Dashboard light dilemma

Posted 13 February, 2018 Clair Morton

Knowing the meaning behind your dashboard warning lights can keep you safe on the road, help you avoid a breakdown and potentially save you from an expensive repair bill. We take a look at some common ones you should know about…

 

 

Battery light

What it might look like: The kids have spilt Lego in the back of the car. What it actually means: This warning doesn’t mean your battery isn’t working, but that there’s a problem with the vehicle’s charging system or alternator. While the light is on, the battery isn’t being charged and can become flat quickly. Try to have this looked at as soon as possible to assess where the problem may lie.

 

Coolant temperature warning

What it might look like: The river’s about to flood. What it actually means: The engine is getting too hot and continuing to drive will make it overheat, causing costly damage. Park, switch off the engine, and call an expert. Don’t attempt to remove cooling system caps or touch any engine components under the bonnet, as temperatures will be extremely hot and under high pressure, which can result in serious burns.

 

Oil pressure warning

What it might look like: Get your three wishes ready, it’s a genie in a bottle. What it actually means: Find a safe spot to pull over and turn the engine off as soon as possible. This light will come on if the engine doesn’t have sufficient oil pressure or not enough oil, which can damage the engine. Don’t operate the car again until it’s been looked at by a mechanic or an RAA Patrol.

 

Airbag warning

What it might look like: Don’t drive with a beach ball on your lap. What it actually means: While RAA does advise you to leave beach balls in the boot, this warning means a fault has been detected in the airbag system. You can still drive the car but this should be investigated urgently, because the airbag may not deploy when it’s meant to.  

Brake system

What it might look like: Stop! What it actually means: There might be a problem with the level of brake fluid. In this case, the car shouldn’t be driven until the problem’s fixed. On newer cars, this warning may be incorporated with the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS). Get it checked out urgently.

 

Diesel engine pre glow

What it might look like: You accidently left the heater on. What it actually means: Don’t worry about this one if it appears briefly – it just means the glow plugs are working to pre-heat the engine for cold starting, and should only come on for a short time. If the light stays illuminated, it may signify a fault within a pre-heat circuit. Get this checked by a mechanic.

 

Engine light

What it might look like: Is this the eject button? What it actually means: There’s something wrong with the engine’s management system, usually related to an electrical, air intake or fuel issue. This one’s not easy to diagnose, because the problem could be as minor as a poor electrical connection, or as serious as the failure of a vital engine part. It may also mean a fault’s occurred and a problem code has been stored in the engine’s computer memory. Get your mechanic to check this one out as soon as possible, as they can ‘read’ the codes with diagnostic equipment, leading them to the cause.