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Dashboard warning light came on: what to do

Red means stop soon, amber means get it checked, and which lights you must never drive on.

19 items · 4 sections · car, mechanic, driver, safety

Start this checklist

First 30 seconds (4)

  • Note the colourRed: stop as soon as it is safe. Amber or yellow: get it checked soon. Green or blue: just information.
  • Notice any new noise, smell, smoke or loss of power
  • Take a photo of the dash when you are parkedLights can vanish after a restart. The photo helps the garage.
  • Look up the symbol in the owner manualSymbols differ between cars.

Red lights: stop and do not drive on (5)

  • Oil pressure (oil can): stop and turn the engine off right awayDriving on low oil pressure can wreck an engine in minutes. Check the level once cool.
  • Temperature: stop and let the engine coolHeater on full can shed some heat on the way to a safe spot. See the engine overheating checklist.
  • Brake: check the handbrake is off, then the fluidStill on, or the pedal feels soft: do not drive. Call for a tow.
  • Battery: turn off AC, radio and heated seats, and call for help or stop at a garage if one is closeThe car runs on the battery alone and can die soon. If the steering goes heavy or the temperature rises, stop.
  • Power steering: expect heavy steering, slow down and stop safely

Amber lights: book a check (6)

  • Engine light steady: book a garage in the next few daysCheck the fuel cap first. A loose one can trigger it.
  • Engine light flashing: slow down, avoid hard acceleration, get to a garage todayUsually a misfire, which can damage the catalytic converter. Stop if the car shakes badly.
  • Tyre pressure: stop and check all four tyresUse the pressures on the door sticker, with cold tyres.
  • ABS: normal brakes still work, but drive gently and book a check
  • Airbag: get it checked soonThe airbags may not fire in a crash.
  • Traction control: slow down on wet roadsA flashing light is normal while the system is working.

Next (4)

  • Check the oil and coolant when the engine is cold
  • Ask the garage to read the fault codeA cheap OBD reader shows the code too, on most cars from the 2000s onward.
  • Write down when it came on, speed and weather
  • Do not just clear the code and carry onThe fault is still there.

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