Vehicle Warning lights you should watch

New cars come equipped with a ton of features that will let you know if something is going wrong, or is about to go wrong. Alerts like the tire pressure sensor light, you can wait to get checked out, but there are several you shouldn’t ignore.

All too often, we don’t pay attention to our cars when they’re throwing out warning signs, and we end up doing more harm than good, which adds up to expensive repairs and could potentially sacrifice the integrity of an otherwise safe and reliable car. For many drivers, a new light flashing in our vehicle is a signal that alarms us and sends us into panic mode. Some drivers are so accustomed to this warning that they allow themselves to ignore the alerts. In an older car, it’s not uncommon for the stray light to come on at any moment, or for the vehicle to make some noises we get used to. However, there are a handful of these lights and sounds that should cause alarm in all car owners.

What to Watch For 

These are the notifications that we should never allow to fall by the wayside, lest we risk doing some severe damage to our sole mode of transportation.

1. Oil Light – This one is of the utmost importance, especially if you consider oil your car’s blood. Much like people can’t function properly without the proper levels of blood in their body, the vehicle cannot work right without the right amount of oil. This light comes on when something isn’t working correctly with the oil in your car. It could be indicative of low oil levels, which will destroy an engine very quickly if allowed to run out entirely. If your oil light comes on, you need to proceed very carefully and get the car off the road as soon as possible.
   
2. Battery Light – The battery light indicates issues with the car’s battery or the car’s alternator, both of which are pretty severe components. Think of these items as major internal organs in the human body; if one of them isn’t working, it can cause severe problems in the body. The same is valid with your car. The battery and alternator are what allows your vehicle to start correctly and continue running. Without one of these things, you’re going to be left stranded, and the repairs can be quite costly if your battery light comes on, schedule maintenance ASAP.
3. Engine Light –Most people will immediately panic when this light comes on, and in some cases, that panic is warranted. An engine light typically signifies an issue with the car’s emissions system. First, you should pull the car over and check the gas cap. If it is not on tightly enough, it can make this light trigger, although this is undoubtedly the lesser of all the evils. Other problems with the emissions system could be the catalytic converter or an oxygen sensor. While most of these issues are pretty easily detectable and fixable, they are not to be trifled with as they can mess with the fuel economy.
4. Dripping –If you notice a dripping fluid coming from your car’s undercarriage, you shouldn’t ever ignore it, unless it’s the water dripping from the AC system. That drip is nothing to be concerned about, but the color should be inspected when you’re checking things out. If the fluid dripping from your car is a brownish or black color, that can indicate a problem with the oil system, and it means that your car is leaking oil. Get this checked out immediately, as we’ve already covered the importance of oil. If the fluid is of neon color, your car is leaking antifreeze, and this could be indicative of a problem with your radiator. The radiator controls the internal temperature of your car, and should never be ignored.
5. Sounds –If your car is making a noise, make sure it’s a serious one. Grinding or squealing from the brakes is a bad sign. It could mean that your brakes or rotors are going bad or about to turn the corner to being wrong. Get it checked out by your local mechanic as soon as you can. Rotors are incredibly expensive to replace, so don’t wait it out until it gets worse. Any sound coming

from your engine should be investigated very quickly, as you don’t want to mess around with the brain of your car. There are certain things we learn to ignore, a small rattle from the air conditioning system, a squeak when the window goes up, or the distinctive sound made by the trunk if the bass is too high through your speakers. These are all noises that we can forgive, or even overlook, but any of the warnings mentioned above being ignored is irresponsible car ownership.