • 🟡 Yellow/Amber: Caution. Something needs attention soon, but it’s not an emergency. You can usually keep driving and address it within a few days.
  • 🔴 Red: Warning. Something needs immediate attention. Pull over safely or get to a mechanic as soon as possible.

The Most Common Warning Lights

🔴 Oil Pressure Warning (Oil Can Symbol)

What it means: Oil pressure is dangerously low. Your engine isn’t getting proper lubrication.

Severity: HIGH. This is a pull-over-now situation.

What to do:

  1. Pull over safely as soon as possible
  2. Turn off the engine
  3. Check your oil level (there’s a dipstick under the hood)
  4. If oil is low, add oil before driving further
  5. If the oil level is fine and the light stays on, do NOT drive — call a tow truck. You might have a failing oil pump or a serious leak.

Driving with the oil pressure light on can destroy your engine in minutes.

🟡 Check Engine Light (Engine Symbol)

What it means: The engine’s computer detected something outside normal parameters. Could be minor or serious.

Severity: Varies. A steady light is “get it checked soon.” A flashing check engine light means “stop driving — you’re risking catalytic converter damage.”

We’ve got a full guide on the check engine light if yours is on right now.

🔴 Temperature Warning (Thermometer in Water)

What it means: Your engine is overheating. Coolant temperature is dangerously high.

Severity: HIGH.

What to do:

  1. Turn off the AC and turn the heater to MAX (this pulls heat from the engine)
  2. Pull over safely as soon as possible
  3. Turn off the engine and let it cool for at least 30 minutes
  4. Check coolant level — if it’s low, you may have a leak
  5. Do NOT open the radiator cap while the engine is hot (it’s pressurized and will scald you)
  6. If it overheats again after adding coolant, get it towed

Common causes: low coolant, failed thermostat, broken water pump, radiator leak.

🔴 Battery / Charging System (Battery Symbol)

What it means: Your car’s charging system isn’t working properly. The alternator may not be charging the battery.

Severity: Medium-High. The car will run on battery power for a while (maybe 30 minutes to an hour), then everything will start shutting down.

What to do:

  1. Turn off all unnecessary electrical loads — AC, radio, heated seats
  2. Drive directly to a mechanic or auto parts store (they’ll test your battery and alternator for free)
  3. Don’t turn off the car until you get there — it may not restart

Common causes: failing alternator, loose or corroded battery terminals, worn serpentine belt.

🟡 TPMS Warning (Exclamation Mark in Horseshoe)

What it means: One or more tires are significantly below the recommended pressure.

Severity: Low-Medium. Low tire pressure affects handling, braking, and fuel economy. A very flat tire is dangerous at highway speeds.

What to do:

  1. Check all four tires visually — one might be obviously low or flat
  2. Use a tire pressure gauge and inflate to the recommended PSI (found on the sticker inside your driver’s door jamb)
  3. If a tire keeps losing pressure, you may have a slow leak — visit a tire shop

Note: TPMS lights often come on during temperature drops. A 20°F swing overnight can drop tire pressure by 2-3 PSI.

🟡 ABS Warning (ABS in a Circle)

What it means: Your Anti-lock Braking System has an issue. Regular brakes still work, but ABS won’t kick in during hard braking.

Severity: Medium. Your brakes still function, but you’ve lost anti-lock protection.

What to do: Drive carefully and get it checked soon. Avoid situations that might require emergency braking. Common causes: faulty ABS sensor, low brake fluid, or a wiring issue.

🔴 Brake Warning (Circle with Exclamation Mark or “BRAKE”)

What it means: Either your parking brake is engaged, or there’s a problem with your brake system.

Severity: Potentially HIGH.

What to do:

  1. First: check that the parking brake is fully released
  2. If the light stays on: check brake fluid level (reservoir is under the hood, usually near the firewall)
  3. If brake fluid is low, there may be a leak — drive carefully to a mechanic immediately
  4. If the brakes feel spongy, soft, or go to the floor — pull over and call a tow truck

🟡 Traction Control / Stability Control (Car with Squiggly Lines)

What it means: If it’s flashing, the system is actively working to keep your car stable (like in snow or on a slippery road). That’s normal. If it’s solid, the system has been turned off or has a malfunction.

Severity: Low (flashing) to Medium (solid).

What to do: If solid, check that you haven’t accidentally turned off traction control (there’s usually a button). If you didn’t turn it off, have it checked.

🟡 Fuel Level Warning (Gas Pump)

What it means: You’re low on fuel. Usually activates when you have about 1-2 gallons left (30-50 miles of range).

Severity: Low. But don’t push it.

What to do: Get gas. Running your tank completely empty can damage the fuel pump and leave you stranded.

Lights That Are Probably Fine

  • Cruise control indicator — just means cruise is active
  • High beam indicator (blue) — your high beams are on
  • Door ajar — a door or trunk isn’t fully closed
  • Seatbelt reminder — buckle up
  • Washer fluid low — time to refill ($3 at any gas station)

What to Do When You Don’t Recognize a Light

  1. Check your owner’s manual. There’s a section listing every warning light and what it means. Keep the manual in your glove box.
  2. Note the color. Red = urgent. Yellow = soon. Green = info.
  3. Note any changes in how the car drives. Strange noises, different steering feel, loss of power — all relevant info for your mechanic.
  4. Don’t ignore it. Even amber warnings should be checked within a few days. Small problems become big problems when ignored.

The Bottom Line

Your dashboard lights are your car’s way of communicating with you. Learn the critical ones — oil pressure, temperature, brakes, and battery — so you know when to pull over immediately. For everything else, don’t panic, but don’t ignore them either.

When in doubt, check your owner’s manual or call a mechanic. A $100 diagnostic now is a lot cheaper than a $3,000 repair later.

MyFirstCar helps you understand your car and know what to do when something goes wrong. Log warning lights, track repairs, and build your car knowledge over time. Start learning →