A warning light came on and I don't know what it means
Color is the first clue. Red lights are stop-now lights: oil pressure, temperature, brake, and battery. Yellow or orange lights are come-in-soon lights: check engine, ABS, traction control, tire pressure, airbag. A battery light does not mean the battery; it means the alternator has stopped charging and you have minutes to an hour before the car dies. An oil light means pressure, not level, and the engine can be damaged in seconds. A brake light with a firm pedal is often low fluid or the parking brake, but a brake light with a soft pedal is a leak.
What to do right now
- 1Red oil pressure light: pull over and shut it off now. Do not drive it to us. Check the level once it is safe, and if it is low, that is why. If the level is fine, it needs a tow.
- 2Red temperature light: turn the heat on high, pull over, shut it off. Same as an overheat. Do not open the radiator cap.
- 3Red battery light: turn off the AC, radio, and anything you can. Drive straight to us without stopping if you are close. If the lights dim or the wipers slow, pull over before it dies in a lane.
- 4Yellow lights: note which one, take a photo of the dash, and come in this week. If ABS and traction lights are on together, brake normally and leave more room; the regular brakes still work.
What it usually is
Car diagnostics
Every light has a module behind it with stored codes. We scan all of them, not just the engine, and test the circuit that tripped before recommending a part.
See the serviceStarter and alternator
The battery light is the alternator nine times out of ten. We test charging output, the belt, and the wiring, and replace what actually failed.
See the serviceBrake repair
A brake warning with low fluid means the pads are worn enough to drop the level, or there is a leak. Either way it is brake work and it is treated as urgent.
See the service