It’s easy to feel terror at the first ominous warning light on your dashboard and rush to the mechanic. But that’s a good way to spend money on a car maintenance that you might be able to do yourself. Similarly, auto parts stores will offer some repairs with the purchase of the part. Yes, even things like installing a battery or a headlight can be done by the parts store. But how can you tell which solution is the right one?
The first thing to look at is the color of the light. Just like a traffic light, color is key: White, blue, orange or green usually indicate a system is functioning. Yellow means a system needs attention. Red means something is not working or there is potential danger, such as a door left open or a passenger who is not buckled up.
If you still aren’t sure what you’re looking at, you can call Repair Pal‘s Car Genius. A qualified mechanic will hop on the phone with you, talk through the issue and give you some guidance. Plus, this service is free!
Here are some common dash lights and car maintenance and repair issues, and how to determine whether they are best handled by you, the parts store, or professionals.
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. No AI was used.
Headlights, Turn Signals and Burned Out Bulbs
There are a few lights you’re probably familiar with that you’ll see all the time on your driver display: headlights, high beams, and fog lights. When you see these indicators, it just means that the respective light is on.
Some vehicles can detect if a light bulb goes out. Most modern cars will have a light on the dash or a message that pops up, alerting the driver that a bulb is out. Many older vehicles signal a burnt-out light bulb with a faster-than-normal turn signal flash. If the light bulb is directional (eg. a left turn signal), then the turn signal will only flash quickly in that direction (in this example, left). If a bulb goes out, this is a fix that you can easily handle yourself in your garage, or ask the associates at the parts store to assist with.
Read: Is AAA, with free towing and roadside assistance, worth the cost?
Low Tire Pressure, and the TPMS, or Tire Pressure Monitor System
This gauge tells you that you have low tire pressure. Rather than taking your car to the dealership, go to the nearest gas station with an air compressor. Inside your driver’s door, you will see a sticker with the factory recommended tire pressures. If you have a tire pressure gauge or your car shows you exact pressures on the driver display, add air to the tires until you reach the appropriate levels.
If you do not have a pressure gauge, you can purchase one in the gas station, or use the tried-and-true method of trial and error. Add some air (a few seconds), turn the car off, turn the car back on, and see if the light is still there. Most of the time, you will need to cycle the key in order for the low tire pressure warning light to turn off, even if you have added air. If this light keeps coming back, go to a tire shop and have them check for a puncture in your tire.
Sometimes, this light may come on, but your tires may all be at the correct pressure when you test them with your tire pressure gauge. This means that one of your TPMS sensors has gone bad. You will need to take your car to the mechanic or a local tire shop to have this repaired.
Read: Should You Buy New Tires From Your Car Dealer? Maybe… Here’s How to Tell
Low Oil Pressure
This light that looks like a dripping oil can is your engine oil warning light. This light means that your oil pressure is low. More often than not, this is an indication that the system needs oil. Use your dipstick or your electronic oil monitoring system to check your oil level. If the level is low, purchase a quart of appropriate oil at your local parts store and top off the oil.
If the light keeps popping up, or if the light comes on and you have the appropriate amount of oil in your vehicle, stop driving immediately and get a tow to the mechanic for diagnosis and repair.
Read: Need an Oil Change? New Tires? 4 Awesome Car Maintenance Apps
Check Engine Light
The yellow light that looks like the outline of an engine may be the most recognizable light on the dashboard. This is your check engine light (or CEL for short). A CEL instills fear in most drivers when they first see it, but cars illuminate the CEL for a multitude of reasons. Essentially, the CEL means that one of the sensors monitoring your engine has sensed an issue. If your car is still driving normally, you should be OK to drive it to the mechanic. If your car is not driving normally, making an odd noise (especially if there is a loud knocking from the engine bay), low power or stuttering, stop immediately and get a tow to the mechanic.
Most vehicles have different “levels” of CEL: orange, blinking orange, red, and blinking red (in order of severity). If your car is driving normally and you get an orange CEL, you can always take your car to the parts store to have them read the engine codes and see what is wrong.
An auto parts store employee can also use a scanner to read the code that is triggering the CEL and let you know what that code means. This can help you determine the severity of the CEL and how quickly you need to get to the mechanic.
If you get a red or blinking red CEL, stop immediately and call a mechanic. Driving any further could damage your engine.
Read: It’s National Car Care Month. Here Are 5 Essential Car Cleaning Products You Need
The Traction Control Light Is On
This light, and the corresponding control, looks like a car swerving off the road and signals your traction or stability control. This will come on if, for some reason, you turn off traction or stability control. If you see this light, first check to make sure that you did not accidentally turn off the system.
