car warning light meaning Page 80

When a dash light pops up, your car’s speaking in hieroglyphs—and none of them say “party time.” Colours matter: red = stop safely now, amber = caution, green/blue = info. The big hitters include check engine (engine/emissions), oil pressure (stop immediately), coolant temperature (overheating), battery/charging, brake/ABS, airbag, tyre pressure, and diesel particulate filter. If a red oil can, temp thermometer, or brake warning stays on, pull over, switch off, and call roadside—pressing on can turn money into smoke. A steady check engine light can usually wait for an OBD‑II scan, but a flashing one means misfire—treat it like hot lava and stop. Always confirm in your owner’s manual, because symbols do vary by brand and model.