Have you ever looked at your dashboard and seen a new bright light and thought, “hmm, what’s that?” And then as quickly as the thought entered your mind, it leaves, and you forget about it and carry on about your day. You definitely aren’t alone, but there are some car dashboard warning lights that just cannot be ignored.
As a proud car owner, it is important to take good care of your vehicle to keep it running optimally and to keep you and other people on the road safe. Of course, there’s a reason for all car dashboard warning lights, but it’s so easy to just glance over and forget about them.
We’ve identified a few warning lights that you really shouldn’t ignore.
Don’t Ignore These Car Dashboard Warning Lights
1. ABS (Anti-lock brake system) and brake fluid
Honestly, your brakes are the most important part of your car. Yes, we know there are important parts like the engine and so on. But your brakes are vital to your safety on the road. Keeping them in great condition is so important to your and others’ safety.
If the ABS light or the brake fluid light is on, then there is an indication of something being wrong with the ABS mechanism or that your brake fluid is low. When there is an issue with your ABS, there’s a high chance of your vehicle’s wheels becoming locked and if you use your brakes, your car may skid.
If your brake fluid is low, there are brake pad issues or a damaged sensor, your brakes may not be working optimally which could cause them to fail.
Related: 7 Fuel Efficient Driving Techniques That Really Work
2. Check engine light
Now for another super important part of your vehicle – the engine. When your check engine light is on, it could be indicating any number of things. It could mean you have serious engine issues or that there’s a loose fuel cap. Now, just because the issue may be minor, do NOT ignore this warning light because you never know what the issue may be.
What’s worse? The longer you leave it, the issue could worsen and lead to a full malfunction or cause you to empty your bank account for repairs. Your best bet is to get it checked out by a professional or someone who really understands car engines. You don’t want to risk it and leave something that could be potentially detrimental.
3. Engine temperature
This little light indicates when your engine is overheating. If this warning light comes on, we recommend that you stop your car when it’s safe to and turn the engine off. By continuing to drive with an overheated engine, you are at risk of seriously damaging your vehicle. Sometimes your car just needs a little bit of a break but if this light continues to come on, you should definitely have your car looked at by a professional.
4. Oil pressure
This is one of the most important car dashboard warning lights. This light can indicate low oil levels, pressure sensor issues or even engine problems. If you ignore this light, you could cause severe damage to your engine or even experience a breakdown. If you’re seeing this light, make sure you pull over where it’s safe and call a car mechanic.
5. Tyre pressure indicator
This light indicates when your tyre pressure is very low or way too high. One tyre could be affected or all of them, this usually means your tyre’s pressure is against the manufacturer’s pressure standard.
Sometimes, this light could mean that there’s a faulty pressure sensor (which isn’t an urgent issue). Like we said though, you never know if the issue is minor or massive so just make sure to get your pressure checked.
Pro tip: try to check your tyre pressure either every time or every second time you get your petrol filled up!
6. Airbag warning
Airbags are known to save lives in the event of an accident, even a minor one. The airbag warning light can come on if there’s an issue with the airbag system or if there’s something wrong with your seatbelt mechanism. Ignoring this warning light could mean that your life will be in serious danger in the event of an accident.
Read more: What Happens If Insurance Writes Off Your Car?
It is highly recommended that you limit your driving until you get this error fixed. If you continue to drive, you may get into an accident and not have adequate protection which could be fatal for you or your passengers.
Better Safe than Sorry
All car dashboard warning lights are important, but some may be a little more important than others. This is because some warning lights can be life-threatening if you don’t act quickly. If you ever see a warning light pop up while you’re driving and you aren’t sure what to do, pull over where it’s safe and have a look at your car’s manual. Once you’ve figured out what the light means, make sure to get your car checked out because you need to trust that your car is safe enough to drive.
And on a final note, it’s best to make sure you have comprehensive car insurance for all the unexpected situations that come with being a car owner. The more precautions you take, the less likely you are to have to shell out your hard-earned cash when something goes wrong.
Oneplan Car Insurance is unique in that we let you choose the amount of cover you want with our convenient cover slider. Even better, you can change your cover amount any time you want on the Oneplan App in just a few clicks!
Don’t take our word for it though, click here to get a free online quote and see for yourself.
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