The ABS prevents your brakes from locking up when you make a sudden stop. A mechanic can determine what is causing the problem and how to fix it.Īnti-lock braking system (ABS) – It’s not uncommon for this icon to briefly illuminate when you start your car, however there is a problem if it doesn’t turn off once you’re driving. An airbag problem isn’t something you should try to fix on your own. It’s risky to drive a vehicle if there is a chance the airbags won’t deploy. The exact symbol on your dashboard may be slightly different than the icons below, but these images will give you a general idea of your car dashboard symbols and meanings.Īirbag warning – There is a problem with the airbag system. High beam lights are an example of a dashboard symbol that will illuminate blue or green when turned on. These lights are often more informational and indicate a feature is in use. Anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the engine management lights are common yellow or orange symbols.Ī green or blue light on your dashboard is the best color to see. While it may be safe to continue driving, you’ll want to take your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible.
Some common red dashboard symbols include low oil pressure and airbag warning lights.ĭashboard symbols that are yellow or orange should be thought of as an advisory or warning. It may even be unsafe to continue driving depending on the specific symbol. Red dashboard icons are the most urgent and shouldn’t be ignored. Dashboard symbols are color-coded in red, yellow or orange and blue or green. The warning lights and symbols vary somewhat from one vehicle make and model to another, but there are general similarities regardless of the manufacturer. While some car dashboard symbols and meanings are easy to figure out, others leave you wondering if something is seriously wrong. The government instituted the TPMS mandate after the Bridgestone/Firestone tire failures on the Ford Explorer in 2000, a controversy that was partly attributed to tires that were not properly inflated.įor a visual depiction of how to check for tire pressure, check out the video below.There is nothing like getting behind the wheel only to mysteriously have a symbol illuminate on your dashboard. Keeping a tire gauge in your car to allow you to maintain proper tire pressure is a good idea, and checking tire pressure often (especially when weather temperature swings are severe) can save money on maintenance and fuel. Underinflated tires will affect your braking, acceleration, stability, cornering and fuel economy. Yet 46 percent of drivers couldn’t figure out that the dash icon represents a wheel and tire, while 14 percent thought the symbol represented another problem with the vehicle entirely, according to Schrader.Īs we have always said, properly inflated tires are vitally important to driving your vehicle safely - as important as monitoring engine fluids or tracking battery life. The issue here seems to be that the car-buying public hasn’t been properly educated on the dashboard warning symbol, which has a design that is supposed to be “idiot-proof” and understandable across a wide variety of cultures and languages. The warning system is now required on every new vehicle starting with the 2008 model year, so the dashboard warning light is something you should become familiar with. The warning for the monitoring system lights up when the tire pressure on one or more of your vehicle’s tires is 25 percent below the manufacturer’s recommended pressure. If you didn’t recognize the dash warning light symbol, that’s also understandable because one out of three drivers do not, according to Schrader, a company that makes tire pressure monitoring systems for car manufacturers. If you guessed a low tire pressure warning, you are right. Related: NHTSA Launches TireWise Safety Campaign Do you recognize the symbol above? It’s a warning light in your instrument panel and looks like a U-shaped pictograph with treads and an exclamation point in the middle.