The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph's College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
This text symbol and those that follow are various Electronic Shift or Throttle Control Indicators. First is the ECT Power Indicator symbol. ECT stands for either Electronically Controlled Transmission or Throttle. In the PWR or power mode, indicated by the green color, your vehicle is either kept it in a lower gear for more powerful acceleration in difficult terrain or allowed to throttle more powerfully or deliberately.
This is a variant called Electronic Throttle Control System (ETCS). This acronym is likely to appear with the word Power or Snow. ETCS or ECT are systems activated by a dashboard or console button or switch. The amber color is used to denote that the system should be deactivated under normal driving conditions.
A picture symbol, an Electronic Shift Malfunction indicator in amber. Click here if it is red. It features a bumpy circle, meant to be a transmission ring gear. Inside is the traditional sign of trouble, the exclamation point. The vehicle’s text display will likely ask (demand) that the parking brake be applied for safety. Time to call your dealer or authorized service center.
This is a variant with a German acronym. EML stands for Elektronische Motorleistungsregelung, or Electronic Throttle Control. The light comes on when there is a malfunction in the system.
Do not confuse the third image with the Settings Indicator symbol on the right. It is nearly identical to the bumpy circle used when referring to the transmission, but lacks any addition in the center and is shown in gray scale. The settings indicator will most generally be seen in the separate Information Display and is the what we have become used to seeing on our phones and computers.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2010/11/ect-power-indicator/
This is a Check Suspension Indicator symbol. This light indicates a possible fault in the suspension system, which should be checked by your dealer or authorized repair center as soon as possible. CK is short for Check and SUSP is intended to be short for Suspension.
Since this system will be tied to the vehicle’s Stability Control System, a second light, similar to the one to the right that looks like a skidding car with or without a line drawn through it, may appear as well, indicating that the Stability Control System has been turned off. Click this link for more or see our Multiple Symbols page for more information.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2010/11/check-suspension-indicator/
This is an Engine Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) symbol. This light, on steadily or blinking, indicates a fault in the engine’s emission control system. It may also indicate that the gas cap is loose or missing. The text itself reads Service Engine Soon.
Ensuring that the gas cap is on and properly tightened to at least one click is one of the few fixes available to the average motorist. If this light is on and the gas cap is installed properly, see your dealer or authorized service center as soon as you can.
Note that if it is blinking, reduce your speed, avoid hard acceleration and deceleration and see your dealer as soon as possible.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2010/11/malfunction-indicator-light/
These are Tow or Haul Mode and Fault Indicator symbols. If your vehicle is equipped with Tow Mode, one of these lights will be lit when the mode is selected. The symbol may be in text, using the word TOW and or HAUL, or as an image of one of several forms of a trailer. In green or blue, the indicators mean that Tow Mode is active.
In more advanced models, the second image above with the trailer is used to indicate that a Trailer Merge Assist system has been activated. It is tied directly to the vehicle’s blind spot monitoring system. Click the link for more.
The image with arrows above the trailer is no more than a Trailer Connected indicator. It illuminates when a trailer is connected and will go out when it is disconnected. The same is true of the image of the trailer hitch ball and the trailer, both shown in green. The color makes more sense too. There’s little need for a warning color when simply noting something normal. The final image looks like a 19th century covered wagon.
If any of these illuminate unexpectedly, the system has likely been switched on accidently. Find the proper switch to turn it off, or, lacking a switch, check with a service center.
These versions however, are trailering fault warnings. The exclamation point in the triangle above the trailer in the first image is the give away. If illuminated, check all electrical connections as well as the physical trailer connection(s). Otherwise, the issue may involve the main vehicle’s suspension or stability control systems and a qualified service shop will be needed.
The second has the line through what is the trailer image again set inside the circle and brackets. The latter is the standard image depicting brakes. It indicates that the trailer’s brakes are in fact disconnected. It is likely an electronic system and thus a wiring issue.
The third is simply seen in white. Make the same checks as above.
Some vehicles offer Sway Control for use while towing, a system that works in in conjunction with the Stability Control System. And like that system, the Sway Control Indicator will flash when sway is detected and being corrected.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2010/11/tow-mode-indicator/
These are All-wheel Drive (AWD) Disabled Indicator symbols. The lights, all shown in yellow/amber, flash when the AWD system is disabled temporarily and remains on when there is a malfunction in the system. The open circles indicate that the AWD system has been disconnected.
Note that the first symbol is used in New Zealand and Australia to indicate only that the 4-wheel Drive system has been engaged, and is not used to indicate a problem. Click here for more.
All the symbols, except the text version, include a stick figure image meant to look like four wheels with the front wheels turned to the right. The symbols may flash if the vehicle is fitted with tires of differing diameters, a spare tire has been mounted, or if the air pressure in any of the tires drops dramatically. The AWD system will also be unavailable if the anti-lock brake system warning light is on or if the rear differential fluid is overheating. In the latter case, the light will go out when the differential fluid cools.
The AWD system will be unavailable, but the main front or wheel drive wheels will operate normally. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light will also very likely be lit, if the vehicle is equipped with the system.
If a wrench (or spanner) or exclamation point is shown alongside the caricature of a vehicle’s undercarriage, it indicates a fault and nothing else, as does the text message asking for service. Malfunctions may be indicated by the system before a real problem is obvious, but don’t waste time. See your dealer or authorized service center soon, as AWD repairs are expensive and continued use will increase the likelihood of serious damage.
These text symbols are found in an Electric Vehicle (EV) and become an excuse to add the word electric to the AWD or 4WD acronyms. The first light is yellow/amber when the electric four-wheel drive (e4WD) system is limited, and will turn off when the system is working normally. If this light is red, there is likely a malfunction. But as with all electronic systems, restart the vehicle to see if the system resets.
The text symbols to the right are very much related. Click here for additional information.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2010/11/all-wheel-drive-disabled-indicator/
These are Reduced Engine Power Indicator symbols. Only a handful of manufacturers use these lights, which comes on automatically with a reduction in the vehicle’s performance. Given what is likely an obvious reduction in power and acceleration, the symbol itself would seem to be redundant.
The fault is likely in an electronic system, and one vehicle maker suggests stopping the vehicle and restarting it after 10 seconds. Like rebooting a computer, or exactly like rebooting a computer. This may reset the system and thus resolve the issue. If this does not work, see your dealer or authorized service center as soon as possible.
The picture symbol, in essence, is an engine seen from the side, is the same as the check engine light with a down pointing arrow to indicate that the power is reduced.
So don’t confuse the indicator with these, despite the lighting bolts and arrows. Learn more about them here.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2010/11/reduced-engine-power-light/
All these are variations of an Automatic Transmission (A/T) Oil Temperature Indicator symbols. Generally seen in red, it means exactly what it says, that the oil temperature in the transmission is too high, which risks transmission failure. Some manufacturers show the symbol as yellow/amber. Regardless of color, take the symbol seriously and allow the vehicle’s transmission to at least cool down.
This indicator is generally in use only in 4- or all-wheel drive vehicles with towing packages. Pull over and allow the transmission to cool down or there is a risk of failure. There are still more symbols, below…
A picture symbol may also be used. It is a ‘bumpy ring’ with a thermometer symbol inside it. The ring is used to represent a transmission in a number of instances. It may be seen in red or yellow/amber. Again, pull over and allow the transmission to cool down or there is a risk of failure.
Do not confuse the third image with these symbols to the right. Click here or here, left to right, for more.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2010/11/transmission-oil-temperature-indicator/