Why So Many Dash Lights and What Do They Mean?

If you have ever watched the dashboard of a vintage car from the 50, 60s, or even 70s, upon starting, like your Kia, it will light up all the dash lights briefly to show they are working. You may see at most four or five warning lights in that brief moment. Whereas, on your Kia, may have up to 40 dash lights illuminate. Why are there so many now? And what do they all mean? Cowboy Kia has your answers.

The first reason for the abundance of dash lights in modern cars is complexity. Cars simply have far more things in them than they used to. Airbags, ABS, traction control, keyless entry, and countless other features built into your Kia which simply did not exist in those vintage cars. Another is, thanks to sensor technology, cars are simply smarter than they used to be and can inform you of more things about themselves such as tire pressure, unlatched doors, or washer fluid levels.

So, by the simple fact that your Kia has a great many things to keep track of and the ability to tell you about them, means that seeing a dash light may be a more common occurrence than in those vintage cars. What is important to realize, however, is that not all unexpected dash lights are dire warnings, and one of the first ways to determine your concern is by their color. Dash light color coding generally follows the example of a traffic light.

Red Warning Lights

Red lights indicate that something is wrong and should be taken care of at the earliest opportunity. They may be something important but easy to correct such as buckling your seatbelt (Figure 1) or fully closing a door (Figure 2).  Or they could indicate an acute mechanical issue such as engine temperature (Figure 3), a problem with your charging system (Figure 4), or steering (Figure 5).  In these instances, you will want to contact the Service Department Professionals here at Cowboy Kia for advice and a possible appointment.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Yellow Warning Lights

Yellow lights are to warn you of something but may not require immediate action, such as low washer fluid (Figure 6), or that the battery in your key is low (Figure 7). One light that shows a snowflake on a road (figure 8) has nothing to do with your car at all but is simply the vehicle’s sensors detecting that the conditions are ripe for icy roads. Probably the most concerning of this group is the Engine Check light (Figure 9). But it is important to keep in mind that this is a yellow light, not a red one.  It could indicate the first signs of something going wrong in one of the engine’s systems, or be as simple as the gas cap not being properly re-attached.  The best action for this light is to contact our Service Department, so we can plug in an on-board diagnostic indicator to see the nature of the issue the light is indicating.

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Green Information Lights

Green lights are generally an affirmation that something has been engaged. Turn signal lights, and cruise control are good examples. One of the more important of these lights is the Tail Light Indicator (Figure 10). With daytime running lights and gauge clusters that are lit both day and night, drivers can be fooled into thinking their lights are on when they are not. When it begins to get dark, you should look for this indicator light to make sure you are being properly seen by other drivers.

Figure 10

White Information Lights

White lights give you general information such as your selected gear, ambient temperature, or trip computer data.

Blue Lights

Blue lights are exclusive to high-beam indicators (Figure 11).

Figure 11

If you have a question about any light on your dash, your owner’s manual has an easy reference guide with information on each light. And again, should you want more information about any warning light that appears on your dash, you are encouraged to contact us, or our Cowboy Kia Service Department Professionals to schedule your diagnostic testing, ensuring your new Kia is operating smoothly.