Typically there is a button on the center console or on the dashboard. If the traction control system light is still on, this means that there is an error with your TCS. As TCS is electronic and controlled by a multitude of sensors, this is best handled by a mechanic.
Need expert help diagnosing an issue with your car? Call the Car Genius help line at (877) 323-1708. You can also go to Repair Pal to find an authorized auto service center.
Read More: 9 Auto Repair Questions to Ask Our Mechanic — It’s Free!
Low Coolant or an Overheating Engine
The thermometer icon floating in water is the coolant warning light and when it lights up it most likely means your car is overheating. If you see this light pop up, stop immediately. Pull over, turn the car off, and wait a while for the car to cool off. Once the car has cooled off, you can use a rag to carefully remove the lid from the coolant reservoir. Please check the lid that you are removing – if it says “do not remove when hot,” then do not remove it. This means that this cap is part of the pressurized coolant system, and it will fly off and can cause injury if you try to remove it.
If you do not have coolant in the coolant reservoir, get a lift to the nearest parts store, gas station, or grocery store. You can purchase 50/50 pre-diluted coolant or even just plain distilled water to top off your coolant. If you use water, please be sure to use distilled water and distilled water ONLY. If your coolant tank is full, call a tow truck for a tow to the mechanic. If there is smoke coming from the engine bay, it is likely best to call a tow truck immediately.
Brake Warning System
The yellow ABS light is your brake system warning light. This could just mean that you are low on brake fluid. Locate the brake fluid reservoir in your engine bay and check the level. If it is low, go to your nearest parts store and top off with DOT3 or DOT4 fluid. If you are not low on brake fluid, call a tow truck and have your car brought to the mechanic, as this likely means that a component of your braking system is malfunctioning.
Some cars have a separate ABS warning light. This means that your antilock braking system isn’t working. If this light comes on, you will need to get your car to the mechanic ASAP, but you should be OK to drive there. Just drive carefully; without ABS, your ability to stop quickly in an emergency will be greatly diminished. If the ABS is broken, you will likely also see the traction control light come on, as traction control cannot function without ABS.
Your Airbag Isn’t Working
The red Air Bag light means that you have a nonfunctional airbag. Take your vehicle to the mechanic to address the issue. No one wants to have an accident and not have airbags to protect them.
Your Battery Isn’t Holding a Charge…And Why
This is your battery light, and when it comes on it typically means that your alternator isn’t working. It could also mean that your battery needs to be replaced. The alternator serves to recharge the battery as you drive, so without the alternator, the battery will drain and you will eventually lose power.
If this light comes on while you are driving, go to the parts store first. At your local parts store, the employees will be able to test both your battery and your alternator. If your alternator is OK, but the battery is low on power, purchase a battery at the store and have the employees replace it. If your alternator is not OK, you’ll need to take your car to the mechanic for a new alternator.
Your Car Simply Won’t Start
A non-starting car can mean a multitude of possibilities, but potentially the most common is a faulty battery. If you pay attention, you can hear the symptoms of a battery that needs to be replaced: lights on the dash flicker; the headlights are dim; the engine cranks slowly — or doesn’t crank at all.
If the car won’t start, find someone to connect jumper cables from their car battery to yours, and jump-start your car. Then, head to the car parts store to have your battery tested. You can also remove the battery with a simple set of tools and take it to the auto parts store to be tested. Just be cautious when removing the terminals.
If your battery has a full charge, it is best to bring your car to the mechanic for further evaluation.
Two Easy IDY Car Maintenance Tasks: Windshield Washer Fluid and Wiper Blades
This light indicates that the windshield washer fluid is low. Luckily, it’s easy to refill at home. Purchase a bottle of windshield washer fluid at your local parts store or gas station. Locate the windshield washer fill cap, open, and carefully refill. If you’re someplace where you can’t get to a store, you can even add clean water to the reservoir.
Generally there’s not an indicator light for wiper blades, but you can tell if they leave a streaky mess or a blurry windshield; that means it’s time to replace them. Wipers are relatively easy to change at home. However, most parts stores will install your wipers for free when you buy them, so why not take advantage of the service?
Sometimes the Mystery Is Too Much; Just Go to the Mechanic
If you have a strange vibration, rattle, or knocking sound coming from the engine, it is probably best to take your car to the mechanic — and don’t put it off! Many of these symptoms can be early indications of a more serious problem. Getting it taken care of early before it creates more damage can save you money, headaches and the risk of being stranded on the side of the road.
Yes, this is a lot. Remember that most of these details are in your owners manual, can be found in an internet search, or you can just call a mechanic and talk through the problem.
Generally, the mechanic will tell you if it’s a simple fix because it’s not worth their time to deal with small issues. And if you can fix it yourself, this will not only save you money, but you’ll also feel accomplished, because you are!
