Warning lights follow a color code. Red means a problem to deal with now, amber or yellow means a fault or a check that needs attention soon, and green or blue means a feature is switched on (Ford). Federal rules fix the color of some: the brake light must be red; the ABS, tire pressure and stability control lights yellow; the high beam light blue or green; and turn signals green (FMVSS 101).
Every light, explained
Grouped by color. Your owner’s manual has the exact list for your vehicle, including symbols for features not shown here.
Red: act now
Oil pressure light
Low oil pressure, engine oilOil pressure in the engine is low (Honda, Ford).
- Park on level ground in a safe place as soon as you can and stop the engine (Honda).
- After about three minutes, check the oil level and add oil if needed (Honda, Ford).
- If the light stays on with the oil at the right level, don’t drive on: Honda says to stop the engine if it doesn’t go off within 10 seconds of restarting, and contact a dealer.
Why it matters: Running an engine with low oil pressure can cause serious damage almost immediately (Honda).
Sources: Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual; Ford support: warning and indicator lights; FMVSS No. 101, Table 1
Battery or charging light
Charging system, alternatorThere is a problem with the charging system: the battery isn’t being charged (Honda, Ford).
- Turn off electrical equipment you don’t need (Ford).
- Stop in a safe place and have the vehicle checked right away (Honda, Ford).
- If you stop only briefly, don’t switch off the engine: restarting can drain the battery quickly (Honda).
Sources: Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual; Ford support: warning and indicator lights; FMVSS No. 101, Table 1
Engine temperature light
Coolant temperature, overheatingThe engine coolant is too hot (Ford).
- Stop as soon as it’s safe, switch the engine off and let it cool (Ford).
- Have the cooling system checked before driving far.
Sources: Ford support: warning and indicator lights; FMVSS No. 101, Table 1
Brake warning light
BRAKE, red brake system indicatorThe parking brake is on, or the brake fluid is low, or there is a fault in the brake system (FMVSS 135, Ford, Honda). Federal rules require it to be red (FMVSS 101).
- Check that the parking brake is fully released (Ford).
- If the light stays on, press the brake pedal lightly to feel it. If the pedal feels normal, check the brake fluid when you stop; if not, act at once and slow down using lower gears (Honda).
- If the pedal has no resistance, stop immediately in a safe place (Honda). Driving with this light on is dangerous: braking can be much weaker (Ford).
Flashing? Some cars with an electric parking brake blink this light for a parking-brake fault (Honda).
Sources: FMVSS No. 101, Table 1; FMVSS No. 135; Ford support: warning and indicator lights; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual
Amber: check soon
Check engine light
Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), Service Engine SoonThe on-board diagnostics have found a problem in the engine or emissions control system (Ford, Honda). The light is usually yellow (EPA).
- Steady: you can still drive, but minimize driving and avoid high speeds; get it checked soon (EPA, Honda).
- Check that the gas cap isn’t loose or missing: a loose cap can turn it on, and the light should go off within a few trips once it’s tightened (EPA).
- Flashing: a severe misfire. Reduce speed and get service as soon as possible (EPA). Honda says to park safely and let the engine cool at least 10 minutes.
Flashing? Flashing means a severe engine misfire (EPA, Ford, Honda).
Sources: EPA, FAQ About On-Board Diagnostics (1997); EPA, What To Do With the Check Engine Light (2000); Ford support: warning and indicator lights; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual
ABS light
Anti-lock brake systemThe anti-lock brake system has a fault. The light must be yellow (FMVSS 101).
- You still have normal brakes, but without the anti-lock function (Honda, Ford).
- Have it checked by a dealer or shop soon (Honda, Ford).
- If the red brake light comes on with it, the electronic brake distribution isn’t working either and the car can be unstable when braking hard: get it inspected immediately (Honda).
Sources: FMVSS No. 101, Table 1; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual; Ford support: warning and indicator lights
Tire pressure light
TPMS, low tire pressureOne or more tires is at least 25% below the recommended cold pressure (FMVSS 138). The light must be yellow (FMVSS 101).
- Slow down, avoid sharp turns and hard braking, and stop somewhere safe (Honda).
- Check the pressure as soon as possible (Ford) and inflate the tires to the pressure on the driver’s door jamb label (Honda).
- Look for a puncture or a flat. A badly under-inflated tire overheats and can fail (Honda, FMVSS 138).
Flashing? Flashing for about a minute and then staying on means the monitoring system itself has a fault (FMVSS 138, Honda): have it checked.
Sources: FMVSS No. 138; FMVSS No. 101, Table 1; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual; Ford support: warning and indicator lights
Traction or stability control light
ESC, VSA, traction controlFlashing: the stability control is working to keep the car from skidding (FMVSS 126, Honda, Ford). Steady: the system has a fault (Honda, Ford). It must be yellow (FMVSS 101).
- Flashing: the system is acting to control a skid or wheel spin (FMVSS 126, Honda, Ford); drive gently.
