The requested URL /showthread.php?t=22727 was not found on this server. Haynes Manuals Online - an introduction to the new and... Worn spark plugs can cause difficult starting, misfiring,... Follow these essential pre-ride checks and make sure that... Don't pay bodyshop charges to fix small holes or dents... How to check your motorcycle before putting it through its... Changing the oil is the single most important thing you can... Extend the working life of your drive chain and sprockets by... Are your car's brake pads and discs worn? How to use torque wrenches (click and digital types) View more of our instructional videos Join our Mailing List: Your email Nobody Makes Manuals Like Haynes! Watch BBC piece on 50 years of HaynesIt’s a familiar sight – switch the ignition on and your car’s instrument panel will likely light up like the fir tree in the corner of the living room in late December. You probably know they’re warning lights – there to indicate if something’s wrong with certain aspects of the car – but what does each one mean?

Firstly, it’s important to remember that the reason they all illuminate when you switch the car on is to check that the bulbs and circuitry are working and there’s no issue with their associated components. Kumho Tyres Prices South AfricaIt’s when they stay on after the start-up sequence (with the exception of a couple of examples that we’ll explain later) – more than about three or four seconds – that you need to start worrying.Hotels With Soaking Tubs Philadelphia Below, we go through the main warning lights that you’ll find on most cars, explaining what they’re related to and what problems they could indicate.Salvage Arctic Cat Wildcat For Sale Image 2 of 12 If this stays on, then you really do need to take your car in for a check-up.

It’s certainly one of the more serious warning lights and while it could indicate something like a relatively minor sensor failure, it could also mean that something fairly catastrophic is in the offing. Even if your car sounds fine (problems are often indicated by the engine making strange noises) you should still take it to get checked out, just to be sure. Image 3 of 12 Unsurprisingly, this means there’s not enough oil pressure to keep this vital lubricant circulating around the engine. This could be down to a number of issues – a problem with the system or the oil pump, a leak in the oil pipes, or insufficient oil in the reservoir (easily fixed by topping up). Left unchecked, however, this could result in all manner of problems, including total engine failure. So, if topping up your oil doesn’t make the light go off, you absolutely need to get the car looked at. Image 4 of 12 This one you need to keep an eye out for. It’ll stay on as long as the handbrake (or electronic parking brake) is engaged and should go off once you’ve released it.

If, however, it stays on, then you could have an issue. It usually means you’re low on brake fluid, so getting this topped up should fix things, but it could be more serious. Many cars these days have an array of sensors in the braking system, so it could be that one of these has failed – or is detecting something has gone wrong. Either way, take it to the garage and get it checked out. If you know you’ve topped up the brake fluid, but the warning light’s still on and you’ve noticed the brake pedal is no longer as firm as it once was (or is going ‘long’ – i.e. you can push it all the way to the floor without much happening) then there’s something seriously wrong with the brakes and you need to get them looked at immediately. Image 5 of 12 If this light remains illuminated after you’ve started the engine, then it means your battery’s not charging properly. This can be for several reasons. Most likely is that the battery itself is a bit past its sell-by date and therefore needs replacing.

It could also, however, be down to some dodgy wiring, or a broken connection under the bonnet. One of the more serious possibilities is that the belt that drives the alternator (the part that actually supplies the battery with electricity) is broken (or about to break). As this is often attached to other parts of the engine, it could damage those, too. Try replacing your battery (find out how to do that by clicking here) and if that doesn’t fix it, then you’ll need to get a professional to take a look. Image 6 of 12 This is very much as described – if you see this illuminated after the start-up procedure, then your engine is running too hot. This could be due to any number of things – maybe the car’s radiator is broken, there isn’t enough coolant or the coolant pump itself is broken. It could also indicate some more serious issues. For example, the head gasket could have blown, meaning coolant is leaking out from where it needs to be. It could also mean that the lubrication system is broken and therefore causing more friction (and thus heat) than usual.

If you notice this light, you need to stop the car immediately, as running hot for too long can lead to total engine failure. If your car is consistently overheating, you need to get it looked at by a garage. Image 7 of 12 Fairly self-explanatory, but we’ll go through it anyway. This is a warning light that comes on when the fuel level in the tank has reached a certain level and you need to start thinking about finding a filling station to refuel the car. While there won’t be any major mechanical repercussions if you run out of fuel, stopping on the road due to running dry is actually an offence, as well as being extremely annoying. It’s especially problematic if you have a diesel car, as you’ll need to get the whole system drained and primed before you can use it again. If you notice yourself having to refuel more often than usual, however, this could mean there’s a leak somewhere in the fuel system, or that your engine is using too much fuel, which could mean an issue with the car’s ECU (Electronic Control Unit – or on-board computer).

Image 8 of 12 Again, this is fairly self-explanatory. This one will light up if sensors detect a drop in one (or all) of your tyres’ pressures. This could be because of a puncture in the tyre letting air out, or a crack in the wheel, which can have the same effect. If this light comes on, you’ll need to pull over and check it out yourself, replacing the tyre using a spare wheel or fixing it using a puncture-repair kit. In the latter case, you’ll still need to get the tyre replaced soon after the repair, as it’ll never perform to its best again. Image 9 of 12 Usually, this light will flicker when your car’s powered wheels lose grip under acceleration. It lets you know that you’re driving close to the limit of grip, the electronic systems have kicked in and it might be a good idea to slow down. If it’s on constantly, however, it could mean that there’s an issue with the system itself and you’ll need to get it inspected by a professional. Tyres constantly losing grip could also need to be replaced – probably because they haven’t got enough tread left to work as they should.

Image 10 of 12 Unlike petrol cars, diesel-powered vehicles don’t need a spark to make the air/fuel mixture go ‘bang’ and get the whole engine running. Instead, they use compression and temperature to induce combustion in the air/fuel mixture. Parts called ‘glow plugs’ are used to turn up the heat and the above symbol indicates something’s wrong with the plugs themselves or the systems and computers that control them. You may not notice anything wrong at first, but issues with glow plugs can induce early and/or late combustion (known as ‘knocking’) that’ll make your engine sound a bit rough and not run as smoothly or efficiently as it should. Image 11 of 12 These days, the vast majority of new cars come with a system to let you know if any of your passengers haven’t got their seatbelts fastened. There’ll usually be a light – as above – to tell you if this is the case. They work this out using pressure sensors in the seats as well as sensors in the seatbelts – so if there’s a certain amount of weight on a seat and the seatbelt isn’t secured, it’ll let you know.