Dashboard warning light guides

The check engine light (an engine-block outline, usually amber) means the engine management system has stored a fault code. Steady means investigate soon; flashing means stop driving.

The red oil-can symbol means the engine has lost oil pressure. This is the most serious light on the dashboard — continued driving can destroy the engine in under a minute.

The amber ABS lamp means the anti-lock braking system has disabled itself. Normal braking still works, but the wheels can lock under hard or emergency braking.

The red brake light (an exclamation mark inside a circle) covers three very different things: the parking brake being applied, low brake fluid, or a hydraulic circuit fault.

The red battery symbol means the charging system is no longer supplying enough voltage. The car is running on stored battery charge and will eventually stop.

A red thermometer symbol means the engine is overheating. Continued driving risks a warped head, failed head gasket or a seized engine.

The amber horseshoe with an exclamation mark means at least one tyre is significantly below its target pressure — or the monitoring system itself has a fault.

The SRS or airbag symbol means the supplementary restraint system has detected a fault and has disabled itself. In a crash, the airbags or pretensioners may not fire.