Warning Lights explained

Engine Management Light:

An unexpected engine management light (EML) is a worrying sight for any driver. It's an amber dashboard symbol that signifies that an issue has been detected by the car's sensors related to the engine. This warning, universal across most petrol, diesel, hybrid, and electric cars, aims to alert drivers early to prevent further damage to the engine. 

Sometimes called the 'check engine' or 'engine warning light’, it usually requires immediate attention from a professional to diagnose and fix the issue, although it’s possible that it will reset automatically. In some cases, the car may also enter into a 'limp mode' to protect the engine, limiting the performance available, but allowing the driver to get to a garage, safe place or get home safely. 

Engine Oil Warning LightL

Although it’s important to ensure the correct amount of oil is circulating around your engine, it’s just as important for there to be sufficient oil pressure to ensure gravity doesn’t suck it straight to the bottom. If that happens, the oil will fail to lubricate the engine’s moving parts, which could lead to a total engine failure. Causes of a drop in oil pressure could include problems with the oil pump, a leaky oil pipe or simply insufficient oil in the engine. If the light comes on, stop the car immediately and turn off the engine. If the light remains illuminated after checking the oil level – and topping up if necessary – it’s time to call the experts.

Brake warning light

If it’s illuminated when you pull away, it’s likely you’ve just left the handbrake on, so check it’s properly released. If you’re confident the handbrake is off and the light is still on, or it comes on part way through your journey, you’ll need to pull over and call your garage. It could be as simple as your car is low on brake fluid, or something more serious. Of course, it could simply be that a sensor has failed, but either way it’ll need investigation immediately.

You may be able to detect a problem with the brakes when you push the brake pedal. If the pedal feels less firm that usual, or you can push the pedal all the way to the floor, then you’ve got a problem that’ll require immediate investigation. You shouldn’t drive the car until the problem is diagnosed.

Battery Warning Light

This warning light can indicate a number of things, all relating to the car’s battery and charging system. This is a particular problem at night, because a faulty battery can lead to headlights failing, but without the battery or charging system providing electricity, you may find power steering, brake servos or the engine itself stop working.

Engine Coolant Temperature warning light

If you see the light on at any time after start-up, then the engine is running too hot or there isn’t enough coolant (also called antifreeze) in the system. This may be due to a number of issues, all of which could leave you stranded in a cloud of steam. It could be the car’s radiator is leaky, clogged or broken – you’ll likely see coolant dripping out if this is the case. It could also be due to a faulty water pump. More serious is a blown head gasket, which can signal catastrophic engine failure if you don’t turn off the engine immediately.

In any event, if you notice this light, stop the car immediately, as running hot for too long can lead to total engine failure. If your car is consistently overheating, you need to get it looked at by a garage.

Also known as the EPS or EPAS warning light.

This car warning light indicates that there’s a problem with the power steering.

For electric powered systems, this problem could be as simple to fix as rebooting a computer. Find a safe place to stop and try turning the car off and back on again after 30 seconds. If the light stays on you should take your car to get checked as soon as possible.

Also known as the supplemental restraint system (SRS) warning light.

When this light goes red it means that at least one element of the airbag safety system is not working correctly: either the airbag system itself; the front passenger occupant classification system (which detects the front passenger’s weight and position in order to safely deploy the airbag); or the seat belt pretensioner system, which tightens the belt in the event of a crash.

Also known as the DPF or exhaust particulate filter warning light.

If you have a diesel, one of these lights will come on if there is a problem with the exhaust particulate filter, which removes harmful soot from the exhaust gases to reduce emissions. It could indicate that the filter has become blocked with soot.

Can I still drive with my DPF light on?

As well as releasing a plume of toxic black smoke every time you press the accelerator, driving with a blocked filter could cause more serious damage to your car. You should go to a garage to get it checked as soon as you can, as these filters can be expensive to replace.