Abrupt warning sounds? Flashing rectangles on the navigation system? Vibrating steering wheels? It’s enough to drive a driver into making a mistake… or save their life. And what about those icons?
Less invasive and also simultaneously helpful and potentially confusing warning icons can also abruptly appear on your vehicle’s dashboard without, well, warning.
Some of the icons are commonplace. Others are more difficult to decipher.
MotorTrend.com, the online version of the automobile magazine dating to 1949, explains in alphabetical order 11 icons that can appear on your vehicle. What do they mean? How serious is their arrival?
What each dashboard warning icon means
ABS Sensor Warning Light
The ABS warning light signals an issue with the anti-lock brake system. It’s likely, if you stop too hard with this light on, your car’s brakes may lock up, which could make it a struggle to come to a full stop. It’s best to take your car for servicing as soon as possible.
Airbag Warning Light
All cars and trucks are federally mandated to have airbags. If an airbag warning light appears, it can mean an issue with the sensors that detect crashes and deploy airbags in an accident. Service is recommended if the light consistently appears.
Battery Light
If a small red battery icon appears on the dash, it indicates only the battery is powering the car and the battery will eventually drain because the alternator isn’t charging the battery. A jumpstart or a new battery alternator may soon be required.
Brake System Warning Light
An exclamation mark with a circle around it appearing on your vehicle’s dash means the brakes are problematic, from components to the hydraulic fluid. Stop the car and call a tow truck.
Check Engine Light
If the check engine light illuminates, a sensor has identified a problem. It could be a faulty spark plug, an issue with the intake manifold or low compression. Servicing is needed.
Coolant Level Warning Light
If a small thermometer pops up on the dashboard, your vehicle is likely overheating. Stop the car or truck as soon as it’s in a safe location and let the engine cool down. The coolant reservoir should be checked. If the engine doesn’t cool down or there’s smoke, a fire could be imminent. Service is required quickly.
Diesel Glow Plugs Active Light
This light indicates the glow plugs in a diesel engine are active. The glow plugs warm the air in the cylinder prior to ignition. Since diesels do not have spark plugs like gasoline vehicles, they rely on the heat from compression to facilitate combustion. Once this light turns off, you can start your vehicle. If it’s blinking, there may be a malfunction in the glow-plug system.
Engine Oil Warning Light
If a light appears that’s shaped like a gravy boat, your vehicle has an engine oil pressure problem. Without the proper oil pressure, the engine can’t be properly lubricated and major mechanical problems can occur, like a seized engine. Service the vehicle if the engine oil warning light engages.
Fog Lights
The fog light symbol looks like the one used for the regular headlights, albeit with a squiggly line in front of it instead of just three lines that look like beams. Not all cars come equipped with fog lights. Get the vehicle’s fog lights checked.
Low Tire Pressure
A little exclamation point inside of a half-circle means the pressure is low in one of the vehicle’s tires. Find a safe place to stop and inspect your tires then proceed to the nearest gas station to check if the tires are properly inflated according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Traction or Stability Control Light
If an image of a vehicle followed by some squiggly lines on the road behind it appears on the dashboard, the stability control system is either partially or fully off or it has failed. Make sure the system works satisfactorily or replace it.
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RVT1271
I think I need a reference card on my visor with all the symbols!
The icons listed are just a drop in the bucket for what you’ll see on modern cars. My wife’s Honda manufactures icons at an alarming (ha ha) rate
I knew them all except the one for Diesel Glow Plugs. If I had to guess on that I was going to go with “Birth Control”. LOL!
Mine has only one. It looks like a dollar sign.
“Idiot Lights” replaced gauges many years ago. Gauges can let you know a problem is starting long before the idiot light comes on. But unfortunately a lot of people don’t know how to read a gauge or understand what it means.
Yup, as our pal “BUGS” would say: What a Maroon!
Thank you for the list and explanations, James. Our owner’s manual for our Cummins ISL engine showed a lot of icons and not quite as much explanation as you provided. Have a great week and safe travels!
Gravy boat might need explaining as well!!! But to finish an argument: gravy is brown, sauce is red; meat doesn’t make the difference.
I wouldn’t want that gravy on my Smashed Potatoes.
So what does the green icon with the shoe mean?
Hi, Diane. The image at the top didn’t match the post. Sorry. But the green icon with the shoe is for “Automatic Shift Lock or Engine Start Indicator Light”. If it lights up, you’re probably trying to shift gears or start your ignition without engaging the brake. The automatic shift lock will lock your vehicle in park or neutral until you engage the brake. If you see it, press the brake pedal, then either shift gears or start the ignition, whichever you were intending to do. Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
You’re about to be a pedestrian, and will need shoes
🚶♀️➡️👍🤣 Have a good night, ToolMan. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I had a check engine light come on in my car – took to “Auto Zone” and they read the codes – which turned out to be a downstream exhaust sensor – didn’t say left or right side – so changing both. Not too expensive. (There are also two upstream exhaust sensors. Takes an incredible amount of heat/torch – to break the old ones loose! So many emission control devices makes any sort of mechanical diagnosis impossible. Be sure to use anti-seize compound on new ones!
What warning lights? It’s almost 40 years for the main and the Samurai that keeps following me around.