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14 July 2021

Dashboards: those signals that should worry you

Having a car, or at least driving one, equates to so many responsibilities, so many things to remember to protect yourself, but also others. What better way to protect yourself and others than knowing your vehicle, and that means knowing the dashboard signals. In this article, discover or rediscover the indicators that you should be aware of.

The color of the indicators

The indicators on the dashboard can be three or even four different colors (depending on the vehicle). They can be blue or green, orange or red. The color that you should be concerned about is the color red. Because, it represents a danger and that requires a stop as soon as possible.

Indicateur de vitesse — WikipédiaSource: Wikipedia

Alarming indicators

If the color red is associated with the indicators that will be cited, they should be taken seriously. Let’s start with the most recurring ones:

-the warning light for the fuel, the immobilizer / anti-theft device and the warning light concerning the tire pressure. When it comes to fuel, you have few options if you want to avoid breakdown (fill your gas tank). On the other hand, concerning the immobilizer or theft warning light, only a special key held by the dealers will be able to help you. As for the tire pressure, it is very important because it means that your wheel deflates while driving, in this case stop and change the defective wheel.

Lumières dans le tableau de bord de votre autoSource: CAA-Québec

The indicators that will follow should appear less often a priori than those mentioned above, but they are just as, or even more important and dangerous, if we do not pay them immediate attention:

  • the engine warning light (this can represent a set of anomalies and only a specialist can offer you a quality diagnosis)
  • the air bag fault indicator (you know that good quality air bags are essential in an accident, which is why having them checked and replaced is just as important)
  • brake circuit fault (in this case, the same signal can mean different things, a handbrake not fully released or a brake failure. In the first case, it suffices to release the brake correctly and in the second a stop at the garage is essential)

Entretien de ma voiture : les 3 voyants les plus inquiétants au tableau de  bordSource: Autonews

After this necessary little update, you are finally ready to drive with peace of mind.