What do you know about the lights on your dashboard?

Dashboard Traffic light Colouring

 I have been writing my blogs from an observational point of view as a woman who works on the customer side within a garage. I am not a technician but I do listen to what comes in and out of the office and have learnt a lot during my time here!

I want to try to pass on some information about cars in a non – technical but simple and informative way as I am sure that there are many people who  like me over the years,  have very little understanding about anything to do with cars and if you are anything like me, might glaze over when ‘technical’ terms are used.

So, following on from that, my latest observation relates to the warning lights that may appear on your dashboard from time to time?

Are you aware that all the lights are colour coded to a ‘traffic light’ system? I certainly wasn’t! If I am honest I would only really have taken notice if a light had come on whilst driving and I did not know that the lights could be coloured differently!

I asked many of my friends  if they knew about the lights on the dashboard as I did not want to write a blog and insult a reader’s intelligence! My responses showed me that it is more likely to be ladies who did not know but not all men knew either.

We all see lights on the dashboard on  a daily basis that we are probably aware of, but choose to ignore as they mostly disappear once the engine is turned on. It is only when a light comes on unexpectedly whilst we are driving that we may take notice.

I wonder how many drivers really register the colour of a light when it comes on or if they are aware that it may be coloured either amber or red if there is an issue, but ‘Green’ for headlights being on  and functioning normally for example.

Just to expand further:

Oil pressure warning light

This light should come on when you turn the ignition on, and usually goes out again once the engine is started.

 If the light does not go out when the engine is running and is coloured ‘Amber’ then you need to stop driving and check the oil level of the engine. Top up if required.

If the warning light stays on and is coloured ‘Red’ even after putting oil in, then you must not drive the car any further as it could cause catastrophic damage to the engine of your vehicle. Call for help and get the vehicle recovered to a garage.

Battery charge warning light

When you start the engine, the battery charge light should always come on and then go off to indicate that the battery is functioning normally.

If the light does not come on at all, or if it comes on whilst you are driving, it will be coloured ‘Red’ and means that your battery is not charging properly. Once again you should stop driving immediately as there could be a number of reasons as to why the light has come on; either the battery has failed or the drive belt has broken, which stops the Alternator working (The Alternator is what charges the battery)

If you are in any doubt as to why the light may be on then my advice would be not to try to restart the engine as potentially you could cause even more damage. In this instance call for a recovery service and get to a garage – preferably ours!

Brake system warning light

 This light will be on and coloured ‘Red’ when the handbrake is in use, but if it comes on once the handbrake is off, it could mean that your vehicle is low on brake fluid.

If this is the case, then you would need to ensure that you add the correct amount of brake fluid, filling it to the Maximum level but do call us if you are in doubt! Brake fluid levels do drop as the car is driven and there are specific intervals for each make and model where a Brake Fluid change is required.

Check your brake fluid level frequently to ensure there is no further rapid loss of fluid.

If the brake warning light stays on even if you have topped up the brake fluid, then we highly recommend that you have the car looked at as the brakes are obviously vital to our safety on the roads!

Puncture!

If the tyre light comes on ‘Red’ whilst you are driving, then it would indicate that the tyre has lost air pressure and it is likely that you would have a puncture. Once again you need to stop and either change the tyre or use a product called ‘Tyre Weld’ to help you get to a garage. If you have run flats you will be able to drive to a garage.

For any more information please call Lakeside Garage on 01784 482158

or have a look at our website  http://www.lakesidegarageservices.co.uk/

I hope this is helpful to some people and apologies to others who already know!

We have a poet within the Lakeside Team!

This is a post to offer something light hearted to all our customers which has been provide by our multi-talented new Service Advisor Ashley. He has created a little poem about Lakeside Garage.  A man of many talents!

Here it is:

For all those vehicles we love to hate,

Trouble caused when engines break,

Bright warning signs with nothing amiss,

Remember when motoring was easier than this;

Fully trained and equipped for the future,

Top technicians armed with computers,

Who will take the most pride in your carriage,

Come visit us here at Lakeside Garage!

Demystifying vehicle Diagnostics

Universal dashboard lights

Now that we are finally coming out of an incredibly difficult and in some cases devastating start to the New Year with all the rain and flooding, you may find that your car is feeling a bit neglected :-(( 

With this being the first of our blogs from Lakeside Garage, we thought we would concentrate on trying to shed a bit more light on diagnostics for your vehicle and explain what it all means, just in case after all these winter months, you find that your dashboard is ablaze with lights or even if there is just one!

What do you understand a diagnostic check for your car to mean? 

There appears to be some confusion around what a diagnostic check actually means from garage to garage.

A proper diagnostic test  should be an in depth assessment of a fault on your car which involves reading the codes and evaluating them to ascertain exactly what work needs to be carried out.

There are numerous types of diagnostic equipment that garages can invest in, and simply speaking, you get what you pay for. The cheaper equipment is able to provide a fault code, but it is then down to the garage as to whether they have the ability or knowledge to carry out the appropriate testing to advise you of the exact cause of the fault.

To try to explain further, Fault codes are a symptom and not a cause. So, we advise that when considering where to take your car when you see a warning light, it is important to consider what you will actually get for  the price you are quoted.

Many independent garages will have basic equipment and may seem cheaper, but the diagnostics they offer is merely a ‘code read’, which does not address the actual cause. Providing you with a fault code is not what a Diagnostic check should be, the garage should be able to completely assess the fault. If one garage is unable to assess the cause, then you will end up paying again at another garage in order to get an accurate answer and potentially have the work done. No financial saving in the long run!

At times it may feel frustrating to have to pay money just to be given what you may perceive to be a ‘simple’ answer as to why a fault light may be on; here at Lakeside Garage we have invested heavily in Autologic Dealer Level Equipment and our  expert technicians have received specific training run by Master Technicians and specialist Software Engineers. This enables us not only to be confident in using the equipment, but also allows them to be able to accurately assess the cause. This takes time (it is not just a case of plugging a machine into the car and getting an answer!).

The Dealer level software and other test equipment used here at Lakeside Garage, allows a far superior level of access and unlike other diagnostic tools, it enables programming. We have the capacity to carry out tasks such as key programming, software updates, renewing control units and engine re-mapping. Some of these items need to be coded to the vehicle.

We have concentrated on BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda and Mini, making us ‘The German Car Specialist’, within the Staines, Heathrow, Windsor, Ashford, Egham, Ascot and Slough area. We also offer diagnostics for other makes and models of vehicle, and would be happy to answer any questions as to the capabilities of the equipment we have.

Here at Lakeside Garage, we are of the opinion that having invested in this equipment, we stand out further from other Independent Garages offering this as one of many valuable services which allows us to specialise without incurring the cost of the dealer.

You can also follow me on twitter and like us on facebook.

As the only female working within a male environment at Lakeside Garage,  my aim is to help bridge the gap of mistrust between the customer and the garage.