The dashboard provides essential information regarding your vehicle’s health, with warning lights alerting you to potential issues. These can range from minor maintenance reminders to serious mechanical faults that need immediate attention. Ignoring these warnings may lead to costly truck repairs or unexpected breakdowns.
This guide covers the various warning symbols, explaining what each means. By recognising hazards early, you can seek help promptly and ensure your vehicle is safe on the road.
Colour Coding
Warning lights tend to follow a simple colour coding system so vehicle users can easily understand the severity of an issue. A green light indicates that a system is functioning normally without any issues. An amber light signals a non-urgent issue that should be addressed soon. A red light, however, points to a serious problem that requires immediate attention to prevent further damage or potential breakdown.
Break Warning Light
The break warning light appears on the dashboard as a bracketed circle with an exclamation point in the centre. This can appear if the hand brake is applied while the vehicle is moving. Remove the handbrake and check again. If the symbol persists, take the vehicle to a commercial vehicle maintenance facility.
Airbag Warning Light
The airbag warning light depicts a person restrained by a seatbelt with an inflated airbag against them. When this light flashes up, there is an issue with the airbag, meaning it may not engage in the event of a collision.
Battery Warning Light
This symbol displays a 12-volt battery with a plus and a minus symbol. This icon appears if the vehicle is not starting or if the alternator has failed. To restart a dead battery, you’ll need either a power pack or a set of jump leads, along with another vehicle to provide a charge.
Battery Power Warning Light
This symbol, which depicts a battery with a lightning symbol in the middle, is used for electric-powered vehicles. When amber, this symbol indicates the vehicle requires charging soon. However, if shown in red, immediate charging is needed before the vehicle runs out of battery.
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Warning Light
Similar to the brake light, this symbol takes the form of a bracketed circle but with the initials ABS in the centre. This symbol indicates an issue with the anti-lock braking system, which stops the wheels from locking up during heavy braking. An issue with the ABS may result in less braking control in the event of an emergency stop.
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
A symbol of a thermometer with three lines, which represent water, indicates that your engine vehicle has overheated and needs to cool down. Pull over and wait for the engine to cool before checking the coolant levels. Professional vehicle diagnostics are needed if the issue persists.
Commercial Vehicle Maintenance
If your fleet vehicles run into issues such as breakdowns or warning lights, Transcare is here to help! Our highly skilled team performs maintenance support and vehicle diagnostics to identify and address the cause of warning lights, error messages and system failures, resolving issues at their source.
For truck repairs and advanced vehicle diagnostics, contact Transcare today!
