Know Your Warning Lights

Few things can be as unnerving that seeing one of your warning lights pop on while you are driving. But a little information can go a long way. Here are some of the most common warning lights you might see while driving your Subaru, and what you should do in the event that one of them turns on. Keep an eye on your warning lights, and stay safe.

Check Engine: This is one of the most mysterious lights, because it covers so much, including minor incidents like when your gas cap is too loose. Typically it means that a problem with the emission control system has been detected. If the light comes on solid, it means that you can still drive for a period of time, but if it is flashing, you should carefully stop your vehicle as soon as possible and have it towed to the nearest Subaru dealership.

Charge Warning: Your charging system is malfunctioning. Stop your vehicle and have it checked immediately and repaired as needed.

Oil Pressure Warning: Your oil level or oil pressure is low. Stop your vehicle as soon as possible, turn off the engine, and have your Subaru towed to the nearest dealership.

Engine Low Oil Level Warning: The oil level in the engine has lowered below the lower acceptable limit. Park your Subaru on a level surface, check the oil after five minutes, and refill if needed.

Automatic Transmission Oil Temperature Warning: If this light starts to flash while you are driving, there may be an issue with the control system; stop your vehicle and have it towed to a nearby Subaru dealership. If it starts it lights up while driving, avoid stop-and-go traffic and steep inclines since the automatic transmission fluid might be too hot, causing the warning.

ABS Warning: Your ABS system is not working properly. Have it addressed and repaired as soon as possible, though the regular braking system will still be available and working properly.

Brake System Warning: This might mean one of three things: 1) The parking brake is in use. 2) The brake system might not be functioning correctly. 3) The level of brake fluid is low; assuming the parking brake is not currently in use, causing the warning to come on, have your vehicle towed to a nearby Subaru dealership.

Seatbelt Icon: One of the passengers does not have their seatbelt fastened. The dashboard might also beep once the car in on the road should the driver’s seatbelt be unfastened.

Passenger-Side Airbag Icon: An X will appear across the icon of the passenger-side airbag if there is not enough weight in the seat to activate the passenger airbag. This means the airbag will not engage in the event of a frontal collision.

SRS Airbag System Warning: When the icon lights up in red, it means that either the airbags or the seatbelt pre-tensioners are not properly functioning. Have them checked immediately.