For a little peace of mind, and more, don’t ignore those warning lights on your dashboard

It was the second time Jean noticed the little orange warning light flash on in her dashboard beside the speedometer. The first time, she thought it was a fluke. Or, maybe, just hoped it was a fluke. She told herself, “If I see it again, I’ll worry.” But then it flashed again.

“It may not have meant anything, or at least not something important,” she thought out loud. But, deep down, she knew there was the potential that it could be something serious – something that requires immediate attention. But the car seemed to run OK and she reassured herself, somewhat, that there was nothing to worry about. So she drove and, like it or not, she worried.

Now she began to play the guessing game: “What could it be?” Jean really didn’t know. She recalled watching the television show “Big Bang Theory” where the one girl drove with the “Check Engine” light on. The geeks commented and the girl had a so-what attitude that annoyed the geeks. It was a joke the writers must have put into the script because, well, a lot of people drive with the “Check Engine” light on and, nothing happens, right?

Actually, if Jean knew the more about her car’s warning lights she would probably pay more attention. Not that all the warning lights are critical but better to be safe than sorry. A list of some of the potential hazards warning lights warn about these days includes warning lights that:

• Warn of a potential engine malfunction
• The fuel cap is off or loose
• The car is low on fuel
• The doors or trunk are ajar
• A seatbelt isn’t fastened
• The high beams are on
• The brake system is having trouble
• The parking brake is on
• An air bag is malfunctioning
• The charging system isn’t charging
• The engine is overheating
• There isn’t enough oil pressue in the engine
• More …

Whether Jean has a serious problem with her car or not, she definitely has another problem; she’s wasting her time worrying. She doesn’t know if everything is OK so she’s keeping her fingers crossed and hoping.

If there is a serious problem, continuing to drive could make it worse. For instance, if the oil pressure is low, continuing to drive could seriously damage or ruin the engine. The problem could cause serious safety hazards, too. What if the brakes are malfunctioning? The potential danger is obvious.

Rather than wonder and hope for the best, Jean needs to find out what the warning light means. The first thing she should do is pull over somewhere safe and get out the Owner’s Manual from the glove box. In the “Index” she’ll find a section on “Warning Lights.” Turning to that page, she’ll probably find a schematic of her dashboard and the warning lights on the dashboard.

Finding the same light in the schematic as the one that has flashed on in her dashboard will probably provide her with a number. Near the schematic, in the book, she’ll find content beside corresponding numbers. Looking up the number of the warning light from her dash should tell her a lot about what the problem is. At the very least, it will point her in the right direction.

If that doesn’t help, or after finding a description of the potential problem, she’ll probably want to talk with a qualified auto repair technician.

In Jean’s case, after spending days worrying about the light, she finally looked it up in her Owner’s Manual. Jean felt a little silly when she read that, for the warning light indicated in the book as No. 27, her windshield washer reservoir was low. That was good news, but it could have been worse – much worse.

Is your antifreeze safe from freezing this Richmond winter

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