SCNAUTO Warning Light Guide

Dashboard Warning Lights Meaning: Red, Amber, Green & EV Symbols

Search common car dashboard symbols by colour, urgency and next step. Covers petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV indicators so drivers know what to check before opening the exact manual.

What warning-light colours usually mean

Red warning light: Stop safely or deal with it immediately, especially for oil pressure, brake, battery/charging, overheating or airbag warnings.
Amber warning light: Inspect soon. The car may still drive, but the system needs checking or the light can become more serious.
Green, blue or white light: Usually a status indicator such as high beam, fog light, cruise control, EV ready or lane assist active.

Browse warning lights

Warning light quick reference

Warning light	Colour	Urgency	Usual meaning	What to do next
Check Engine / MIL	Amber	Inspect soon	Engine or emissions fault; flashing usually indicates a severe misfire	Steady: diagnose soon. Flashing: reduce speed and stop if running poorly
Oil Pressure	Red	Stop safely	Engine oil pressure is too low	Stop safely, switch off engine, and check manual/oil level
Battery / Charging	Red	Stop safely	Low-voltage charging-system fault; the battery may not be charging	Stop safely, limit electrical use, and arrange inspection
Coolant Temperature	Red	Stop safely	Engine coolant temperature is too high	Stop, switch off, let cool; never open a hot coolant cap
Brake Warning	Red	Stop safely	Parking brake applied, low brake fluid, or brake-system fault	Release parking brake; if light stays on, stop and seek help
ABS	Amber	Inspect soon	ABS fault; normal braking may remain but without anti-lock assistance	Drive cautiously, avoid hard braking, and inspect soon
Airbag / SRS	Red	Service required	Airbag or seat-belt pretensioner fault; restraints may not deploy	Have the restraint system inspected promptly
Tyre Pressure / TPMS	Amber	Inspect soon	Steady: low tyre pressure; flashing: TPMS fault	Stop safely, check tyres/pressures; inspect system if flashing
Traction Control / ESC	Amber	Varies by state	Flashing: system is intervening; steady: system off or faulty	Ease off if flashing; inspect if steady after restart
Power Steering / EPS	Amber/Red	Varies by state	Steering assistance is reduced or unavailable	Grip firmly; stop if steering is heavy or red, otherwise inspect soon
Engine Start/Stop	Green/White/Amber	Varies by state	System active, unavailable, or faulty depending on the symbol	No action for status; inspect if an amber fault persists
Diesel Particulate Filter / DPF	Amber/Red	Varies by state	DPF is loading, needs regeneration, or has a fault	Follow the exact manual; do not continue if red or power is reduced
AdBlue / DEF	White/Amber/Red	Varies by state	Fluid low, refill required, or SCR/DEF fault; red may prevent restart	Top up the correct fluid promptly; service if fault/red
Glow Plug	Amber	Varies by state	Steady before start is normal preheat; flashing or lit while driving indicates a diesel fault	Wait for it to go out; service if flashing or it stays on
Brake Pad Wear	Amber	Inspect soon	Brake pads are near their wear limit	Arrange brake inspection and replacement soon
Washer Fluid	Amber	Inspect soon	Windscreen washer-fluid level is low	Top up with approved washer fluid
Door Open	Red	Stop safely	One or more doors are not fully closed	Stop and close all doors before driving
Seat Belt	Red	Stop safely	A seat belt for an occupied seat is not fastened	Fasten all occupied-seat belts before moving
Lane Assist	Green/White/Amber	Varies by state	Active, ready, warning, or unavailable depending on colour and message	Keep steering; clean camera/check manual if amber persists
Forward Collision / AEB	Red/Amber	Varies by state	Red may warn of an imminent collision; amber usually means AEB unavailable or faulty	Respond immediately to red alert; clean sensors/service if amber persists
Blind Spot Monitor	Amber/Red	Varies by state	May indicate a vehicle in the blind spot or that the system is unavailable or faulty	Check mirrors/shoulder before changing lane; service if a fault persists
Cruise Control	Green/White	Information only	Cruise control is active or ready	Information only; remain ready to brake
High Beam	Blue	Information only	High-beam headlights are switched on	Dip the beams when they could dazzle other road users
Front Fog Light	Green	Information only	Front fog lights are switched on	Use only when visibility is poor
EV Battery Warning	Amber/Red	Stop safely	High-voltage battery or traction-system fault or temperature warning	Follow the message; stop safely if red or instructed
Hybrid System Warning	Amber/Red	Varies by state	Hybrid drive-system fault; the vehicle may limit or stop propulsion	Follow the message; stop if red/instructed, otherwise service promptly
