Dashboard Lights - Quick Guide to What They Mean

Picture this, you are driving along a busy Dublin road or worse yet, The M50/M4/M7. Fear inducing alone during rush hour, but suddenly your dash makes a sound and a light glows on a symbol. Your heart drops, is the car going to konk out now, here? We are all used the the normal symbols glowing, indicators, high beam, fog lights ( well for the last 2 some people don't.....but we shall just 🤐) But fear now. Dashboard lights are simply your car’s way of communicating, a built in early warning system designed to keep you informed rather than give you a fright. Most of the time these little icons are nothing to worry about, and understanding what they mean can save you unnecessary stress on the morning commute. So, we give you a quick and handy guide to some dashboard symbols, what they mean and when to head to the garage.

Dashboard Light Colours and What They Mean

Modern cars use a standardised colour system across Ireland and the UK, making it easier to understand car dashboard symbols regardless of brand. Think of these colours like traffic lights and you will have a good starting point.

Red warning lights are the most serious. They indicate that you should stop as soon as it is safe to do so. Issues flagged in red often relate to critical systems such as the brake system, oil pressure, or engine temperature. Continuing to drive when a red light is glowing can lead to expensive damage or, more importantly, put your safety at risk.

Amber warning lights are a step down in urgency. They typically mean something needs attention soon, but you can usually continue your journey carefully and book a check at your earliest convenience. Common amber lights include the engine management light, tyre pressure warning, and the diesel particulate filter indicator on diesel cars.

Green and blue warning lights are information lights rather than warnings. They simply confirm that a system is switched on. Examples include your indicators, cruise control, fog lights, and full beam headlights. Seeing green or blue on the dashboard is generally reassuring rather than alarming. One important note: In Suzuki Cars you might get a light that comes on, Oil with a spanner over it. Everything is fine, DO NOT ADD OIL. Its simply a reminder to have your oil serviced and cleaned to make sure your car stays in optimum condition and the engine is well lubricated by clean oil.

Critical Alerts

Normally lights that come up on your dash that are red are lights that mean STOP. Do Not Drive. They are your cars way of telling you something is very wrong and you should seek immediate help and attention. 

One of the big ones we all know (& dread) is the Engine Malfunction (or the Check Engine) light. Enough to put the cold hand of dread deep in your chest and grab your heart!!!! 😱 Followed quickly by the brake light and the oil lights. But don't worry, we are here to try to take some of the fear away. If you are driving a new Suzuki not only are you covered by the 10 year warranty but you also have 3 years AA roadside assistance to call upon in your time of need. 

New Suzuki cars registered in Ireland from January 1, 2019, include 3 years of complimentary Suzuki Assistance (provided by the AA). This 24/7 service covers breakdowns and accidents in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It includes roadside repairs, towing to the nearest garage, home start, and help with punctures or lost keys. source: Suzuki.ie

So let's quickly look at some of the common lights that might appear on your dash. We have the most critical ones listed here first. And remember, if in doubt, check it out.

We know a lot of these say contact the garage and we know that always brings cost. But so many systems on modern cars are linked to a computer and you need a diagnostic machine hooked up to your car to correctly identify the malfunction. Couple this with the trained eye of our mechanics and they can quickly and safely identify and fix the issue. Never take chances with your car when it comes to critical warnings and system failures, not only can you risk major and costly damage to your car you are also taking a big risk with your safety, your passengers and other road users. Paying out for and issue to be fixed is short term compared to the cost of a new car or worse.

Amber Warning Lights - Caution

Amber warning lights usually allow you to continue driving carefully, but they are your car’s polite way of asking you to book a check soon. Ignoring them for too long can turn a minor issue into a costly repair. We have some of these listed as contact garage because a Suzuki Approved garage will be able to easily and properly fix the issue with your car in a way that does not void your 10 year warranty. 

Green and Blue Information Lights

Green and blue warning lights are the friendly members of the dashboard family. Rather than signalling a fault, they confirm that a feature is active. They are there just to let you know things are on, your are indicating etc.

Common examples include full beam headlights shown in blue, front fog lights and rear fog lights shown in green, indicators, cruise control, and ECO or hybrid driving modes. On Suzuki models like the Swift hybrid , you may also see indicators for EV mode or regenerative braking, which simply show the hybrid system doing its job.

One gentle reminder for driving around Dublin: remember to switch off your full beam and fog lights when they are not needed. Using rear fog lights in clear conditions or leaving high beams on in traffic can dazzle other drivers, especially on busy routes through Terenure or along the M50. In Ireland and the UK, rear fog lights should only be used when visibility drops below 100 metres. You don't want to be driving on a road that is well lit and blinding every driver coming towards you or in the case of fog lights blinding the driver behind you!

One thing we would always say, don't panic. Pull over safely if you need to, turn off the engine and call for help. Keep your car serviced at least once a year, check you oil level and your tyre PSI. Keep an eye on your tread depth and change tyres that are 3mm or less in tread depth (Remember the 2 Euro coin trick).

Our Service Dept is open Mon to Friday 9am to 5pm. We are always happy to help customers, old and new even if you didn't get your car from us or it's not a Suzuki. We service any model of car. You can call for advice and booking on 01 490 1134 and selecting 2 for Service. Daire and his team will make sure that any issues are fixed and get you back on the road.