Whats That Light On The Dash
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It can feel like you're navigating a maze when randomly you get a light appearing on the dashboard and you have no idea what it could possibly mean for your car. Be that one annoying blinking light or there could be enough flashing lights to rival Oxford Street at Christmas. Either way, it’s never safe to ignore them. But do any of us really know what they do and why they're so important?
Here’s a chance to get familiar with your car, we've started with just a few so we don't bombard you.
ABS Warning
ABS stands for the Anti-Lock Braking System. This light should turn on whenever the engine is switched on. This confirms the system is operational. The ABS prevents your car wheels from locking up and controls the brake pressure during an emergency stop. If this turns on whilst driving it could indicate a malfunction in the system
Brake System Warning
This is the exclamation mark inside a circle inside parenthesis/brackets. This sign indicates when you have the parking brake activated. If this illuminates after the handbrake is released this could mean the brake fluid level is low.
Battery Charge
This light should illuminate each time the engine is switched on. If it doesn’t appear when you turn your ignition on or it appears whilst you are driving it may indicate there is a fault with the charging system and the battery isn’t being charged.
Low Tyre Pressure
This indicates that your tyre pressure is low. This may appear for a second or two when you turn the car on but no longer than that. If this appears whilst driving you should consider bringing into your nearest Nissan dealership.
Power Steering
Also known as an EPAS light. This lets you know that the Power steering is working. If this light appears when the engine is running you may need to get it looked at. This may signify there is a fault with the steering system which can result in heavy steering making manoeuvres hard and dangerous especially at low speed.
Seatbelt
This light appears to remind you to wear your seatbelt.
Airbag
This is also known as the Supplemental Restraint System. This light will appear for around 5-10 seconds after turning on the car. A warning light indicates that the airbag could deploy when unexpected or it may not even go off at all during a crash. This needs checking.
Coolant Warning
The coolant keeps your car working correctly as low coolant may cause the car to overheat. If this light comes on you may need to top it up, if this doesn’t work then your car may be overheating or due to a leak somewhere so your vehicle needs to be checked.
Oil Pressure Warning
If you see this warning like, take note, it's quite a serious light to have on your dashboard. The Oil pressure warning light is indicating an oil leak, faulty oil pump or low oil pressure. Not having sufficient oil levels in your engine can cause serious engine damage. The oil is there to act as a lubricant for all the moving parts within your engine. We'd suggest to stop the engine and reach for your car's handbook, you'll find the correct instructions for your car.
Check Engine Warning Light
You must get your car checked by a mechanic straight away if this light appears on your car's dash. This light is a warning to a potential problem, it's best to get your car checked asap to save any costly repairs further down the line.
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