Charging Fault	Amber/Red	Varies by state	Vehicle, charge port, cable, or external charger fault	Stop charging if unsafe; check connection/manual; service if persistent
Master Warning	Amber/Red	Varies by state	General warning that accompanies a message or another symbol	Read the message immediately; stop if red or instructed
Low Fuel	Amber	Information only	Fuel level is low	Refuel soon
Fuel Cap	Amber	Inspect soon	Fuel cap is loose or missing, or the fuel-system seal has a fault	Stop safely, tighten cap; inspect if warning remains after several trips
Fuel Filter	Amber	Service required	Diesel fuel filter is restricted or due for service	Arrange fuel-filter service promptly
Water in Fuel Filter	Amber	Service required	Water has been detected in the diesel fuel filter	Avoid prolonged driving; drain/service promptly per manual
Transmission Temperature	Amber/Red	Stop safely	Transmission or gearbox temperature is too high	Stop safely and follow the manual cooling procedure
Transmission Fault	Amber/Red	Varies by state	Transmission or drivetrain-control fault; operation may be limited	Stop if red/unsafe; otherwise drive gently and service promptly
Clutch Temperature	Amber/Red	Stop safely	Clutch or dual-clutch transmission is overheating	Stop safely, select neutral/park, and allow it to cool per manual
Engine Oil Level	Amber	Inspect soon	Engine oil level is low or the oil-level sensor has a fault	Check on level ground and top up specified oil; do not overfill
Coolant Level	Amber	Inspect soon	Coolant level is low or the level sensor has a fault	Check only when engine is cool; stop if overheating
Bonnet / Hood Open	Red/Amber	Stop safely	Bonnet or hood is not fully closed	Stop and close it securely before driving
Boot / Tailgate Open	Red/Amber	Stop safely	Boot, tailgate, or hatch is not fully closed	Stop and close it securely before driving
Key Not Detected	Amber	Varies by state	Smart key is not detected, is out of range, or has a weak battery	Bring key inside/closer and try spare or replace key battery
Immobilizer / Security	Red/Amber	Varies by state	Flashing while parked may be normal; staying on or a no-start can indicate an immobilizer fault	Try the correct/spare key; service if vehicle will not start
Steering Lock	Amber/Red	Service required	Electronic steering lock is engaged or faulty	Do not drive if red or steering will not unlock; service promptly
Electronic Parking Brake / EPB	Red/Amber	Varies by state	Red usually means applied; amber usually indicates an electrical fault	Release before driving; if amber or it will not release, service
Auto Hold	Green/Amber	Varies by state	Green means holding the vehicle; amber means unavailable or faulty	No action when green; use brake pedal and inspect if amber
Hill Descent Control	Green/Amber	Varies by state	Hill descent control is active, unavailable, or faulty	Maintain control; inspect if an amber fault persists
Hill Start Assist	Amber	Inspect soon	Hill-start assistance is unavailable or faulty	Use the brake pedal and arrange inspection
Suspension / Air Suspension	Amber/Red	Varies by state	Ride-height or suspension fault; red may mean the system is disabled	Reduce speed; stop if red or unstable, and service
Adaptive Damper	Amber	Inspect soon	Adaptive damping fault; handling or ride may change	Drive cautiously and inspect soon
4WD / AWD Fault	Amber/Red	Varies by state	AWD/4WD is unavailable, overheated, or faulty	Follow the message; stop if red/overheating, otherwise service
Differential Lock	Green/Amber	Varies by state	Differential lock is engaged or the system has a fault	Use only on suitable surfaces; inspect if a fault persists
Trailer Stability Assist	Amber	Varies by state	Flashing may indicate intervention; steady may indicate a fault or unavailable system	Slow down if active; check trailer/system if steady
Exterior Light Fault	Amber	Inspect soon	One or more exterior lamps may have failed	Check all exterior lights and replace failed lamps promptly
Headlight Range Control	Amber	Inspect soon	Headlight levelling or range-control fault	Avoid dazzling others and service the headlight system
Automatic High Beam	Blue/Green/White/Amber	Varies by state	Automatic high beam is enabled, active, or unavailable	No action for status; clean camera/inspect if amber
Adaptive Front Lighting	Amber	Inspect soon	Adaptive headlight or cornering-light fault	Drive cautiously at night and service the lighting system
Rear Fog Light	Amber	Information only	Rear fog light is switched on	Use only in poor visibility; switch off when clear
Turn Signal / Hazard	Green	Information only	Turn signal or hazard lamps are operating; rapid flashing may indicate a lamp fault	No action unless the flashing rate is unusually fast
