Auto Care Advice
Warning Lights: What Do They Mean?
Warning lights are lights on the instrument panel/dashboard of a vehicle that alert the driver when something is wrong. Depending on the light and the severity of the problem, you may or may not notice performance issues. Warning lights can be serious in nature, such as the Check Engine Light, or more benign, such as the parking brake light.
It is normal for the lights to illuminate briefly when the vehicle is started, but if they stay on or begin to flash, you should take the vehicle into a repair shop to get it checked out. You should never ignore a warning light. Some of them indicate serious problems with your vehicle that could render it unsafe to drive.
Warning Light
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Description |
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Service Vehicle Soon Warning Light The service vehicle soon warning light is a vehicle monitoring system that tracks all of the chassis control systems. The light comes on when there is a fault condition in an area of the vehicle chassis systems such as the anti-lock (ABS) brake system, the traction control (TCS) system, the electronic suspension system, or the brake hydraulic system. This should not be confused with the Service Engine Soon (SES) Light equipped on some vehicles. It's a good idea to read your vehicle owner's manual and familiarize yourself with your vehicle's warning lights to prevent any confusion. |
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Supplemental Restraint System Warning Light The supplemental restraint system (SRS) warning light is most commonly known as the airbag system light. This is a computer controlled system designed to deploy one or more driver, passenger, and side airbags. If the light stays on after initial startup, there is fault somewhere in the SRS system. The system is disabled at this point. In the case of a collision, the airbags will not deploy and the seat belts will not tighten, nor will any additional features activate. Take the vehicle to a qualified repair shop to be properly diagnosed and inspected. |
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GM Passlock Security Light This light is designed to prevent a vehicle from starting unless the correct ignition key is used. The light can be yellow or red in color, and, depending on the current status of the system, it will be off, on steady, or flashing. When the system detects a fault, the warning light will illuminate or a message will be displayed on the DIC, depending on the model. If a fault occurs while driving, the engine may or may not start after turning the ignition off. If a fault occurs when trying to start the vehicle, it probably won't start. |
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Chevrolet Security Light This light is identical to the GM Passlock Security Light, but is found on Chevrolet models. It is designed to prevent a vehicle from starting unless the correct ignition key is used. The light can be yellow or red in color, and, depending on the current status of the system, it will be off, on steady, or flashing. When the system detects a fault, the warning light will illuminate or a message will be displayed on the DIC, depending on the model. If a fault occurs while driving, the engine may or may not start after turning the ignition off. If a fault occurs when trying to start the vehicle, it probably won't start. |
Next: Throttle Control, Traction Control, and Tire Pressure Warning Lights >> |
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