The indicator lights of your car's dashboard can tell you a lot about the maintenance needs and problems of your car. They are often called dummy lights but understanding them is a smart thing to do. Sometimes, the light may only be telling you that it is time to have your car serviced before problems do develop. The following details for dummy lights will help you know what those lights mean and what needs to be done:

The Brake Indicator Light Telling You It Is Time for a Brake Job and New Pads

Your brakes need to be done routinely to ensure they work properly, which should include changing the pads and bleeding the air out of the system. When you neglect your brakes, the indicator light will come on telling you that it is time to have a brake job done. It will also come on when there is a problem and you need to have your brake system inspected and potential problems repaired.

Modern Check Engine Lights That Mean an Oil Change Is Needed or There Is a Problem

Modern check engine lights tell you when there is a problem with your car. Usually, the check engine light means that it is time to have maintenance like a routine oil change done. If you have recently done the maintenance and the light comes on, this is a sign of another problem that you will need to have diagnosed. There may be other lights that come on with it, such as the battery, temperature or low oil indicator lights.

Temperature Warning Indicator That Comes on When Your Car Starts Overheating

Overheating is something that you do not want to happen to your car's engine because it can cause serious damage. Therefore, there is an indicator light to warn you when your engine is at a high temperature that could cause damage. This is a light that should not be ignored and if it comes after the check engine light comes on, you will want to take your car in to diagnose the problem immediately before the damage gets too severe to have repaired.

Problems With the Airbags That Cause the Indicator Light to Come on or Flash

Airbags are an essential part of the safety system installed in a modern car. For them to protect you or a passenger in an accident, they need to work properly. Over time, the airbag can have problems, like loose connections, that cause the indicator light to come on. In some modern cars, the airbag indicator light will flash when your car has a certain amount of mileage and the airbags need to be inspected and serviced.

These are some of the problems or maintenance needs that your car's dummy lights are telling you. If you have a warning light come on, take your car in for a check engine light service to find out what the cause of the problem is and fix it before it leads to serious issues and costlier repairs.

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