SCNAUTO Warning Light Guide

Car warning lights: meaning, colour and next step

Use this quick dashboard warning light guide to understand common symbols, urgency and the first safe action. For exact meanings, always check the owner manual for your car brand, model and year.

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Warning light quick reference

Warning light	Colour	Urgency	Usual meaning	What to do next
Check Engine / MIL	Amber/Red	Inspect soon	Engine or emissions system issue	Check manual, scan OBD code
Oil Pressure	Red	Stop safely	Low oil pressure	Stop safely, check oil
Battery / Charging	Red	Stop safely	Battery or alternator charging issue	Stop/check charging system
Coolant Temperature	Red	Stop safely	Engine overheating	Stop safely, let engine cool
Brake Warning	Red	Stop safely	Brake system or parking brake issue	Stop safely/check brakes
ABS	Amber	Inspect soon	Anti-lock brake system fault	Normal braking may remain, inspect soon
Airbag / SRS	Red/Amber	Service required	Airbag system issue	Service required
Tyre Pressure / TPMS	Amber	Inspect soon	Low tyre pressure or TPMS fault	Check tyre pressure
Traction Control / ESC	Amber	Inspect soon	Stability/traction system active or faulty	Drive carefully, inspect if stays on
Power Steering / EPS	Amber/Red	Service required	Steering assist problem	Drive carefully/service
Engine Start/Stop	Amber	Inspect soon	Auto start-stop unavailable/faulty	Check battery/system
Diesel Particulate Filter / DPF	Amber/Red	Inspect soon	Diesel filter needs regeneration/service	Follow manual instruction
AdBlue / DEF	Amber/Red	Inspect soon	Diesel exhaust fluid low/fault	Top up/service
Glow Plug	Amber	Inspect soon	Diesel preheat or diesel engine fault	Wait/start; service if flashing
Brake Pad Wear	Amber	Inspect soon	Brake pads worn	Replace brake pads soon
Washer Fluid	Amber	Inspect soon	Washer fluid low	Top up
Door Open	Red	Stop safely	Door/boot/bonnet not closed	Close properly
Seat Belt	Red	Stop safely	Seat belt not fastened	Fasten seat belt
Lane Assist	Green/Amber	Inspect soon	Lane system active or unavailable	Check camera/system
Forward Collision / AEB	Amber/Red	Service required	Collision warning or AEB fault	Drive carefully/service
Blind Spot Monitor	Amber	Inspect soon	Blind spot system fault/unavailable	Check sensors
Cruise Control	Green/White	Information only	Cruise system active/ready	Information only
High Beam	Blue	Information only	High beam is on	Information only
Fog Light	Green/Amber	Information only	Fog lights on	Information only
EV Battery Warning	Amber/Red	Stop safely	EV/hybrid battery or high-voltage issue	Stop/service if red
Hybrid System Warning	Amber/Red	Service required	Hybrid system fault	Service required
Charging Fault	Red/Amber	Inspect soon	EV charging issue	Check cable/charger/manual

Safety note: Red warning lights usually need immediate attention. Amber lights often mean inspect soon. Symbols and wording vary by vehicle, so confirm with your exact owner manual.