Understand What That Dash Light Means

You’re driving along the road in Tysons Corner when all of the sudden a light on your dashboard comes on — uh oh. What does it mean? What do you need to do next? Let’s take a look at some of the most common dashboard lights and the next steps you should take.

Get to a Mechanic ASAP

If any of these lights come on, it’s best to pull over in a safe place as soon as you can and schedule an appointment with your trusted auto shop.

• Engine Temperature – this light looks like a thermometer and indicates that the engine temperature is higher than normal.
• Check Engine – this light looks like an engine and lets you know that the diagnostic system in the car has detected an issue.
• Battery Charge – when the battery symbol light comes on, it means that the battery is not charging properly, usually due to battery age or the alternator.
• Oil Pressure – the oil pressure light looks like an oil pitcher and means that the oil level/pressure has dropped too low.
• Transmission Temperature – if you see a thermometer inside of a gear, it means that the transmission is hotter than it should be.

Action Needed Now, Easy Fixes

These lights mean that you need to fix something, but you can fix it yourself by deactivating something or stopping at the gas station.

• Parking Brake – sometimes this light is an exclamation point inside of a circle and other times it is the letter P in the circle. Either way, it means that your parking/handbrake is engaged.
• Tire Pressure – the tire pressure light is an exclamation point in a tire that means that your tires have dropped below their ideal pressure. Get to a gas station with air refills, wait for the tires to cool down, and refill the tires to their specified pressures.
• Low Fuel – if you see the gas pump symbol come on, it means you need to find the nearest gas station and fill up as soon as you can.

Information Lights

These lights give you information about what systems are on or off in your car.

• Traction Control – if you see a light symbol of a car with two “swerve” marks, it means that your traction control system is deactivated.
• Airbag Lights – there are several airbag symbols that indicate that one or more of the airbags has been deactivated.
• Headlight Symbols – if any of the symbols that look like lights are illuminated, it means that specific light is activated.

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Schedule Service With Maserati of Tysons

If one of the ASAP lights comes on in your car, it’s best to give us a call or schedule service online at Maserati of Tysons. We’ll diagnose and fix the issue quickly to get you back on the road as soon as we can.

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