Door Malfunction
This is a Driver’s Door Malfunction Indicator symbol. It is seen as the outline of a car with an open padlock seemingly embedded in the vehicle’s roof. The symbol may be seen in red or yellow/amber.
- Before continuing, are you sure this is your symbol?? If yes, then read on below.
- Otherwise, you can return to our main Picture Symbols page and scan again!
This is likely a lock and latch malfunction that could result in the door swinging open while driving. Have a qualified technician or your dealer repair the problem as soon as possible.
If it is seen in red, the manufacturer recommends parking the vehicle and having it towed to the dealer.
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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Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow.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
This is the MDM Mode Indicator (M Dynamic Mode) text 
M Dynamic Mode is activated by pressing the stability control off button. This results in the illumination of both the MDM and the stability control OFF symbols. The use of MDM actually shuts off the stability control system. According to BMW, stability control will only be activated when the absolute limit of stability is reached. This is pretty much impossible to define.
This is a Fuel Shut Off Indicator 
This version, with the added exclamation point, is a Fuel Shut Off Fault Indicator. It 
Do not confuse this symbol with either of these two. 
This is a Dusk Sensor or Automatic Headlight Malfunction Indicator 
These symbols to the left are generally reserved as headlight out indicators, whether in 
Don’t confuse the first symbol with this one to the right. 
This is the Key Out Indicator symbol. This light will blink if there is an attempt to start push button or keyless start vehicle when the key fob is not present. A chime may be heard as well. Most manufacturers use picture symbols for this purpose, like the one shown below.
You can find additional information on the subject and more symbols used by 
These are the Recuperative or Regenerative Brake System (
The two additional version to the left are Regenerative Braking Icon Indicator 
These also appear as household batteries, but as Max Regeneration indicators, they are meant to indicate that maximum regeneration capability has been engaged and operating. They will be accompanied by the following instrument cluster messages: Max Regeneration On when the feature is turned on, Max Regeneration Off when the feature is turned off, and Max Regeneration Unavailable when the feature is requested, disabled.
These indicators come from another manufacturer, Kia, which uses arrows and the colors 
This is a Regeneration Boost Indicator 
Similarly, Honda Motors Corp. offers the option the increase or decrease the rate of regeneration using a paddle on the steering wheel stalk. The result is the symbol to the left, a Deceleration Paddle Selector Indicator. Using the deceleration paddle selector, the driver can you sequentially shift through six stages of deceleration. The more larger V shapes are seen, the more deceleration is chosen. The M indicates that the choice has been locked in, suggesting the letter should be an L!
The symbols to the right are also used as Regenerative Brake System Indicators.
More Electronics Makes for More Useless Symbols
More Useless Symbols
We want to dive a little deeper into what is one of our main concerns here at DashboardSymbols.com, and that is the continued proliferation of symbols appearing on instrument panels in vehicles from across the industry. And specifically with those associated with electronic systems.
We now host nearly 350 image and text symbols on the website, and estimate, rather conservatively, that 25% of them are directly connected to electronically controlled systems.
Narrowing this down, we are ignoring the 15 odd symbols we have that belong exclusively to electric and hybrid cars. We’re also staying away from a dozen or so indicators related to lighting systems. Most of this last group have been around for a while.
The warning light system got its start in an era when cars were essentially mechanical devices, and three systems required monitoring. By the driver! Oil or oil pressure, temperature and battery. These all had gauges, gauges that have now pretty much disappeared.
Lights Ignored
Now all of us are guilty of getting comfortable behind the wheel and ignoring the dashboard or more properly the instrument panel, and so, warning, or in the ultimate act of disrespect, idiot lights were developed to get a driver’s attention.
At that time, if a light came on, there was a plan of action — add some oil to the crankcase, add some water or antifreeze to the radiator, even add some water to the battery.
There’s lots more of these that frankly have no user friendly solutions, just repair shop solutions. And we’ve come to believe that the warning light system has become essentially outdated and useless. And imagine the distraction these lights can cause in an era where driving distraction is all the rage. This, somehow, has slipped through the cracks.
We’ve advocated for years that vehicles to be given the capability to talk to their drivers and we’ll do it again now. In fact, our Talking Dashboards YouTube series is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the idea. There is simply no reason why a vehicle cannot talk a driver though one of these problems, right down to the problem code, if that’s what the driver requests. Being told whether or not the car is drivable and for how long at minimum would be extremely useful.
The computing power exists. Most new cars can be asked to find the nearest restaurant and take a vehicle straight to it or even schedule a service. From where we stand, a new vehicle can damn sure also provide useful information on a fault it has encountered in itself.
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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