16 Car Dashboard Symbols and Meanings

Do you know your car dashboard symbols and meanings? They aren’t all warnings that something bad is happening to your car. But understanding them can help in the event of a crisis. Better yet, knowing what they can mean can often offset a car crisis from happening at all!

As always, PD Insurance is here to give you a helping hand in understanding your car. Read on to learn about 16 common dashboard warning lights.

What do the car dashboard symbols mean?

It’s important to understand what your car is communicating because it can help prevent serious damage and help you become a more confident driver. By getting to know your dashboard’s signals you learn what is normal or hazardous. And of course, that helps you remain calm at the wheel.

Pay attention to your lights throughout every drive. Keeping your eye on things will mean you and your car are working in sync and you’re onto issues as soon as they start.

The easiest rule of thumb for interpreting car dashboard symbols and meanings is to think of traffic lights:

Green	Good; means a function is set or active
Orange	A fault has been detected; you may drive but need to visit a mechanic as soon as possible
Red	A serious problem has been found; immediate attention is required

If you find yourself on amber or red, read how to choose a mechanic and what to have on your car servicing checklist.

16 car dashboard symbols and meanings explained

In this section we cover 16 common car dashboard symbols and what they mean. It won’t cover everything, given how advanced some vehicles are these days, but it covers enough to give you confidence in your vehicle.

1. Low oil pressure

The oil pump plays an important role in car health. It keeps oil moving around bearings and moving parts to reduce friction and resulting heat.

The oil light will come on when your car registers low oil levels and that means it’s time to top up. All your car dashboard symbols and meanings are important, but this is one you can easily ensure never goes red. Read how to check the oil in your car in seven simple steps.

2. Check engine

Your car has a built-in computer that frequently scans for thousands of potential engine errors or malfunctions. (No wonder you love it)! There are two types of ‘check engine’ car dashboard symbols that may light up on the dashboard – here’s the meaning of each:

1.	Static orange/yellow	Warns you that an error has been found and you’ll need to put fixing it on your priority list. For example, new spark plugs are needed.
2.	Blinking yellow/orange or solid red	Requires immediate attention.

If either of these lights goes on, it’s time to schedule a visit for your car to see the mechanic. Learn more about car servicing to avoid being overcharged or under-serviced.

3. ABS (anti-lock brake system)

The ABS controls vehicle brakes to prevent your wheel from locking up and causing an uncontrolled skid. When this light comes on your ABS is active.

The system functions by rapidly engaging and disengaging the brakes to help you maintain steering control, so you don’t skid and spin out of control. Of the many car dashboard symbols and their meanings, this one definitely has great safety perks while you drive.

4. Engine temperature

Yep, it turns out cars can get hot flushes too…

When you see this light appear on your car dashboard symbols your engine may be at risk of overheating. This is commonly caused by a fault from the internal cooling system that circulates air and coolant around the engine to maintain a steady temperature.

A tell-tale sign of overheating aside from temperature increase is smoke billowing from under the bonnet. Also keep your sense alert to the smell of hot metal or plastic.

5. Cruise control indicator on

Self-driving cars are part of the future car technology that’s already being built and tested, but the cruise control feature is a smart feature you can enjoy today. With the cruise control function you can set your car engine to maintain a select speed until you press the brake.

This is great to use when driving long distances where speed limits change less or in school zones where it’s easy to accidentally drive too fast. In many cruise control-enabled cars a green light appears on the car dashboard symbols when the set speed is achieved.

6. Tyre pressure monitoring system

Tyres can get forgotten from everyday car maintenance, even though they can help you save fuel when maintained properly. If your car is equipped with this handy pressure sensor you’ll never forget when it’s time to pump up your tyres.

Read more on why tyre pressure is so important for improving fuel efficiency (as well as keeping you gripped to the road, obviously).

7. Engine immobiliser or engine start indicator

Some newer cars require the driver to press the brake at the same time as starting the car, either via a key in the ignition or push-start button. If your car starts with a push-start button it will illuminate to remind you to press the brake.

This is one of those great car dashboard symbols whose meaning communicates something simple and helpful. Just another reason to love your car!

8. Parking assist

Have you ever struggled to get out of a tight parking spot? Many new cars have built-in parking assist sensors to help you park safely, that will chime if an object is within close range. When this light is yellow or orange the sensors have detected an object nearby.

9. Battery

The battery helps power everything electrical in a car, such as the radio, headlights, ignition system and internal computer. As you drive the battery will recharge; if the warning light appears be aware that a problem has been found.

If you discover you have a flat battery, not to worry… Read how to jump start a car in nine easy steps.

10. Wiper fluid indicator

Keeping your windshield clean will make it easier to see the road ahead, which can get dirty from dust, bugs and other debris that comes from driving. The wiper fluid indicator lights up when you need to add water (or specialty wiper fluid) to the pump.

11. Parking brake

The parking brake light will appear when the car is parked and hand/foot brake is engaged. If it appears when the brake isn’t on it’s a warning that your brakes are due for inspection.

A few other causes of why the brake light appears can include:

• The brake isn’t completely released (check the hand/foot brake)
• Low brake fluid or a leak
• Worn brake pads

12. Airbag

The airbag light is not one you should ignore, given the security airbags provide for those in the car. If this warning appears your airbag could be faulty and may not deploy if you’re in an accident. Best to take the car to a mechanic ASAP.

Did you know your airbag can be affected by recent airbag recalls? Visit is my airbag safe to check if your airbag is part of any recalls. And for drivers with physical disabilities, not all driving modifications are safe to use with airbags. Read more in the article ‘is my airbag safe to use with disability driving controls‘.

13. ECO mode

Trying to reduce the running costs of your car? With ECO mode activated (hence the green light) the engine will lower its response to acceleration, allowing it to reduce the amount of fuel it would normally consume so it can last longer.

This is car dashboard symbol is great for city driving where vehicles stop-start frequently… If you’re lucky enough to have a car with this feature. Find out more ways to give your car an eco-friendly boost and the most fuel efficient cars in Australia currently.

14. Electronic stability control

The electronic stability control is a system that maintains the overall driving control of a vehicle. This happens by monitoring the rotational speed of the wheels and detecting a loss of steering wheel control or traction.

The system will respond by reducing engine power and brakes to keep control. When this car dashboard symbol illuminates it means the system has detected an issue and is trying to resolve it.

15. Lane departure warning

New technologies have allowed more recently made cars to contain better car safety features, one of which is the lane departure warning. This alerts you if your car is moving into another lane. If you live in a busy city, this warning will help keep your car safe as the traffic builds.

Find out more safety features in the best small cars to buy in Australia this year.

16. Low fuel

One of the most recognised symbols in your car is the fuel light, giving you the heads up that it’s time to fill up.

Ever sat in a car for the first time and wondered “which side is the fuel cap on?” The little arrow next to your fuel light points to the correct side, making it easy to fill up any car. A Ford engineer designed this clever invention in the 1980s. Pretty neat, huh?

Car insurance, a sign you can rest assured

We hope you’re feeling more motoring savvy now you’ve read over this list. Another way to feel savvy behind your wheel is having car insurance. You only pay a little each month for the enormous peace of mind that comes with easy online claims and 24/7 access to your account.

As a PD Insurance member your comprehensive car insurance helps cover costs of repair or replacement for theft, damage and other claimable incidents. And for a little as $89/year (at the time of writing) you can add on roadside assistance. Click below to start today.