Brake Light Fault	Amber	Inspect soon	One or more brake lamps or the brake-light circuit has a fault	Check brake lights before driving and repair promptly
Rain Sensor / Auto Wipers	Amber	Inspect soon	Rain or light sensor is unavailable or faulty	Clean the windscreen near the sensor; inspect if it persists
Windscreen Defrost	Amber/White	Information only	Front demister or defrost function is active	Information only
Rear Window Defrost	Amber/White	Information only	Rear-window heater or defrost function is active	Information only
Low Outside Temperature / Icy Road	Amber/White/Blue	Information only	Outside temperature is low; ice may be present even if the road looks clear	Reduce speed and allow extra braking distance
Driver Attention Warning	Amber	Varies by state	The system recommends a break or is unavailable or faulty	Take a break if prompted; inspect if a fault persists
Traffic Sign Recognition	White/Amber	Varies by state	Displays detected signs or indicates the system is unavailable or faulty	Obey actual road signs; clean camera/inspect if amber
Adaptive Cruise Control	Green/White/Amber	Varies by state	Adaptive cruise is active, ready, unavailable, or faulty	Stay in control; clean sensors/inspect if amber
Parking Assist	Green/White/Amber	Varies by state	Park assist is active, ready, unavailable, or faulty	Stay in control; clean sensors/inspect if amber
Parking Sensor	Amber	Inspect soon	One or more parking sensors are blocked or faulty	Clean sensors and inspect if the warning remains
Rear Cross Traffic Alert	Amber/Red	Varies by state	May warn of crossing traffic or indicate the system is unavailable or faulty	Stop/check surroundings for an alert; inspect if a fault persists
Camera / Radar Blocked	Amber	Inspect soon	Driver-assist sensor view is blocked or the system is temporarily unavailable	Clean sensor/camera areas; service if the warning persists
Pedestrian Protection	Amber/Red	Service required	Pedestrian detection or active-bonnet safety system warning or fault; exact meaning varies	Follow the message; stop if red/instructed and arrange service
Emergency Call / SOS	Amber/Red	Service required	Automatic emergency-call system is unavailable or faulty	Emergency calling may not work; arrange service promptly
Service Due	Amber	Information only	Scheduled maintenance or inspection reminder	Book maintenance at the specified interval
Powertrain Fault	Amber/Red	Varies by state	Engine, motor, transmission, or drivetrain fault; power may be limited	Stop if red/unsafe; otherwise drive gently and service promptly
Reduced Power / Limp Mode	Amber/Red	Varies by state	Power is limited to protect the vehicle because of low energy, temperature, or a fault	Reduce demand; stop if red/unsafe; service if persistent
Exhaust System Fault	Amber	Inspect soon	Exhaust or emissions-control fault, often related to the MIL	Avoid hard driving and diagnose soon; stop if flashing or running poorly
Exhaust / Catalyst Overheat	Red/Amber	Stop safely	Exhaust or catalyst temperature is dangerously high	Stop safely away from dry grass or flammables and follow the manual
EV Ready Indicator	Green	Information only	EV or hybrid drive system is on and ready to move	Information only; the vehicle may move silently
EV Limited Power	Amber	Varies by state	Vehicle power is limited because of low battery, temperature, or a drive-system fault	Reduce demand, charge if needed, and service if it persists
Regenerative Braking	Green/Amber	Varies by state	Regenerative braking is active or temporarily limited or unavailable	Be ready to use the brake pedal; check manual if warning persists

Quick answers

What does a red dashboard warning light mean?

A red warning light usually means stop safely or deal with the issue immediately, especially for oil pressure, brake, battery, overheating or safety-system warnings.

What does an amber dashboard warning light mean?

An amber light usually means the system needs attention soon. Drive carefully, avoid hard driving and arrange inspection if it stays on.

Can I keep driving with a warning light on?

It depends on the colour, whether it flashes and how the vehicle behaves. Stop safely for red, flashing or safety-critical warnings.

Are EV and hybrid warning lights included?

Yes. SCNAUTO includes common EV, hybrid and plug-in hybrid warning indicators such as EV battery, charging fault, high-voltage battery and limited power warnings.

Safety note: Red symbols often require immediate attention, but colour and behaviour vary by vehicle. A flashing light can mean something different from a steady light, and green or white lights are often status indicators. Confirm with the exact owner manual.