We’ve all been there, driving along and a new light pops up on the dashboard. It’s quite often the vehicle telling you something is wrong. Whist every care is taken to maintain our hire vans and hire cars to the highest standard, sometimes vehicles of any kind can be unpredictable to say the least. So, whether you’re looking for a hire van or hire car in Skipton or not, it’s always a good idea to know when those pesky warning lights actually mean. Let’s dive in.
The car warning lights on your dashboard follow a traffic light pattern:
- Green: The system is currently in use and working correctly (these sometime can be blue lights)
- Yellow: Something is not working correctly – get it looked at as soon as possible (these sometimes can be orange lights)
- Red: There is a serious and urgent issue. Stop driving as soon and as safely as possible.
Two things to keep in mind while reading this list:
- Every car is different, so the symbols may slightly differ on our list. If in doubt check your vehicles owner manual.
- Many of the lights will illuminate when you turn on your engine. As long as the lights turn off again after a few seconds then everything is operating normally.
Battery warning light
This light indicates that your battery is not charging. The fault could come from a problem with your cars electrical system. It could be from several causes including, faulty battery, damaged cabling, faulty alternator or bad electrical connection.
Your car will still run until the battery is flat but once it’s drained nothing in your car will work. You should get to a garage before it runs out. If it does run out, you could try jump starting your car.
Oil warning light
This means there is an issue with your cars oil pressure system. Either the oil temperature is getting too high, or the oil lever or pressure is too low. It’s important to act quickly as if the oil is not lubricating the engine effectively it can lead to expensive or irreversible damage to your engine.
When this light comes on you should stop as soon as possible and turn off the engine. Have a look around for possible leaks from the engine and check the oil levels, topping up if necessary.
If oil levels are fine, then the oil pump may be faulty. If this is the case call for recovery as driving on could cause further damage.
If you top up and the light goes off, then you should be okay to continue your journey. However, if the light comes back on you should get it checked by a garage.
Engine temperature warning light
Also known as the coolant temperature car warning light. This light will come on when the engine is overheating. This could mean that coolant levels are running low, possibly due to a leak in the system or it could be a sign of a bigger problem. You should stop straight away as with a not enough coolant your engine will overheat quickly.
Wait until the engine has cooled down after you’ve stopped before checking the gauge on the side of the coolant tank, topping up if required.
If you top up and the light goes off, then you should be okay to continue your journey. However, if the light comes back on you should get it checked to fix the problem.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) warning light
ABS is an extremely important safety system that is activated when you break hard or are in difficult conditions like icy roads. The system prevents your wheels from locking up.
If this light comes on, then it may mean that there is a problem with the system, but you should be able to continue driving with normal unassisted braking. You should take care while driving with this light on and get it checked out as soon as possible.
Some car dashboards will display “CHECK ENGINE” instead of the symbol. This is a sign that the engine is not working properly, and it will be accompanied with some signs such as lack of power and stuttering as you press the accelerator.
This light could indicate anything from minor issues such as an electrical fault to major mechanical issues like a fault with your catalytic converter.
Continuing to drive with this light on will cause further damage and you should get the problem seen to as soon as possible.
Airbag warning light
When this light goes red it means there could be a problem with either one of your airbags or the entire airbag system.
If there is an issue with the airbag system, it may not deploy in the event of a crash or may deploy unexpectedly and cause a crash. It’s an incredibly important safety system in your car and you should get it checked as soon as possible if the light comes on.
Power steering warning light
This light indicates there could be a problem with the power steering. It could possibly have a quick fix. Find a safe place to stop and turning your vehicle off and then back on again after 30 seconds, to reboot the computer.
You will notice without power steering assistance the handling of your vehicle is very hard and you should take extra care. You should find the nearest garage to get it fixed.
DPF warning light
Also known as a diesel particulate filter warning light or exhaust particulate filter warning light. If you have a diesel engine this light will come on if there is an issue with the exhaust particulate filter, which removes soot from the exhaust gases to reduce emissions, which can be harmful.
A plume of toxic black smoke will also be released every time you put your foot on the accelerator, which will keep causing damage to your car the more you drive with it. You should get to a garage as soon as possible but these filters are expensive to replace.
Electronic stability problem (ESP) system light
Also called the Electronic Stability Control, this light indicated a problem with your car’s traction control. It may flash when driving on rainy or slippery roads but that means it’s operating. If it stays on it may not be working properly.
You are fine to keep on driving but just be careful in rainy or slippery conditions.
Brake warning light
This light means either the handbrake is currently slightly on, or that brake fluid is running low, or the discs/pads are worn. If you don’t know how to change brake fluid yourself then it’ll be a trip to the professionals at the garage.
Don’t risk driving if your brakes are not functioning properly, they are the most important safety feature in your vehicle, so it’s important to act if there is an issue with them.
How many of the did you know? We hope this guide keeps you safe when you’re on the road whether you’re in one of our vehicles, or in one of your own! If you need to hire a van, pickup, car or minibus you can visit us in Skipton or contact us today on 01756 792911.
