Auto Headlamps
These are all 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. in fact, it often just seems like a game of where else can we drop the letter A! 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. They are displayed in yellow/amber/orange. The letter A, for Automatic, sits inside two of the headlamps and an exclamation point is added to the side in one. 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.
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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
These are Drivetrain, Shift or Powertrain trouble 
This version in black and white will be seen in the vehicle’s information display. It may indicate that the transmission is overheated or there is a park lock malfunction or a major transmission malfunction. Fortunately, a text description will be seen as well.
This version is also seen in black and white. It accommodates all of the shift positions with their first letter, D, P, R, etc. If all are seen together and is found to be blinking, there is an issue with the transmission the will need service as soon as possible.
While the exclamation point is a recurring motif in automotive instrument panel symbols, the wrench is a bit more rare. Neither is it very informative unless, a) the driver is already familiar with it or, b) the driver stops and reads the owners manual. It often indicates a transmission problem, particularly if seen in 
Do not confuse the first image with the Settings Indicator symbol on the left. 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 
These are two versions of the TPMS light, and either one is easily the most misunderstood warning light you’ll find on your instrument panel. And the fact that its shaped like a horseshoe doesn’t help.
But the warning light does not discriminate between cooling air and actual air leaks. It comes on if one tire is low or all four is low, so more information is needed. Your model may or may not include a display option like the one shown. It is a read out of the tire pressure in the individual tires. If all four tires read roughly the same, within a pound or two, the warning light is the result of seasonal cooling.
If you are comfortable with checking your tire pressures and adding air, by all means do so. But you will first need to know the required tire pressure. Look for a label just below where the driver’s door latches. The required pressures will be shown. They will match left to right but will likely be a little different front to rear. Set the pressure on the pump and trust it. It will stop pumping once the proper pressure is reached. You may also find yourself using a pump with a built in gauge. Trust it as well and be sure to add your spare tire to the routine.
These are E-Boost System or PowerShot System Indicator 
This is a Recording Dashboard Indicator 
These are Proactive Driving Assist Dashboard Indicators
And The Dashboard Symbols Saga Continues
A Manufacturer Update Adds Yet More Symbols
In an earlier post, the Dashboard Symbols Saga, some weeks ago, we noted that we now host 986 warning lights and indicators. Nine hundred and eighty six! Well, we updated our Buick page, and added yet another five new symbols, bringing the total to 991 (now over 1000!). And those additions serve to point out just how out of control the entire warning light system has become.
The new entries are an Auto Start symbol, a Driver Attention symbol, a Super Cruise symbol, a Snow Mode symbol and a Sport Mode symbol. In each case, the industry already had perfectly usable pre-existing symbols, but Buick opted to use new ones anyway!
Were These Necessary?
We find the entire experience to an insult to drivers everywhere. Assuming the system remains in place, then it should be said that any new system developed and introduced in automobiles must have its own symbol. These symbols are meant first and foremost to easily identifiable to the average driver. And while it can easily be called into questioned that this first principle is actually achieved, if each system ends up being represented by a dozen or more symbol versions, it is highly unlikely that any one driver anywhere will ever be able to determine a symbol’s meaning without looking it up.
——————————————————————-
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