GloveboxAnswers
Your car, explained

The answers in your glovebox, without the hunt.

What a warning light means, whether you can keep driving, and how to fix the simple things yourself, from owner’s manuals and the federal safety standards every car sold in the US has to meet.

RedA problem to deal with now: stop safely when the manual says so.
AmberA fault or a check: service may be needed soon.
GreenA feature is on, such as turn signals or cruise control.
BlueHigh beams are on.
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Warning lights and starting trouble

ToolDashboard Warning LightsWhat each dashboard warning light means, by color: red means stop safely, amber means check soon. 16 symbols, with what owner’s manuals say to do.Warning LightsCheck Engine LightA steady check engine light means the car found an engine or emissions fault; a flashing one means a severe misfire. What to check first, and when to stop.TiresTire Pressure LightThe tire pressure light comes on when a tire is 25% or more below its recommended pressure. What to do, why cold mornings set it off, and what flashing means.Warning LightsABS LightThe ABS light means the anti-lock brakes have a fault: your normal brakes still work, but without anti-lock. When it’s urgent, and what to do next.Battery & StartingHow to Jump-Start a CarRed to the dead battery’s +, red to the good battery’s +, black to the good battery’s −, black to bare metal on the dead car’s engine. Start the good car first.
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Topics

3 pagesWarning LightsWhat each dashboard warning light means, how urgent it is, and what your owner’s manual says to do.1 pageBattery & StartingJump-starting, battery life and key fob batteries, done the way the manufacturers say.1 pageTiresTire pressure, the numbers on the sidewall, rotation and wear, from the tire makers and the federal standards.Coming soonMaintenanceOil, fluids, filters and schedules by the owner’s manual, and what each service actually does.Coming soonTowingTowing capacity, payload and tongue weight by model, from the manufacturers’ towing guides.
How we work

Every answer comes from a primary source: the carmaker’s owner’s manual or support pages, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, or the EPA. We name the source next to each answer, and when manuals differ, we say so. How we source our answers.