Drivers warned to be alert for three dashboard lights that mean you MUST stop your car – do you know what they are?

A CAR technician has warned drivers about the three dashboard lights that mean you MUST stop your vehicle.

Paul Kennaley says he frequently witnesses customers choosing to ignore warning lights from their vehicle every week.

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Failing to take action can not only be dangerous but costly for drivers if the problem persists.

“These lights are there for a reason,” Kennaley says. “Most drivers notice them when they appear and act on them right away.”

Here are three less well known dashboard lights, what they mean and what you should do if they pop up.

OIL PRESSURE

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This warning light typically appears for a second or two when you start your vehicle’s engine, and then it disappears. 

It could also be activated when the engine sensor detects that oil pressure has fallen below a safe limit which could be due to an oil leak.

This is an urgent warning and you should pull over as quickly as possible, turn the engine off and check your owner’s manual for further instructions.

If you ignore it, things could start going wrong very quickly with parts of the engine rapidly breaking down.

Kennaley said: “We had one customer come in with a completely wrecked engine because they thought the oil pressure warning light meant it was time for an oil change.

“So, this customer kept driving until the engine was destroyed a short time later.”

ENGINE OVERHEAT/ ENGINE COOLANT

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Another urgent warning sign to look out for is the engine overheat or engine coolant light.

This is indicated by a red thermometer graphic and possibly accompanied by a coolant gauge that’s reading at or near its red zone.

It means that the temperature of your engine coolant has exceeded safe limits and that your engine is overheating.

This could be caused by a coolant leak, an air bubble in the cooling system, or a failing or failed coolant pump.

With the engine at risk of extreme damage you should safely exit the roadway and pull over as soon as possible.

Let the engine idle with the cabin heat and fan speed cranked to full blast, which can help cool the engine.

Do not turn the engine off immediately, but be prepared to and check your owner’s manual has further instructions.

Typically, if signs of coolant leakage are detected, the engine should be turned off right away.

These include a sweet burned sugar smell, steam or vapor pouring out from under the hood, or a visible leak of hot fluid beneath the vehicle.

The best course of action is often to have the vehicle towed to a shop for repair rather than irreversibly damaging your engine by overheating it.

BRAKE

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Lastly, it goes without saying that these warning lights should not be ignored.

There are several reasons this light may appear, ranging  from a burned-out brake light bulb or a bad switch to total loss of vehicle braking capability.

If this light appears while driving, assume you have no breaks, activate hazard lights and find the safest and quickest way off the road.

Once stationary, check the brake fluid level which instructions outlined in the owner’s manual.

Since stopping isn’t optional, drivers are advised to use the highest level of caution and judgment before continuing to drive a vehicle with a BRAKE warning light and to have the vehicle inspected by a professional as soon as possible.

Do NOT continue driving if the brake fluid level is low, a mechanic is far less expensive than a potentially fatal car crash.