- Steady: the car still drives and brakes, but without stability control. Have it checked (Honda, Ford).
Flashing? Flashing is normal while the system is acting (FMVSS 126, Honda, Ford).
Sources: FMVSS No. 126; FMVSS No. 101, Table 1; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual; Ford support: warning and indicator lights
Stability control off
ESC OFF, VSA OFF, TCS OFFStability control has been switched off, fully or partly, with its button (Honda). It must be yellow (FMVSS 101).
- Press the button again to turn the system back on, unless you switched it off on purpose.
Sources: FMVSS No. 101, Table 1; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual
Color varies by maker
Airbag light
SRS, supplemental restraint systemA problem with the airbags, side or curtain airbags, or seat belt tensioners has been detected (Honda, Ford).
- Have the vehicle checked as soon as possible (Ford, Honda).
Sources: Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual; Ford support: warning and indicator lights
Seat belt reminder
You or a passenger hasn’t fastened a seat belt; it blinks and beeps while you drive (Honda).
- Fasten the belts. If it stays on with everyone buckled, the system may have a detection error: have it checked (Honda).
Sources: Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual
Power steering light
EPS, electric power steeringThe electric power steering has a problem (Honda).
- Stop in a safe place and restart the engine. If the light stays on, have the vehicle inspected right away (Honda).
- If the dashboard says “Do not drive,” stop immediately in a safe place and contact a dealer (Honda).
Sources: Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual
Low fuel light
Fuel reserveThe fuel is running low (Honda; the 2023 Integra’s comes on with about 1.8 gallons left).
- Refuel as soon as you can (Honda).
- If it blinks, the fuel gauge has a problem: have it checked (Honda).
Flashing? Blinking means a fuel gauge fault (Honda).
Sources: FMVSS No. 101, Table 1; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual
Wrench light
Powertrain fault (Ford)In Ford vehicles, the system has found a powertrain or 4WD/AWD fault (Ford).
- Ford doesn’t recommend driving with it on: have the vehicle checked (Ford).
- Other makers may use a wrench symbol for other messages; check your manual.
Green and blue: information
High beam indicator
Your high beams are on. Federal rules make this light blue or green (FMVSS 101).
- Nothing is wrong: it shows your high beams are on.
Sources: FMVSS No. 101, Table 1
Turn signal indicators
Hazard warningYour turn signal, or both for the hazard lights, is on. These must be green (FMVSS 101).
- Nothing is wrong: it shows the signal or the hazard lights are on (Honda).
Sources: FMVSS No. 101, Table 1; Honda 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual
Lights that mean stop
These say to stop as soon as it’s safe, or not to drive on:
- Oil pressure: running an engine with low oil pressure can do serious damage almost immediately (Honda).
- Engine temperature: stop, switch off and let the engine cool (Ford).
- Brake warning light that stays on with the parking brake released: braking may be much weaker (Ford).
- Battery or charging light: the battery isn’t being charged; stop somewhere safe and have it checked (Honda, Ford).
- A flashing check engine light: a severe misfire; slow down and get service as soon as possible (EPA).
Why the lights come on when you start the car
Many warning lights light up for a moment when you switch on the ignition, as a check that the bulb or display works. FMVSS 101 allows a warning light to come on for a bulb check, and FMVSS 135 requires the brake warning light to be checked this way. They should go out once the check is done; one that stays on is reporting a real condition.
Questions people ask
What do the colors of dashboard lights mean?
Red or orange: a problem to deal with promptly. Yellow: service may be needed. Green or blue: a feature is in use (Ford).
Which warning lights are the most serious?
Red ones, especially oil pressure, engine temperature and the brake light, and a flashing check engine light. Stop safely and check before driving on.
What is the light with an exclamation point?
An exclamation point in a circle with brackets is the brake warning light; in a horseshoe-shaped tire outline it’s the tire pressure light.
Can I drive with the check engine light on?
If it’s steady, yes, but minimize driving and get it checked (EPA). If it’s flashing, slow down and get service as soon as possible. See the check engine light.
Why is my traction control light flashing?
Flashing means the stability or traction control is working, which is normal on a slippery road (FMVSS 126, Honda, Ford). A light that stays on means a fault.
Sources
- Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, 49 CFR part 571: No. 101, Controls and displays (Table 1: telltale symbols and colors; bulb checks); No. 126, Electronic stability control; No. 135, Light vehicle brake systems (S5.5); No. 138, Tire pressure monitoring systems.
- Honda, 2023 Integra Owner’s Manual: Indicators and Indicator, Coming On/Blinking.
- Ford, What do the warning and indicator lights in my Ford mean?
- U.S. EPA, Frequently Asked Questions About On-Board Diagnostics (EPA 420-F-97-003) and What To Do With the Check Engine Light (EPA 420-F-00-041).
- Symbols drawn by GloveboxAnswers after the shapes in FMVSS 101, Table 1.