Dashboard warning lights: which ones mean stop now

Red lights: stop or get it checked now

• Oil pressure (oil can): the engine may not be getting oil. Pull over safely and turn the engine off. Driving on low oil pressure can destroy an engine in minutes.
• Engine temperature (thermometer): the engine is overheating. Turn the A/C off and the heater to full hot, and pull over if it keeps climbing.
• Battery or charging (battery symbol): the charging system isn’t charging and the car is running on the battery alone. Turn off what you can and head somewhere safe; the car may stall soon.
• Brake (BRAKE or an exclamation mark in a circle): first make sure the parking brake is fully released. If the light stays on, brake fluid may be low or there may be a fault. If the pedal feels soft, don’t drive.
• Airbag (a seated person with a circle): the airbags may not deploy in a crash. Get it checked soon.

Yellow or amber lights: get it checked soon

• Check engine: a fault was found and stored. Solid means get it checked soon; flashing means a serious misfire, so ease off and get it checked right away.
• ABS: the anti-lock system is off. Normal braking still works, but the wheels can lock in a hard stop, especially on wet or icy roads.
• Tire pressure (horseshoe with an exclamation mark): one or more tires are low. Check all four. On many cars, if it flashes for about a minute and then stays on, the tire pressure system itself has a fault.
• Traction or stability control (car with wavy lines): flashing while driving means it is working on a slippery road; staying on means the system is off or has a fault.
• Power steering: steering may suddenly feel heavy. Drive carefully and get it checked.

Green and blue lights

These are information only: headlights, high beams, turn signals and cruise control. A blue high-beam light is a reminder to dim your lights for oncoming traffic.

If a light comes on and goes off again

Lights that come on briefly when you start the car are a normal self-check. A warning that comes and goes while driving still means the car detected something; note when it happened (speed, cold or warm engine, going over bumps) and tell the mechanic. It makes the diagnosis faster.

How we handle it here

• We read the fault codes from every system the light belongs to, not just the engine, and test before recommending parts.
• We explain what the light means for your car and give you the price before any work starts. Nothing is done without your approval.
• We are open 24/7. If a red light comes on, pull over safely first, then call us.
• We speak English and Spanish.