Dashboard Warning Lights: Which Ones Mean Stop Now?

Red lights: stop when it is safe

A red warning light means a serious problem. Pull over when it is safe, turn off the engine and get advice before driving on.

• Oil pressure: the engine may be short of oil. Driving on can destroy the engine
• Engine temperature: the engine is overheating. Let it cool before checking the coolant
• Brake warning: there may be a problem with the brakes or brake fluid
• Battery or charging: the battery is not charging and the car may soon stop

Amber lights: book a check soon

An amber light means something needs looking at, but you can usually drive carefully to a garage.

• Engine management: a fault with the engine or emissions system. If it flashes, reduce speed and get it checked quickly
• ABS: the anti-lock brakes may not work, although normal braking should still work
• Tyre pressure: one or more tyres may be low
• Airbag: the airbags may not work in a crash. This is also an MOT fail
• Glow plug or DPF (diesel cars): book a check before it gets worse

Why guessing can cost more

The same light can have many causes. A proper diagnostic check reads the fault codes stored in the car, so the real cause is found instead of replacing parts that are not faulty.

Diagnostics at our Castleford garage

We use Bosch diagnostic equipment that reads fault codes across the engine, ABS, airbags, gearbox and more. Most checks take one to two hours, and we explain what we found before any repair goes ahead.