Most of the time, you just drive your car without any concerns. It’s a routine thing that people do every day. If you have warning lights on your dashboard, though, you might be wondering how serious they are and what you need to do next. The seriousness of these lights depends on which lights have come on and whether there are other symptoms of a problem with your vehicle. Getting a warning light checked out by a mechanic is the right choice for safety and security.
What Are Warning Lights?
Warning lights are designed to come on when a sensor in your car detects a problem with a particular system. They’ve mostly replaced a lot of the gauges that used to be common on cars, but it’s also not possible to have a gauge for everything. That’s especially true with more modern cars, as they have a lot of electrical systems that older cars didn’t have. There’s a need for more warning lights because there are more potential issues to warn drivers about.
Common Lighting System Issues
Here are some common warning lights that may appear on your car dashboard:
- Check engine light
- Battery light
- Oil pressure light
- The brake system warning light
- ABS light
- Tire pressure monitoring system light
- Transmission temperature warning light
- Fuel warning light
- Airbag system warning light
- And many more
Each of these lights means something might be wrong with your car. It’s important to make sure that all your warning lights are off.
Are These Lights Really Serious?
Whether a warning light is serious depends on what the light is for and why it came on. There could be a problem with the system itself, or it could be an issue with the sensor that’s supposed to monitor that system. Because it’s difficult to tell the seriousness of any warning lights that come on, the best thing to do is take your vehicle to the mechanic and find out what’s causing the light.
Can You Clear These Lights Yourself?
Some lights are for issues you can clear on your own. For example, if you’re comfortable doing things like adding wiper fluid to your car’s reservoir or you know how to put air in your tires, you can do those things at home, and the warning lights will go out. The check engine light, though, or lights for other systems that may compromise your safety or the health of your vehicle, need to be checked out by a mechanic for peace of mind.
Does Your Car Have Other Symptoms?
Considering whether your car has other problems along with the light can be important. If your car isn’t running properly and has warning lights on the dash, that’s probably more serious than a tire pressure light and no other issues. However, sometimes the light comes on first, and then the car starts acting up later. The light is meant to get you to a mechanic and get the problem fixed before it gets worse, so taking it in can definitely be the best option.
Let Us Check Out Your Warning Lights
When you bring your car to us at American Imports, we can take a look at any warning lights on your dashboard and figure out the cause. If you’re in the Menomonee Falls, WI, area and looking for help with dash lights, getting in touch with us is the right choice. You can give us a call at 262-384-6008 or contact us online to get the help you’re looking for. Whether it’s a check engine light, a tire light, a coolant light, or something involving the brakes or other systems, we can find the source of the issue and get it fixed for you.
