Buckhannon Toyota: Common Car Warning Lights

Oct 12, 2015

Your vehicle is an incredibly complex contraption that functions using a number of liquids, circuits, and moving parts. Pinpointing problems for auto repair can be difficult – even for a professional mechanic. Fortunately, your car is equipped to help find many problems that arise through its system of warning lights. Here are some of the lights most likely to come on and the types of problems they indicate:

Check Engine Light: The Check Engine light is the most infamous warning light in your vehicle. Sometimes, it lights up all the time with no apparent problem! The Check Engine Light doesn’t indicate impending engine failure, but it does detect many types of problems with your car’s system. Sometimes, it can be as simple as a loose gas cap. Other times, it could be a system leak that can critically damage the rest of your car. However, it can be too difficult to tell what’s really wrong, which is why you should bring your vehicle in for our certified service professionals to perform a professional diagnostic and engine service.

Oil Pressure Light: Most people mistake this light as an oil change light – which is not necessarily the case. The oil pressure light comes on when there isn’t enough oil in the system. This has two main causes: either there is a leak in your oil pan, or too much oil has been burned away from standard use. If it’s the latter, you definitely need an oil change. But if it’s a leak, you need to have the leak repaired by a mechanic before your engine seizes up or otherwise damages itself from a lack of oil.

Engine Temperature Gauge: This may not be a light, but it is another warning system in your vehicle – perhaps the most important one of all! Excess heat can cause drastic and permanent damage to the parts in your car. If this gauge exceeds the halfway mark, you should pull over immediately! Several things can cause your engine to overheat, and a lack of coolant is usually the cause, but you shouldn’t add more coolant right away. Whatever coolant is left in the system is extremely hot and volatile; and if you open the radiator before the engine has cooled, coolant may spew out and burn you. In addition, never try to cool your engine by dousing it with water! Rapid cooling of your engine can warp parts of the engine and also create a dangerous amount of steam. Leave it to the pros!

To get a full understanding of all your vehicle’s warning lights, you should consult your owner’s manual. And, if any of your lights do turn on, you can schedule an appointment online with our service department for a quick repair.

Shop online at Buckhannon Toyota or come in today for a great deal on a new Toyota!

Call 800-439-7253, and speak to our friendly staff today! Learn about our latest Toyota Specials, set up an informative test drive, get details on any vehicle, schedule a service appointment, discuss your trade-in or even talk financing on your next car. We are here to help you.

Buckhannon Toyota is your local Toyota dealer located in Buckhannon, WV. Your satisfaction is our goal!

Still deciding on which Toyota you’d like to be driving? Searching for OEM factory rebates? Are you comparing lease programs or internet specials? Maybe you simply want our best price on a new or used car? For all of this and more, look no further than Buckhannon Toyota. Our team is made up of professional associates that offer you a no-pressure environment and operate with the quality you’d expect. We look forward to helping you with your next new or used car purchase.

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