Every 24-hour interval we turn the kindling on our cars and go on our fashion without opine much about how well our engine is running . But for most cars on the road , each time your car is switched on , it ’s perpetually running checks to ensure that major areas of the locomotive engine , electrical scheme , expelling and brakes are work out aright . The resultant role of these arrest can help you settle whether your railcar requires maintenance .

Since 1996 , all cars sold in the United States are required by the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) to have anon - table diagnostics system , orOBD . The OBD organization works by place sensing element in vital areas of a vehicle , which cover back to the diagnostics organisation whether those area are working correctly or not . When one or multiple sensors find an expanse of the vehicle that is n’t work within its designed stipulation , the sensor triggers a Inner Light on the fomite ' splasher , indicating an area that needs to be addressed .

retrieve of it like a home ’s electrical electrical fuse panel . When the fuse instrument panel notices a unforesightful in the electrical system on a specific circuit in the home , the jury switches off the electricity to that sphere that has a problem . In car , the OBD system does n’t close anything off , but sends a signal to the equipment driver , via a light on the splasher , to indicate a potential problem . self-propelled maintenance shop can then name problems based on which sensor has been trip .

vehicle have been using the OBD system of rules since the 1980s , but since 1996 all wakeful - obligation cars and trucks that weigh 8,500 pounds ( 3,856 kilograms ) or less have a 2d - generation system of rules of on - board diagnostics call OBD - II . The New organization was design to integrate a higher standard of emissions testing by the engine , to secure emission ’s laws were being met by the vehicle [ rootage : EPA ] .

But emissions are only one pocket-sized part of the OBD - II system . Go on to the next Thomas Nelson Page to incur out what other types of warning sparkle can crystalise on the fascia , and if they ’re all a signal for future car maintenance .

Types of Automotive Warning Lights

Although fomite from 1996 and after are required to have the OBD - II system , many vehicles prior to this date were already using monition lights on the dashboard . The lights can vary slimly from vehicle to vehicle , but the most common monition igniter ( and one postulate by law ) is the check engine twinkle . The check locomotive light or service locomotive before long light is also commonly known as the Malfunction Indicator Lamp , or MIL .

The MIL is typically a chicken or orange - coloring Inner Light and may display the image of an railway locomotive . When the MIL come on , choose your car to the nearest fomite sustentation workshop may not be forthwith necessary ; that is , unless the light starts flash [ source : Consumer Reports ] . A scoot MIL indicates that there is a serious problem with a part of your engine , or perhaps a potentially serious trouble , and immediate auto criminal maintenance is necessitate .

The Pteridium aquilinum word of advice ignitor is another vulgar fascia warning Inner Light that will expose when an area of the brake scheme needs attending . The light is typically red , and will commonly display the word " bracken . " If the anti - lock braking system ( ABS ) warning light number on , then there ’s a problem with the ab and it may exclude itself off until the issue is rectify . Normal bracken functions can still occur even with the ABS close - off , but the vehicle should definitely be taken to an automotive maintenance shop as presently as potential .

In summation to the check locomotive engine and brake warning luminousness , there are other important word of advice lights include the battery warning light , which can betoken that the battery has a low charge , that the alternator is not bear down the battery properly , or possibly both . The oil monition light indicates humble oil pressing in the engine or that the locomotive engine is running low on oil . The airbag monish lightsome denotes that one or more airbags may not function right in an accident . The temperature warning visible radiation is unremarkably a thermometer symbolisation and will display when the engine is overheat . Since each fomite can have different type of warning luminance , determine the fomite possessor ’s manual for the most exact description of each light .

Let ’s go on to the next page to find out what triggers these light to come on and the maintenance your railcar may ask .

What Trips an Automotive Warning Light?

Like we mentioned in the first place , sensors in the car notify the equipment driver of a potential , or already existing , problem . When a check engine lightness comes on , there may be a problem with the emissions arrangement . The light can be get off by something as simple as a on the loose gas cap , or could imply there ’s a trouble with the twinkle stopper wire , a deteriorated fuel injector O - tintinnabulation , defective oxygen sensor or maybe that an area of the engine has water in it where moisture should not be .

If the bracken luminousness is on , the parking bracken may be set , misadjusted , or something more serious may be occurring that involves a slip to the auto maintenance shop . If the light comes on when you apply the brake or stay put on endlessly , the hydraulic pressure has been mislay in one side of the braking system or brake fluid in the master piston chamber is very low . Either direction , some type of fomite maintenance will be required . If the ABS and the brake monition light are on at the same clock time , the fomite may not be safe to drive and should be taken to an automotive maintenance shop .

When the barrage fire luminance is on , it usually means that the alternator is not raise enough electricity to provide the car with electrical energy and to agitate the electric battery at the same time . This intend the railway car ’s battery is deal the full load of the ignition system , fuel pump , radio , heater , lights and other electric single-valued function . The barrage light source can also be triggered if the belt that spins the alternator is slipping , broken , or has come off of the pulley completely .

A temperature warning light is trip when the engine is overheat . An overheated engine is always a serious issue and may expect car maintenance right away . detector in the cylinder head will turn on the warning light if it dumbfound too hot , or coolant sensors may notify the equipment driver if the smooth levels are too low for the organisation to work right .

The rock oil warning light will make out on if the sensor find out there ’s low oil pressure , or if the oil level in the pan gets too broken . If there ’s enough oil in the engine , then low oil pressure is the suit of the admonition light , which can make out from a raddled or broken vegetable oil pump , choke oil in the crankcase ’s pick - up blind or a blocked oil filter .

Are Automotive Warning Lights Accurate?

With all the detector in the cable car trying to settle if there are any problems with the vehicle , how sure can a driver be that the warning lights are exact ? The quick answer is : you’re able to be moderately sure .

Sometimes , a detector may trigger off the admonition Light Within to occur on , but then it quickly goes off . Typically this takes place when the sensor has recite the Engine Control Unit ( ECU ) of a trouble , but does n’t point out the problem as reoccurring . When this happens , it does n’t intend that the system is n’t working . It commonly mean that the organisation found a job but that it ’s been corrected or is n’t persisting . In either case , unless your owner ’s manual commend you do so , it ’s not necessary to take your vehicle to an self-propelled maintenance shop if the word of advice Inner Light goes off and stays off .

so as to check the truth of the warning light medulla oblongata themselves , each sentence the machine is swop on the warning lights will look for several seconds and then go off . This allows the automobilist to do a quick optical check to ensure all the warning lights are working by rights . If a bulb that usually light up up does not come on , plainly replace that bulb .

If a admonition light comes on and stays on , then most probable there ’s an issue with the indicated region which should be addressed by the driver or an auto maintenance professional . A mend shop or even a vehicle maintenance supplying storage will be able-bodied to diagnose the problem accurately using an OBD code reader . The code reader plug in to the fomite ’s diagnostic system and enjoin the reader which sensing element or sensors have been tripped . Because the reader can nail what region of the vehicle is beam the computer code , the warning light offer an precise picture of what eccentric of upkeep is require .

For more information about automotive admonition lights and other related topic , follow the links on the next page .

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