The warning lights on our cars’ dashboards can be as insistent as they are mysterious. Really, there is no excuse for not understanding what your car is trying to tell you, even if it may mean auto repair. The warning lights are there for a reason, and it is essential to understand what they are intended to communicate to you.
- Alternator Warning Light – This light will illuminate to indicate a problem with your alternator. The alternator changes a portion of the energy produced by the car’s engine into electrical energy to run all electrical parts of the car. Your car will not run for any extended period of time without the alternator working properly, so if you see this light, head somewhere close by from where you can contact an auto repair shop for help.
- Brake Warning Light – If you see this light, first check your parking brake; if you leave this brake on, the light on your dashboard will illuminate. However, even if this brake is not on, it could be simply maladjusted and therefore triggering the warning light. In this case, you will need to take it to your auto repair shop for adjustment. This light could also indicate that there is a problem in your brake fluid levels.
- Temperature Warning Light – If your temperature warning light is on, it means that the temperature of your car is too high to safely drive it. Continued driving while your car is overheating could cause serious damage to the engine. Pull over and wait for your car to cool down, and then call a tow truck and start looking for an auto repair shop to help fix the problem.
- Oil Pressure Warning Light – This light indicates that your oil pressure is too low for safe operation of the car. If you feel the light has come on in error, pull over and wait for your oil level to settle, and then check it. If it is low, usually you simply need to add some oil; however, do not drive your car if this light is on, or you risk doing serious damage to the engine and necessitating costly auto repair.
For auto repair in Westerville OH, give us a call at Kevin’s Car Repair LLC. Our mechanics have years of experience and can handle any repair job, big or small. At Kevin’s Car Repair, we are always honest, always fair!
