It seems like there's more and more information that manufacturers want to display for you while you're driving. Not too long ago, instrument panels were plain—no lights on—just displaying your speed and RPM.
Nowadays some cars display a headlamp image (to indicate your daytime running lights are on), navigation and audio information, system information (if your oil change is due soon), tire pressure warning, etc. If you have blind spot monitoring, lane departure, or forward collision warning features on your car you'll get an occasional flash from them, too.
The standard colours are red, amber, green, and occasionally blue. There have been a number of times when clients call us and ask what they should do when these warning lights come on.
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Do you remember playing the traffic light game on the skating rink? The instructor says green light and you skate as fast as you can, she says red light and you have to stop. First one over the line wins. Question: When a red warning light comes on, no matter where you are, do you pull over to the side of the road and stop driving?
Green/blue light: These are for your information and are generally used to indicate to you that things are fine and/or normal.
Amber light—CAUTION: These lights include check engine, ABS, tire pressure warning, traction control, etc. Typically, if these lights remain lit, it means that the car is still driveable, but you should head to the repair shop as soon as possible. Note that in some vehicles, when the check engine light is on AND flashing, you should definitely get the vehicle diagnosed right away. More information can be found in your car's owners manual.
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Red light: Safely pull over to the side of the road and STOP. Common indicator lights indicate parking brake left on, battery charge low, oil pressure low, engine temperature too high, etc. Continued driving will lead to further damage to your vehicle. It's very important that you do not continue to drive the car if you have a red warning light. In some cases, by the time the car flags a warning light on the dash for you, the problem has already been occuring for a while.
We all have places to be and things to do. If a warning light comes on, it will seem like the worst timing. How willing are you to stop driving immediately?
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