5 Dashboard Warning Signs That You Shouldn't Ignore

Safety has forever been a concern for automobiles, and it's no different today. Fortunately, automobiles today are geared with all kinds of safety gadgets and sensors that monitor the vehicle and make driving a lot safer. Your vehicle's dashboard is designed to tell you whenever something is wrong with your vehicle. There are three light colours rated by the level of caution: red requires immediate attention, yellow indicates that there's a part that needs servicing and green simply notifies you that a component is active.

Here is a rundown of the five of the most common warning lights you should look out for.

1. Brake Fluid Warning Light

Your brakes are a very important part of your vehicle so whenever this light comes on, check it out immediately. It's not safe to drive with this light on; instead, pull over and call a mechanic immediately.

2. Check Engine Light

The check engine light is caused by many issues and will illuminate in yellow or orange on your dashboard. The light could come on because of a faulty sensor or electrical faults in your engine's transmission system. Either way, you should take this light seriously and contact a mechanic for a quick diagnosis.

3. Brake Warning Light

The brake warning light is the most avoidable on the list because it often comes on when the parking brake is left on. Turn off the parking brake to see if the light goes off; if not, you could be running low on brake fluid or have other mechanical issues with your braking system. When in such a situation, switch off the parking brake lever to resolve the issue. If it does not work, however, consider contacting a mobile mechanic for further examination.

4. Engine Temperature Warning Light

This light could mean two things: either the engine is overheated or the coolant level is low. It could also mean other cooling mechanisms are malfunctioning. For a full diagnosis, check the coolant level, the fan operation, any coolant leaks and the radiator cap. An overheating engine can be very dangerous, so whenever this light comes on, pull over and call for towing services.

5. Low Oil Pressure Warning Light

Your automobile uses oil to keep the moving parts lubricated when in operation. Whenever the oil pressure falls below the recommended levels either because of a broken air filter or dirty oil, this light will be triggered. This is a red warning light that you should take very seriously. Driving with this light on might result in a damaged engine that will need replacement.

While these may vary slightly from one car manufacturer to another, these are largely the staples. In sum, these are serious warning lights that if left unchecked could result in more expensive repairs down the line.

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