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All Picture-style Symbols Explained
All Picture-style Symbols ExplainedEvery day thousands of drivers face new, unfamiliar warning lights on their dashboard. We can help, right here on these pages! Learn what’s happened to your car before heading to the service center. A little knowledge could save you lots of money!
- If you have landed on this page, note know that the BEST way to search this site is by Manufacturer here!
So, what is that light on your dashboard? What follows is easily the most complete list available of symbols and warnings that may appear in and on your car’s dashboard or instrument cluster.
Search Carefully!
There are over one thousand symbols on this page and those linked below, from Picture (image-style) Symbols (on this page) to Text Symbols on the separate pages linked below. Scroll carefully until you find a match for your symbol.
The indicators are ordered primarily by color and roughly by importance. First up are red, followed by yellow/amber/orange (depending on what the color looks like to you!), then blue and green symbols and finally black and white and gray scale symbols.
But please know that the searching by manufacturer is by far the smartest way, linked next. There are also two tables dedicated to diesel vehicles and another for electric vehicles (EVs).
Using this Site
- Search by Manufacturer here, in alphabetical order.
- If your warning light is filled with Words or Acronyms, click here. They are in alphabetical order.
Some Basics
Don’t panic! Despite seeing a new tell-tale or warning light on your instrument panel, unless it is red it is likely the car is still running fine and while there may be a problem to attend to, proceed with confidence and patience.
Color is King! Here is what the different colors mean. Red indicates a potentially serious problem or safety issue. Attend to it! Red may also indicate an important reminder. Yellow/amber/orange mean something needs to be serviced or repaired soon. Any light that is flashing makes it important that you contact your dealer or trusted repair shop. Green or blue is only telling you that a system is on or operating. Gray scale symbols are found in message centers generally with added text information.
- Have a description in your mind? Try our search function at the top of the page. It could save looking over a lot of entries.
- Do you see more than one light? Check out our Multiple Lights and Indicators page first.
- Again, does your light have text in it? Then go right to our Text Symbols pages, where they are shown in alphabetical order over 3 pages. Alpha order makes for easy searching!
We start with the most serious of the symbols and move in a rough descending order of importance. This is somewhat subjective, particularly if you are seeing something you don’t recognize!
We have looked at cars built by well over 40 of the world’s largest manufacturers from roughly 2005. They are listed below, but if you don’t see a warning light that looks exactly like yours, rest assured that there is enough overlap that you will find what you are looking for here. Find one that looks similar, and you’re likely on the right track.
So, if you are wondering what those lights on the dashboard mean, you’ve come to the right place.
Red Warning Indicators and Symbols
The color red represent the most serious of warnings in most cases . Unfortunately, there are a few instances where it is somewhat trivialized, but always start by taking any red indicator as a serious issue that must be addressed. We’ve gathered all the red indicators used by all the various vehicle systems. Please look below carefully.
Yellow/amber/orange Indicators and Symbols
If a Warning Light is seem in yellow, amber or orange, the color itself is a warning. Whatever system is indicated will need to be attended to soon. We’ve gathered all these indicators used by all the various vehicle systems. There are lots of possibilities here – well over 200 – so search carefully.
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Green and Blue indicators and Symbols
If the picture symbol on your instrument panel is either blue or green, this is the place to start. We’ve gathered all these indicators used by all the various vehicle systems. The two colors are used primarily to indicate that a system is active and functioning as it should.
White and Gray Scale Indicators and Symbols
Since the advent of message centers in instrument panels, most manufacturers use the space for trouble and accessory indicators as well as various text messages for drivers. In black and white and gray scale, these indicators are useful to show systems on standby or as active with nothing to report. They are shown here.
Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Indicators
A whole new series of symbols have been created just for the new generation of electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. For the most part, they tell a driver when a particular system is operating and/or in what mode. Remember that a flashing light likely indicates a problem that your dealer or authorized repair shop should address.
Diesel-powered Vehicle Symbols
The following are symbols used only in diesel powered vehicles. They vary somewhat by manufacturer but all generally refer to starting and fuel quality and filtration.
Information Displays and Message Centers
In what is a very, very useful trend, vehicle manufacturers are using more and more information displays to inform drivers of what features are in use, how they are operating, and what maintenance, if any, may be needed. What are shown are examples only. There are simply too many possibilities and iterations.
Note that if you are seeing something new on your instrument panel that appears to be informational only, check to see that a ‘display’ button has not been hit accidentally and thus changing what you are typically used to seeing.
 | Information Display Example, much more here |
We looked at cars built by well over 40 of the world’s largest manufacturers from roughly the year 2005. They are listed here, but if you don’t see a warning light that looks exactly like yours, rest assured that there is enough overlap that you will find what you are looking for here. Find one that looks similar, and you’re likely on the right track.
So, if you are wondering what those lights on the dashboard mean, you’ve come to the right place.
Vehicles examined include those from Acura, Alpha Romeo, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Fisker, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes, Mercury, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Rivian, Saab, Saturn, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki, Tesla, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, and Volvo.
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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.
