All Wheel Drive
These are the All Wheel Drive (AWD) Trouble Indicator symbols. These lights will be on when All-Wheel Drive is disengaged and the drive mechanism is switched to Front Wheel Drive for maintenance or if there is a problem with the system. The car can be safely operated in front wheel drive. With the exception of the red symbol below, all these symbols appear as yellow/amber.
- Before continuing, is one of these truly your symbol?? If yes, continue on below.
- Otherwise you can return to our main Text Symbols page and scan again!
Of course, if the vehicle is electric (EV), it gets its own indicators. The only reason to do this is that the All-Wheel Drive system is actually electric. In yellow/amber/orange, the electric AWD system is limited, and will turn off when the system is working normally.. In red, there is a malfunction. A good repair shop or your dealer will be needed.
The symbol to the left also includes a stick figure image meant to look like four wheels with the front wheels turned to the right. All these lights incorporate the AWD acronym and may include an exclamation point. Malfunctions may be indicated by the system before a real problem is obvious, but don’t waste time. Have the system checked out as soon as possible.
These symbols will flash if the vehicle is fitted with tires of differing diameters or if the air pressure in any of the tire drops dramatically. 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.
Some older vehicles use this red FWD light to indicate a problem with an All Wheel Drive system. FWD stands for Front Wheel Drive, and in this context means that the AWD has been disengaged automatically due to the problem. Only the front wheels will be available until the AWD system is repaired.
Related Symbols
The picture symbols shown to the right are very much related. Click here 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
These are All-wheel Drive (AWD) Disabled Indicator 
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.