5 Essential Things to Know About Your Car’s Dashboard

The dashboard in your car is the control panel of your vehicle. It provides you with all the information you need to know, as well as houses the instruments and controls for operating the vehicle properly. The dashboard provides many different features to provide you with warnings and information that you need to take note of while going down the road.

Steering Wheel

The biggest part of your dashboard is the steering wheel. The steering wheel allows you to turn the vehicle left and right, or keep it in a straight line. It is an essential part of the dashboard.

Check Engine Light

The Check Engine Light is one of the most common warning lights in the dashboard. It does not tell you exactly what is wrong with the car, just that you should take it into a mechanic right away to have it looked at. The mechanic can use a diagnostic tool to find out what is causing the Check Engine Light to come on.

Brake Light

The Brake Light comes on when your car detects low pressure, the emergency brake is on, or there are other issues in your brake lines. If your emergency brake is not on and your Brake Light is on, it is important to have your vehicle looked at right away as this is a serious problem.

Oil Pressure Light

The Oil Pressure Light is another serious light that may come on while you are driving. If it does appear, it could mean a major system failure. If the light comes on right after you start your car, turn it off, and then turn it back on. If the oil light is still on, you need to get your vehicle looked at as soon as possible.

Tire Pressure Light

The Tire Pressure Light will alert you to let you know that your tires may be under-inflated, or they need air. It does not tell you which tire so you will have to go to the gas station and test all the tires until you find one that needs to be filled.

The dashboard is the control panel of your vehicle, so it is important to pay attention to any lights that come on once your turn the vehicle on or while you are driving. YourMechanic offers services that can help determine the cause of the lights coming on and remedy the situation so you have a safe vehicle to drive.


The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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