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What Do These Lights Mean? Understanding Your Car's Warning Signals

Have you ever been driving down the motorway and a light on your dashboard flashes saying "Check Engine"?

You begin to wonder, "What does that mean?" Perhaps you start to worry about whether your car is about to breakdown, or if you are about to have a large repair bill sent to you.

According to many car experts, not being able to understand the warning lights on their dashboard is the most common annoyance with people's relationship with their automobiles.

Here are several helpful tips when confronted with these confusing lights.

"Check Engine": What Should I Do?

Warning indicator lights and buzzers are generally colour-coded in order to indicate the severity of the potential problem. As you start your car, all of the lights should come on while the car's system verifies that each component is working properly. If the "Check Engine" light appears, there are several different possibilities to consider:

• There is low engine fluid, anti-freeze levels, or transmission fluid
• There is low brake fluid. This could become dangerous, so be sure to check your brake fluid frequently!
• There are missing belts
• The battery in your car is faulty or there is a connection problem

Also, the colour of the "Check Engine" is something to consider. Many car experts agree that you should treat your dashboard lights like traffic lights. If a yellow "Check Engine" light appears, you shouldn't panic, but merely take the time to address the problem on your own or discuss it with a qualified mechanic.

On the other hand, if the colour of the signal is red, car experts suggest that you should pull your car over immediately - as there is an immediate danger to your automobile which needs to be addressed by a professional.

Service Engine Soon: Should I Believe What This Light is Tell Me?

You should always try to listen to what your car is trying to tell you. In some car models a light will appear saying "Check Engine Soon" when the car's computer has determined that routine maintenance is required or an immediate problem needs to be addressed. The "Service Engine Soon" light can mean several different things:

• Something is blocking your car's exhaust pipe
• Your car has been driven over 60,000 miles and requires routine maintenance
• Your car's fluids are low or empty
• Your car is overheating

It can also be helpful to reflect on your car's recent performance. Have you had difficulty starting it, has it made odd or uncommon noises, or are you having problems handling it? If the car is driving normally, but the yellow "service engine soon" light is on, you shouldn't panic but rather take your car home and check all fluids and engine temperature.

If that weren't enough already to consider - many car experts claim that most of the time these dashboard lights can be faulty and merely appear because the dashboard lighting system is broken. However, it is best to err on the side of caution, so as a car owner you should still take the time to listen to what your car is trying to tell you!