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No one wants to see a warning light on the dashboard as it signifies some problem with the vehicle. But you don’t always get what you want in life. Likewise, no matter how much you try to avoid it, one thing or the other can lead to the appearance of warning lights on dashboards.
Owing to this, it’s equally important to know what each warning light signifies to take the necessary measures and turn them off when needed. The master warning light is one of the most common lights you will see flashing on your dashboard, and there can be multiple reasons for you to see it.
We have put together a detailed guide for you explaining the meaning of the master warning light, its causes, and some methods you can use to turn it off.
What Is the Meaning of the Master Light?
The master warning light, if you don’t know already, is a small triangle symbol with an exclamation mark in the middle. It can be either yellow or red in colour, depending on the risk it is trying to signify.
Unlike other warning lights and indicators that generally denote one specific risk and are related to one particular car component, the master warning light isn’t risk-specific and can appear on the dash of your vehicle for one or more simple and complex problems.
Though the exact problem it signifies depends on a wide range of factors, including the car you own, its manufacturing year and its model. Depending on your vehicle, this risk can be simple or complex.
If simply put, the one message that the master warning light immediately conveys is, “Hey, take a look at your dashboard; there might be something wrong with your vehicle!.”
As we discussed above, you can’t be sure of the issue on seeing the master light turning on. But that’s not something you need to worry about, as when the master warning light turns on on the dashboard; you will see another light turning on the dashboard alongside it. The second light will make it easier to figure out what problem you can expect.
So, whenever you see the master warning light on the dashboard, look around for any other pop-ups and note them. This way, you can easily figure out the problem to move to the solution phase.
What Are the Causes of Master Warning Light Popping Up On the Dash?
Now that you have looked at the meaning of the master warning light, let us take you towards some of the reasons you see this light appearing on your vehicle’s dashboard.
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Out of Battery
One of the primary reasons why the master warning light might appear on your car’s dashboard is that your car is out of battery. This generally happens with electric cars that need to be charged in order to keep moving. However, you can also experience this issue with manual and other oil-based cars, too, as they also need a battery to function correctly.
So, if you haven’t checked the charging of your car’s battery for a long time, you might see the master warning light appear on your car’s dashboard. You will also see the charge warning light flashing along with the master light in this case.
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Anti-Lock Braking System
Another thing that could lead to the appearance of a master warning light on your car’s dashboard is a problem with the anti-lock braking system of your car. In this case, though the brakes of your car will function, there will be no anti-lock assistance for them.
Like the above case, when the master warning light appears because of any issue with the anti-lock braking system of your vehicle, you will see the ABS warning light alongside it.
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Low Engine Oil Pressure
If you haven’t checked the engine oil level for a long time, this could cause the master warning light to appear on the dashboard.
Generally, this could happen because the engine oil level isn’t sufficient to keep the car moving, leading to the master warning light flashing on the car’s dashboard along with the engine oil pressure light.
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Low Brake Fluid Level
In addition to the engine oil level and pressure in your car, you also need to maintain a certain brake fluid level in your car if you want it to keep going smoothly.
A low level of brake fluid in the car can cause significant damage to the brake system, and in some cases, you might also have to replace the brakes. So, it’s better to keep an eye on the brake fluid level if you don’t want to see the master warning light because of this.
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Loose Gas Cap
If you have not tightened the gas cap properly while putting gas in your vehicle at the last gas station, you might see the master warning light flashing on the dashboard, warning you of the same.
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Low Pressure In Tire
Another significant cause of the popping up of the master warning light on your car’s dashboard is low pressure in all tires or one of them. You can learn more about this low-pressure thing via other warning signs and lights such as flat tier, low gas, etc.
Check out this YouTube tutorial to learn how you can check the pressure in the tires yourself.
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Power Steering
If you haven’t got the turning of your car’s power steering done for a long time, it might start leading to the appearance of the master warning light on your car’s dashboard along with the power steering warning light.
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Open Door
If you haven’t closed the door properly while getting into the car, this will lead to the appearance of a master warning light on the dashboard. As the name suggests, the master warning light is generally meant for warnings that are too crucial and what is more important than closing the door while you are in the car.
Some of the vehicles out there come with sensors that will immediately notice if the doors are closed properly or not, and if they notice even a slight problem, they will notify the passengers by turning on the master warning light.
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Seat Belt Warning
This is also one of the reasons for you to see the master warning light pop up on the dashboard. Though in this case, the warning light appears only till you fasten your seatbelt, it would still appear on your car’s dashboard. In this case, you might also see the seat belt warning light, if any.
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Headlights
As mentioned above, if your car’s battery is insufficient, you can see the master warning light turning on. This can also happen if you forget to turn off your car’s headlights before leaving the car, as this will eventually take a toll on the car’s battery.
To prevent this from happening and save the car’s power, most of the vehicles come with sensors that immediately detect whenever the headlights are left on and notify you to turn them off. These sensors do so by turning on the master warning light.
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High Engine Temprature
The engine is one of the most crucial components in keeping the car moving. Any problem with the engine could result in serious consequences, and one such major problem is high engine temperature, which, if not timely detected, can lead to serious hazards.
