subject: Car Warning Lights: Is My Car Going To Blow Up? Myths & Facts [print this page] Today's vehicles r equipped wth n array f warning lights. Of ur we're ll familiar wll th seat belt warning nd th door ajar indicator; however, wth th automotive industry's technological advancements thr r number f warning lights tht n b qut alarming.
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Following Question nd Answer Guide n m f th mr common Warning Light concerns.
SRS Light (Supplemental Restraint System): th supplemental restraint system ur Airbag System. It m incorporate variety f active, passive, nd vn pre-safe technology depending n th vehicle. Gvn tht th SRS System safety system, t wll monitored wth numerous sensors nd automatic self-tests. Th slightest malfunction n th system illuminates th SRS light.
Can th vehicle b driven wth n SRS Light on? Yes, t th owner's risk. Thr r thousands f vehicles n th road wthut SRS technology.
Is th airbag gng t blow up? It's unlikely. Whn th SRS Light n th system inoperative.led outfitters
ABS Lights: Th Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light nthr common occurrence n today's vehicles. Th ABS system helps t k u frm skidding ut f control durng braking b limiting ur wheels frm locking up/skidding.
The ABS system ftn integrated wth traction control nd stability systems, ll f whh r designed t k u safe durng panic stops, wheel slippage, nd handling.
Do I nd brakes? Yu might, but that's nt wh th ABS Light on. Th ABS Warning System d nt monitor disc brake pad r disc brake rotor wear (see th Padlight Warning section below)
Can th vehicle b driven? Lk th SRS system, th vehicle n b driven t th owner's risk thr r mn vehicles tll n th market wthut th enhanced safety features f ABS.
Why m ABS light on? Hw d I reset th ABS Light? Th r simple questions wth multitude f answers depending n th vehicle n question. Fr QUICK nd FREE solution, follow th information nd guidelines fr Resetting Check Engine Light @ http://www.repairtrust.com/check.html, nd apply thm t ur ABS light.
Low Coolant Light: Th Lw Coolant Light wll m n whn th coolant drops blw th coolant level sensor--generally n t tw quarts. If th light on, thr r tw primary possibilities. Th mt common coolant leak. Th thr n electrical fault n th warning lamp circuit. Hv thm checked out.
Can t b driven? If thr r n major leaks, th vehicle nt overheating (and d nt start t overheat), nd thr tll m evidence f coolant n th overflow bottle, t n b driven. If u n coolant leaking n th ground--tow it. Whn n doubt, lw tow it!
Red Oil Light On: Stop driving immediately nd shut th engine off! If Red Oil Warning Light m n PAY ATTENTION.
The bt case scenario tht ur engine oil lttl low. Th nd bt case scenario tht thr n electrical issue wth th Oil Level Warning System circuit.
First, follow ur owners' manual's instructions t check ur oil. If low, add recommended--make ur u don't t dripping r pouring ut n th ground, whh wuld ndt "major" engine leak.
If th oil nt lw nd ur engine making ticking, knocking, r unusual noises, Tow it!
If vrthng appears ok, nd you're bit f gambler, t m ut b n issue wth th warning lamp circuit. In th case, gt ur vehicle checked ut t ur earliest convenience.
The worst case scenario internal engine damage.
Note: mn f today's vehicles hv vr sensitive nd sophisticated Oil Level Warning Systems. Yu m b alerted f oil level t high, r oil level t low. Again, refer t ur owners' manual's instructions.
So whthr it's 1993 Ford Aerostar Check Oil Light, r question f "Why d oil light flash n Saab automobile," PAY ATTENTION!
Red Brake Warning Lights: Generally, Red Warning Lights mn DANGER. In th case f Red Brake Warning Light, thr m b hydraulic brake fluid leak. If th brake pedal feels abnormal r spongy--don't drive--Tow It!
Can I drive it? If th car stopping ok, nd you're gambler, g ahead. If th brake pedal feels dffrnt thn usual, r f th vehicle nt stopping properly, don't drive it!
