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63 car dashboard symbols and what they mean.

Guest Contributor January 01, 2019
Dashboard symbols.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, there’s no guessing what the unexpected appearance of a dashboard symbol is worth to drivers. Let’s admit, we have all been in that situation where we start the car or worse, are on the road, and the dashboard lights up with some obscure symbol we think we know but can’t quite figure out.

Here are 63 dashboard symbols and their meanings to help you make safe driving choices. Use our Dashboard Symbol Guide to help you to decide whether to continue driving or to pull over and request roadside assistance.

Remember, not all symbols are universal. If you are unsure, it’s best to refer to your owner’s manual or contact your dealer.
Need Roadside Assistance? Call 1-800-222-4357 Dashboard Symbols. Your vehicle is speaking. Are you listening? A vehicle’s dashboard helps drivers to remain safe on the road by letting them know something needs attention. Our Dashboard Symbol Guide will help you to recognize common, safety and warning indicators. Not all symbols are universal. If you are unsure, please refer to your owner’s manual or contact your dealer. Warning Symbols. Red indicates a potential problem, failure or safety issue that should be checked by a professional. Drive with care: Battery warning symbol with batter minus and plus, Temperature warning symbol with thermometer placed in water, Oil pressure low with oil can, Break warning with exclamation mark, Break warning. Safety Symbols. These symbols might appear as different colours but they should be looked at when it is safe: Seat belt not on symbol, Airbag deactivated symbol, Airbag warning symbol, Automatic gearbox warning symbol with an exclamation mark, Trailer tow hitch warning symbol with a lock, Pressed clutch symbol with a shoe, Service required symbol with a wrench and car, Parking break light symbol with a capital letter P, Engine/emission warning symbol, Catalytic converter warning symbol with a rectangle and three lines on top, Tire pressure low symbol with side profile of tire with an exclamation mark in the middle, Break pad warning symbol with a circle and six lines surrounding the outer edge of the circle, Power steering warning light symbol with a steering wheel and exclamation mark, ABS warning symbol with a circle and ABS written in the middle, Breaklight warning symbol with an x over a light bulb, Distance warning symbol with a car inside a triangle, Air suspension warning symbol of a car with an arrow pointing up and down, Fuel filter warning symbol with a water drip, Frost warning symbol of a road with a snowflake, Suspension dampers symbol, Stability control off symbol of a car tilted to the right and tire tread marks, Steering lock warning symbol with a steering wheel and key. Common Symbols. Hood open symbol with car hood lifted up, Trunk open symbol with trunk door lifted, Door open symbol with all four car doors open, Key not in vehicle symbol with key and question mark on top, Low fuel symbol of gas pump, Washer fluid low symbol with car window and water jetting out, Service reminder symbol with a wrench, Rear window defrost symbol with a rectangulalr window and three arrow, Information indicator with a square and a lowercase letter i in the middle. Lighting Indicators and Symbols. Fog light front symbol with light bulb and waves in the front, Fog light  back symbol with light bulb and waves at the back, Headlight range control symbol with light bulb and two arrows around three lines, High beam headlights symbol with light bulb and five horizontal lines in front, Dipped beam headlights symbol of light bulb and five horizontal lines dipped downwards in the front, Exterior light fault symbol of light bulb with and exclamation mark, Sidelight information symbol with a light bulb, Dipped beam headlights symbol of a lightbulb with an arrow pointing upwards and three horizontal lines dipped downwards in front, Rain and light sensor symbol, Direction indicator with arrow pointed left and right. Advanced Feature Symbols and Indicators. Speed limiter symbol of a speed gauge with an arrow pointed down on the left and a circle on the right, Cruise control symbol of a speed gauge with an arrow on the left, Parking assist symbol with a capital P and a traffic cone, Winter mode symbol of a snowflake, Hill descent control symbol with a car on and angled road, Ignition switch warning symbol with a key and a keyhole on top, Lane departure warning symbol of an empty road, Eco driving indicator with the word ECO, Rain sensor symbol with a windshied, wiper and water drop, Key fob batter low symbol of key with three curved lines on top, Auto windscreen wiping symbol of windshield with wiper and words AUTO on the top, Rear spoiler warning symbol showing the back of the car spoiler and two arrows pointing up and down around the spoiler. Diesel-powered Vehicle Symbols. Glow plug/diesel pre-heat warning symbol of two loops, Diesel particulate filter warning symbol of a rectangle with dots inside, Water in fuel filter symbol of a gas pump with three water drops on the right. For roadside service, call 1-800-222-4357. CAA – Making bad days good. And good days better®.  © 2016 CAA Club Group. All rights reserved. Serving Members in Southern and Central Ontario and Manitoba. ®/™ CAA trademarks are owned by, and use is authorized by, the Canadian Automobile Association. Making bad days good. And good days better. is a registered trademark of CAA Club Group.

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The CAA Auto Advice team provides Members with free automotive advice. If you have questions about car care, buying a new or used vehicle, auto repairs, vehicle inspection, driving costs and more, contact us by phone at: 1-866-464-6448 or email: autoadvice@caasco.ca