Auto Headlamps
These are the Automatic Headlight Dimmer indicator symbols. The system is also known as the High Beam Assistant. Shown in the traditional blue of the high beam indicator or in green, the symbols indicates that the high beams are on and that the system will automatically (AUTO or A) switch between the low and high headlight beams on the automobile depending on whether or not sensors detect oncoming vehicle head lights in the distance.
- But first, is one of these truly your symbol?? If yes, continue below.
- Otherwise return to our main Picture Symbols page and scan again!
The letter A may or may not be seen inside the drawing representing a lamp. The lines pointing out represent light. And believe it or not, similar systems have been available in some form on high-end vehicles since the 1950s!
More Versions
One manufacturer has chosen to combine the auto high beam indicator with the park light indicator. With the auto high beam system on, the symbol is seen in blue and green. With the high beam system off, the light is shown in white. The park lights are on in either instance.
This version, in gray scale or black and white, indicates that the high beams have been turned off because a light has been detected in front of the vehicle. The high beams will reactivate when the light is no longer detected. The starker black and white indicates the system is on and working.
Frustratingly, this version, also in black and white, means exactly the opposite — it means that the automated system is on and ready for use! This means that you’ll need to consult your car’s manual to be sure what the light actually means.
These versions are Automatic Headlamp Dimmer Malfunction indicator symbols. It is displayed in yellow/amber/orange. The letter A, for Automatic, sits inside one of the headlamp and an exclamation point is added to the side. The other has the word AUTO inside and the color alone is used to indicate a problem. The headlights themselves will continue to function in high or low beam, but they will need to be cycled manually.
Finally, there is this one from Audi which for some reason they use as an Automatic Wiper Fault Indicator as well. This looks like a hat or a lid open on one side with beams coming out of it to an oval shape in yellow/amber.
All these indicators use the shape of an old style headlamp with lines pointing outward, which are meant to be beams of light. There are others that use these elements, such as those to the right, so don’t confuse them. Click here to learn more.
——————————————————————-
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
These are Active or Advanced Cruise Control (ACC) Indicator 
More variations of the symbol shows a car seemingly being followed by a double arrow, the back one of which is open. It may also appear as simply lane lines around broken lines or broken lines alone. It will show in 
These additional indicators may or may not appear to have lines radiating like heat waves from the roof. They are meant intended to imply a forward looking radar. The system is active if this indicator is shown. The color is up to the manufacturer, so do check your manual. If it is seen in white, it generally means that the system is on but a speed has not been chosen.
Another variation has the first image above adding a vehicle in front indicating a vehicle has been detected ahead. The images above may simply go from 
In the case of these images, also in green, the vehicle is seen “open” in the first image. That is, the color is not filled in, indicating that there is no vehicle ahead. In the second, the vehicle is colored in, indicating a vehicle is in fact ahead. The third image adds a distance control feature. The number of lines indicates the distance that will be maintained. The more lines, the greater the distance.
This indicator version attempts to show just the top of a speedometer with an arrow indicating where the speed is set. It doesn’t appear to offer any additional information, useful or otherwise. It appears in gray scale in the vehicle’s information display.
Variously called Radar Controlled, Adaptive Cruise Control (
More advanced systems have the added capability of adjusting a vehicle’s speed to account for an approaching curve in the road. The symbols shown are variations that may appear on the instrument panel indicating that the speed is being adjusted, likely down.
The symbols on the far left add the exclamation point to the car and speedometer and is in amber. They indicate a problem with the Smart or Active Cruise Control system that your dealer will need to resolve. 
These symbols are meant to indicate that the system’s radar or camera is blocked. To the left is one showing an arrow pointing the front of the vehicle (or a rectangle or box with two lines in it!) and to the right is one with the familiar exclamation point next to a car with lines in front of it (or behind it). The same is true of the gray scale image on the right as it would appear in a message area on the instrument panel.
Cruise Control Indicator 
These symbol variations, which adds the exclamation point and is in 
There are also a number of Text versions, that can be seen by following this link, including the combined text (Cruise) and image symbol seen here.
This the Cruise Control Indicator 
Alternatively, some manufacturers use the Text Symbol to the left, Cruise Main, to indicate that the cruise control system is turned on. Once a speed is set, it reverts to the Text Symbol to the right, Cruise Control.
Alternate
These are a Set Indicator symbol and a Set Speed symbol. Some manufacturers use Set to indicate that a speed has been chosen. The second and third will include the chosen speed, while the first may be used to indicate a system problem. It will blink if that is the case.
These are Fuel, Low Fuel and Fuel Sensor Indicator 
This symbol is a Fuel Sensor Fault Indicator. It indicates a failure of the sensor and that the level shown on the fuel gauge cannot be relied upon. It is identical to the fuel indicator, except that an exclamation point is added to one side.
This final version adds the letter and number H2 below the image of the pump. H2 stands for hydrogen and the symbol will be seen only in vehicles powered by the gas, and only when the fuel level drops.
Do not confuse this symbol with the one on the right. 
This is a Park or Tail Lamps On Indicator symbol. The latter is used in Canada. This 
This symbol is a Tail or Stop Light Out Indicator 
These two versions are a Stop Light or Brake Lamp Out Indicator. They specifically point to a burned out brake light bulb. Again, the eyelashes pointing back are part of the equation, and the words STOP or BRAKE are there for obvious reasons. There may be a further message in the instrument panel noting the exact bulb. Again, have the light bulb replaced.
Also, don’t confuse the stop or tail light indicators with these symbols. Click