Your Vehicle is Trying to Tell You Something

5 Warning Lights You Should Never Ignore!

If any of the above warning lights come on while you are driving, DO NOT IGNORE THEM! You should go into your local and get the light or lights checked out immediately so you don't damage your vehicle, have a breakdown or even worse an accident. 

OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT

The oil pressure warning light comes on if your engine has lost oil pressure or oil pressure is too low for safe engine operation. You should pull over to the side of the road, shut the engine off and check your oil level.

What could possibly have caused this?

Low oil level can be caused by an oil leak, your vehicle burning oil, if your oil is too thin, a problem with your oil pump, or it could even be a defective oil pressure sending unit. If your engine is also making ticking, or rapping noises, it is not getting sufficient oil. If you attempt to drive the engine in this condition, you will probably damage it, if you have not already done major internal damage.

TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT

The temperature warning light will come on if your engine is overheating. Do NOT continue driving if your engine is overheating as this can be an expensive repair, and can cause extensive engine damage (problems with your head gasket, cracks or distortion in cylinder head, just to name a few). Stop driving, pull over and shut your engine off. Open your hood and let your engine cool for at least 30 minutes before you remove the radiator cap. If you don't, the steam pressure inside the cooling system can blow out and burn you. Then check your radiator and also check the hoses, radiator and engine for coolant leaks. Don't forget to check the level of the coolant in the coolant reservoir as well. If the coolant level is low, add coolant (a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and clean distilled water) after the engine has completely cooled down.

What could have possibly caused this?

Low coolant level could be due to a coolant leak or bad head gasket, a stuck thermostat, a bad water pump, even a broken serpentine belt, or a defective radiator cooling fan, clogged or dirty radiator.

CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT

The "GEN" or "ALT" warning light, or an icon of a battery will illuminate if there is a problem with your charging system. When you see this light come on you do not have to stop immediately, but you may only have 20 to 30 minutes of driving time before your battery goes dead and your engine stops, or even less time if you are driving at night with your headlights on.

What could have possibly caused this?

You could have a broken or slipping serpentine belt or V-belt, a bad alternator, or even loose or corroded battery cables. Open the hood to see if the drive belt that turns the alternator is intact and is turning the alternator while the engine is idling. If the belt is not the problem, chances are the charging system has a problem that will have to be diagnosed and repaired. So come into your local and we can diagnose the problem for you.

BRAKE WARNING LIGHT

Your brake light may come on if the parking brake has not been fully released, but it may also come on if the brake fluid level is low or there has been a loss of hydraulic pressure in one of your car's brakes. A loss of fluid or brake pressure means the brakes may not be able to stop your car when you step on the pedal. Carefully apply the brakes to see if they are working. If they are, pull over to the side of the road, open the hood and check the fluid level in the brake master cylinder. If the fluid level is low, the brake system should be inspected for leaks. If there are leaks, your brake system is unsafe to drive. If the brake pedal is low or goes to the floor, pumping the pedal may apply enough pressure to stop your car. If that fails, apply your parking brake to slow your vehicle. Also, take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, or downshift and use engine braking to slow your vehicle if you have a manual transmission.

What could have caused this?

Loss of brake fluid could be due to leaks in your master cylinder, calipers, wheel cylinders, brake lines or hoses, failure of the switch that activates the brake light, parking brake not fully releasing, or a defective parking brake switch.

If your brake pedal feels soft, is low, goes to the floor, or if you have to pump the pedal to get your vehicle to stop, your vehicle is unsafe to drive. You should have it towed to your local so we can assess the situation and repair your brakes.

TIRE WARNING LIGHT

Your tire pressure warning light will come on if any tire on your vehicle is at least 25 percent or more underinflated. Driving on a low tire can be dangerous because it increases the risk of a tire blowout. A low tire can also cause uneven braking, uneven traction, uneven and rapid tire wear, increased rolling resistance and fuel consumption. Come into your local and we can fill your tires and check the tire pressure in each tire with an accurate gauge. You should also check your tires regularly and add air as needed to inflate your tires to the recommended pressure. You can find this in your owner's manual or on the tire inflation decal in the door jamb or glove box of your vehicle.

What could possibly have caused this?

Loss of air pressure due to a leak such as a nail or small puncture in a tire, or even a bad valve stem, or it could be an inaccurate or failing TPMS sensor in the tire. Remember if you see a warning light your vehicle is trying to tell you something. Come in and have us check it out for you. Call us at [[Phone Number]] or visit us at today.