Never ignore a warning light while driving. Pull your car to a safe side and stop ….. immediately.
Oil Pressure Warning Lamp
If the required oil pressure for safe operation of your engine is too low, the oil warning lamp turns on. To ensure safe operation, pull the vehicle off the road. The engine should then be stopped.
Possible Causes
- – Low oil level due to excessive oil consumption, or leaks
- – Oil viscosity to thin
- – Defective oil pump
- – Bearing spaces
- – Oil switch problem
A bare engine will heat up, cause friction and make it noisy. Continue to drive the engine this way and the engine will become bedridden. The friction causes damage to the crankshaft and bearings as well as the connection between piston rod and piston shaft. After a while, these parts stop rotating and lock up.
Overtemperature Warning Lamp
When your engine heats up, the temperature light will turn on. If the temperature light is on, don’t drive. This could cause expensive engine damage, such as piston friction and valve breakage, cylinder gazket burnt out, cracks in the cylinder head, wear, and cylinder head fractures. The engine should be turned off by turning the vehicle over. Check the radiator, hoses and cover for leaks. Verify the coolant level of the reservoir.
CAUTION: The engine should be cooled for at minimum 30 minutes before you open the radiator or coolant reservoir. You could be burned by the steam that escapes from the cooling system.
After the engine has cooled, you can add 50/50% of antifreeze to the coolant. Temporarily add water to your antifreeze if you don’t have it.
Possible causes
- Low coolant level
- – Defective thermostat
- – Defective circulation pump
- – Defective radiator cooling fan
- – A dirty or blocked radiator
- – Too tight or loose straps
- – Exhaust restriction (clogged Catalytic Converter)
Overheating an engine can lead to serious damage. The pistons, rings, and cylinder gasket will be damaged. The engine’s parts will become brittle and melted when they heat up. Overheating can cause valve tappets to become longer, valves to melt, and pistons and crankshaft wear. The engine and cylinder blocks are subject to extreme thermal stress from overheating. This can lead to cracking or bending of the blocks. This is a common problem for aluminum hood motors.
To cool an engine that is heating up when towing a trailer, you can turn off the AC and turn on the heater.
Warning Lamp for Charging System
The battery lamp illuminates on your instrument panel when the vehicle’s charge voltage is low. Although you don’t need to stop immediately if this light appears, it may take between 20-30 minutes for the battery to run out and your engine to stop. This time is shorter if you drive at night with your headlights on.
Possible Causes
- – V-belt loosening, breaking
- – Alternator failure
- – Chassis and short circuit problems
- – Removal of battery terminals
- – Corrosion of battery cables
- – End of battery life
When the engine is running, lift the hood. Visually inspect the alternator to see if the drive belt turns. If the belt does not turn, it is likely that the charging system is malfunctioning. Start looking for a mechanic as soon as possible.
Brake Warning Lamp
This lamp lights up if the parking brake does not release fully, if brake fluid is low or if hydraulic pressure is reduced in one of the vehicle’s brake circuits. If your brake fluid is low or you lose brake pressure, you can’t stop your car when you press the brake pedal. To check that your brakes work, you should press the pedal lightly when you see this warning light. If your brakes are not working properly, you should pull your car to the side and open the hood to check the fluid level. Low fluid levels should be checked to ensure that the brake system is not leaking. If there are any leaks, it is unsafe to drive the vehicle. Check that there are no hydraulic leaks, and that the level of the hydraulic fluid is adequate.
You should always pump the pedal several times to stop your vehicle if the brake pedal feels low. If you are unable to get the desired pressure, your parking brake can be used to stop your car. Stop your vehicle by leveling your handbrake. If that fails, keep your foot on the accelerator and attempt to stop the vehicle using engine braking. If all else fails steer towards a soft target like a bush or open field.
Possible causes
- – Leakage in brake fluid (master Cylinder, Calipers, Wheel Cylinders, Bra Lines or Hoses).
- – The brake master control fails to function
- – Keep the handbrake in engagement
- Faulty Handbrake
WARNING: You can’t drive your vehicle if it has a soft or low brake pedal that goes to the ground. For repairs, you will need it taken to a repair shop.
Low Tire Warning Lamp
The warning lamp will turn on if any of your tires are 25% below their normal value. A low-inflated tire can increase the chance of it burst. A low tire can lead to uneven braking, uneven tread, uneven traction, vehicle rollovers and increased fuel consumption.
Go to a gas station that has an air pump. Check the tire pressure with a pressure gauge. The gauges on the pump can often be inaccurate. You should inflate your tires to the recommended pressure. Check the owner’s manual and tire decals for details. These are usually located on the driver side door. Most passenger cars recommend a pressure of 32 to 34 PSI.
Possible Causes
- – Leakage can cause loss of air pressure (a small nail could poke a hole in the tire).
- Tires are prone to losing air pressure from leakage (1 PSI per month)
- – Defective TPMS sensor
Regularly check your tires (at least once a week or before long trips). Check your tires before driving if they are cold.
