It can be hard to know what everything on your dashboard means – we get it! These things can be especially hard to figure out when you’re driving and a light turns on unexpectedly. Thankfully, we’ve put together this guide to your dashboard to offer you some guidance on what everything means so that you don’t panic if a light turns on.

First of all, we all know about the master warning light, which looks like an exclamation point inside of a triangle. This can mean many things, from your car coming due for its routine oil change to something needing to be looked at under the hood. You should bring your vehicle to us here at Younger Nissan to have us look at it if you’ve gotten your oil changed recently and think the light could be on for a repair-related reason.

If the brake warning light comes on (this light has the word “BRAKE” in it, so it’s hard to miss) then definitely bring your car to us – but first, check to make sure you’ve disengaged your emergency brake first! This is the most common culprit of having this particular light come on. If your emergency brake is off but the light isn’t, then your vehicle might be low on brake fluid, or there’s a more serious problem. No matter what, bring your car in!

The tire pressure light is another important one. If you see this light, your tires are low on air and just need to be reinflated. If this light keeps coming on even if you re-inflate your tires regularly, you should bring your vehicle in to be looked at – this could mean you need tire service to repair a leak or tire replacement.

ABS – the Anti-lock Braking System – has a light all its own in some Nissan models. The light will flash when you start your engine, but if it stays on you should get your braking system looked at. This could indicate a problem with the system that means you’ll have less control when braking – never a good thing.

The PS light, which stands for Power Steering, should never be on when you are driving. If it is, this means you need to have your power steering checked ASAP at your dealership.

There are many other lights that indicate whether your headlights or high beams are on, whether or not you are using your turn signals, and if your passenger airbag is engaged. You might not think so, but it’s important to look at these lights when you are driving – you don’t want to accidentally have your high beams on when you are driving in traffic, and you don’t want to leave your turn signal on when not turning or changing lanes.

If you have questions about what any of these lights mean, or if any of them are on that shouldn’t be, bring your vehicle into Younger Nissan of Frederick to have us take a peek. It’s one of the best things you can do for your car and yourself!