This is why, whenever the sensors in your car detect the engine’s temperature going up, they will immediately report the computer, which will turn on the master warning light along with the check engine light to let you know of the problem before it’s too late.
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Low Maintenance
One of the leading causes of the master warning light flashing on your car’s dashboard is that you haven’t taken your car to a professional for its maintenance. Once you see the master warning light appear alongside the maintenance light on the dashboard, it will warn you to take your car out for maintenance before it’s too late.
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No Gas
Another case where you will see the master warning light of your car turning on is when your car is almost out of gas. Well, no one wants to be stuck in the middle of the road just because there is no gas in the car.
There is nothing for you to worry about when you have the master warning light on. Once the sensors in your car detect that your car is almost out of gas, they will send a signal to the computer that will notify you about this y turning on the warning light.
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Parking Brake
Driving with the parking brake on is another case where you might see the master warning light on the dashboard. Though this isn’t as dangerous as the engine heating up or the door remaining open by mistake, this is still something you need to beware of if you don’t want to cause damage to your car’s braking system.
Fortunately, whenever you drive with the parking brake on, you will see the master warning light illuminated on your car’s dashboard, denoting that you have to check your car’s brakes.
How to Turn Off the Master Warning Light?
As evident from all the causes we have explained above, there are a lot of things that can lead to the master warning light illuminating on your car’s dashboard. Owing to all these different reasons, you have to take various different measures depending on the problem causing the light to turn on.
Here is a list of all the things you can do to turn off the master warning light on your car’s dashboard.
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Locate the Other Light
The first thing you need to do to turn off the master warning light is to locate the other warning light illuminating your dashboard. For instance, if you see the NO GAS light appear on the dashboard alongside the master warning light, it will be a clear indication of the fact that your car is almost out of gas.
To turn off the master warning light, in this case, head to the nearest gas station and get your gas tank filled. Doing so will automatically turn off the master warning light and the NO GAS warning light.
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Turn It Off Manually
Another thing you can do to turn off the master warning light on your vehicle is to find the button for it. Most of the manual cars in the marker feature a manual button you can use to switch on the master warning light when needed and switch it off later on.
If the above solution hasn’t turned off the master warning light for you, you can simply locate the master warning button in your vehicle and turn it off manually.
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Turn Off the Ignition
Turning off the car’s ignition, waiting for a while, and turning it on again is another fix; you can try to switch off the master warning light on the dashboard. This solution works in most cases, as by turning the ignition off, you are actually cutting the whole power supply to your vehicle.
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Use the Car’s Manual
You can also check out the user manual you got with your car to find out the actual reason behind the appearance of the master warning light on your vehicle. Once you figure out the reason behind it, you will be able to turn it off without much hassle.
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Seek Professional Help
If none of the above methods help you turn off the master warning light on your vehicle, you will be left with no other option but to seek professional help. But don’t worry; all you need to do for this is to take your vehicle to a mechanic and get it checked, and you will most probably be able to find out the problem right away.
FAQs
Is It Safe to Drive With the Master Warning Light On?
If the master warning light is on, it’s best not to drive the car. Instead, what you should be focusing on is the reason behind this light, and try all the possible fixes to turn the light off as soon as possible.
Though the master warning light can turn on for trivial things too, i.e., low washer fluid, it’s best not to take any risks and pull out whenever you see the master warning light appearing on your car’s dashboard.
What Is the Meaning of Blinking Master Warning Light?
If you see the master warning light blinking on your car’s dashboard, it would clearly indicate that the issue needs immediate attention. You can even hear a buzzer sound at times, signifying a malfunction with your vehicle. If this happens, contact the manufacturers immediately or seek professional help.
When to Worry About Dashboard Lights?
The dashboard lights appear in different colours depending on the severity of the problem. If you see a green light, it will indicate that your system is working fine, and there is nothing for you to worry about. Yellow dashboard lights signify that the system isn’t working right, and you need to check it out for any issues as soon as possible.
Similarly, if your car’s dashboard shows red lights, you don’t need to think twice before stopping the vehicle and checking for the issue immediately.
What Does an Orange Engine Light Signify?
If you see an orange engine light flashing on the dashboard, this is something you should never ignore. This usually happens when the problem is too severe and can even lead to disastrous consequences if not immediately taken care of.
Which Warning Light Is the Most Serious One?
Out of all the warning lights you could ever see appearing on your car’s dashboard, the most severe and problematic one is the check engine light. It looks light a small engine icon on your dashboard and blinks whenever there is some issue with your car’s engine. Though the nature of the problem could vary, once you see the check engine light, you have to let go of all other affairs and head to this issue immediately.
Conclusion – What Does the Master Warning Light on the Dash Mean?
In this write-up, we have explored the meaning of the master warning light along with the symbol representing it on your car’s dashboard. We have also looked into some of the main causes for you to see the master warning light on your car’s dashboard and have gone through some fixes; you can try to turn the master warning light off on your car.
Hopefully, you aren’t confused about the master warning light on your dashboard and won’t feel pressured whenever this light illuminates your vehicle’s dashboard in the future. Happy Driving!