Note: mk ur tht ur emergency brake nt n r partially engaged, th wll illuminate Red Brake Warning Light.
Yellow Brake Warning Light (Padlight): Th n early warning system fr brake pad wear. Essentially, ur disc brake pads wear down, t rtn point sensor tripped t alert u tht u wll nd brakes soon.
Can I drive th vehicle, nd fr hw long? Yes, u n continue t drive. Hw long depends n ur driving style. City drivers (city driving generally harder n brakes due t th constant stop nd go) wll lkl nd thr brakes addressed bfr mn wh d primarily highway driving.
Will I d mr damage t th brakes? Depending n hw long u continue t drive u uld conceivably wear ur disc brake pads dwn t th metal backing plate, whh uld thn damage ur disc brake rotors and, n rare cases, th disc brake calipers.
However, wth mn f today's brake systems, th replacement f th disc brake rotors lng wth th disc brake pads required r strongly recommended.
Important: It bttr t hv ur brakes checked early t increase th possibility f saving money b nt hvng t replace th rotors. However, mn f today's brake disc pads nd rotors require replacement nt due t wear, but due t rust nd corrosion; thu rotor replacement ftn nr anyway. Brake calipers rarely nd replacing durng regular brake work.
Air Suspension Lights (Airmatic, Air Ride, Hydraulic Suspensions): Suspension Warning Lights illuminate whn th suspension's monitoring system h detected fault. Oftn thr leak--either air r hydraulic fluid.
Can I Drive It? Maybe. But f th suspension lwr thn usual, and/or th vehicle ut doesn't feel right--Tow It! Extensive damage uld result f th suspension drops t lw whl driving.
Note: air suspension system repairs r bt left t th best, state-of-the-art service center u n find, preferably dealership.
Tire Pressure Warning Light: Th rnt technological development u qut bit f confusion. Put simply, f ur tire gttng lw n air, ur car lt u knw v sensors mounted n vru places depending n th model.
What th lw tire pressure warning light reset procedure? Smtm th reset procedure simple pressing button. Othr times n h t set th tire pressures, recalibrate th on-board computer, genuflect nd cross tw fingers. Check ur owners' manual r call specialist r dealer.
Note: Local shops nd franchises (for th mt part) lack familiarity wth Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems gvn tht th frl rnt technological development. Yu n refer t Hw t Reset Check Engine Light, nd follow th tips, nd suggestions fr gttng t reset.
Emission Warning Light: Th light similar t th Check Engine Light. Mn European models uh Volvos hv th type f Warning System. It's essentially letting u knw tht n emissions component h failed r detected fault. Again, follow th Check Engine Light information nd tips t address th rtulr warning light.
Note: mk ur u tk t t shop equipped t handle emissions work.
Resetting Oil Lights (Oil Change Warning Lamps): Whthr it's Toyota Oil Light Procedure, n Oil Change Warning Light Reset 2005 GMC Envoy, r th process t Reset 1999 M3 Oil Service Light, ll require specific ur f action.
Most owners' manuals hv th information. Yu huld find t undr maintenance r oil service. Yu n l call ur local mechanic, wh resets oil service lights everyday n variety f models. A dealership wll rtnl hv th information; however, finding mn n dealership wh n translate t effectively m b difficult.
If th bv fails, th process fr Resetting Check Engine Light.
Note: vrl European models require special tools t reset th oil service light, thu it's bt t call r visit specialist r dealer.
IMPORTANT: Th information nt substitute fr ur vehicle's owners' manual. It meant t b general guide. Alw refer t manufacturer vehicle-specific guidelines.
Note: PAY ATTENTION t hw u r billed fr n f th bv warning concerns. Bu f thr technical nature th n gt "unnecessarily" vr pricy, quickly.
Note: due t th frequency f th Check Engine Warning Light, refer to led outfitters
