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What to Do When Dash Lights Come On

 
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Levi Quinn

Paying attention to your car is essential if you want to be able to rely on it for a long period of time. If you ignore any warning signs, you could soon find yourself in very hot water. Of course, it can be difficult to know where to begin when you discover a dash warning light has suddenly come on. Any issues must be addressed right away no matter how large or small they are. If you neglect to assess the situation you could directly cause more harm to come to your vehicle.

The first thing you should do when a light on your dash comes on is to look up that light in your manual. This way you can identify the light and perhaps determine why it is on. Sometimes it may be a minor problem that you can easily fix. But if it is an indicator of a bigger problem then you need to know as soon as possible.

Always double check things like your parking brake and the oil level. If you accidentally tap the parking brake on or drive away without releasing it, your dash light will come on. It may only require a pull of the lever to get you smoothly on your way again. This is yet another reason why paying attention to your car is so important.

There are certain dash lights that you should never ignore no matter what. For example, anything related to your brakes like the ABS light should be assessed by a certified mechanic immediately. To avoid this could seriously endanger you or others. The airbag light is another potentially deadly warning light. If it is on and does not go off, there could be a problem. You do not want the airbags deploying for no reason as you are driving. Get it serviced.

Some cars will tell you the error code that the computer in the car is detecting. Newer cars should all be designed like this so check your manual. If you can get the code and look up what it means, then you can start to figure out if it is something serious and if you can fix it yourself or not. At the very least, if you can give the dealer or mechanic the code, they can get started in helping you out or ordering necessary parts.

You should never ignore a warning light at all. It will not just go away and if it does, that doesn’t mean that there is no longer a problem. Though it truly is an inconvenience, car problems do occur and they must be taken care of before you find yourself stranded on the side of the road.

Check all of your basics like the oil level using the dipstick. You can also check your radiator in case there is an issue that is causing the car to overheat. Sometimes it’s a minor issue like a thermostat needing to be replaced. That tends to be inexpensive and quick to fix. No matter what happens, it’s recommended to get a professional opinion. Serious issues can be hard on the wallet but they can also lead to safety hazards and that just isn’t acceptable.

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Article Tags: car [See Dictionary], dash [See Dictionary], light [See Dictionary]
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Article published on January 06, 2009 at Isnare.com
 
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