Red means STOP!

Here you are, driving down the highway and a light comes on your instrument panel! I think we all know that the lights come on when you start your car, but what the heck do you do when they pop on for no reason? Well, there is a reason and you need to know what it is.

One rule of thumb is to treat the engine light like a traffic light. We all know that Red means STOP!

The red light could be over heating, low oil pressure, low battery voltage or brake failure. Don’t play around with the red lights, it could be dangerous for you and permanent engine damage could occur. Red means immediate danger. Pull over, turn your car off and call for help

A yellow warning light (most of the time is a Service engine soon) light means, “proceed with caution”. The yellow light comes on to let you know that there is a potential problem. Some things that might cause the yellow light to come on would be a problem with the anti-lock brake system, air bag issue, emissions, or a faulty sensor. Ask yourself some questions when the yellow light comes on: Was their any problems starting the car, or a decrease in fuel mileage? What about any odors? Do you hear any noises?

Make sure that you document the exact area of the light and wording of the lights since you will need to tell your dealership or service department or mechanic. Check your service manual or warranty information as well.

Make sure to note the exact location and wording of the light that has been coming on, because Murphy's Law dictates that the light will suddenly not come on when you take it in to the repair shop.

When taking your car in or talking with your mechanic, make sure to communicate clearly and be specific as possible. You would hate to be on vacation with the whole family and have one of these lights come on. Nine times out of ten we will forget which are the light was on by the time we get help.

Save yourself the headache and financial headache and have your car serviced often and document things that are not running correctly. You will not regret it.