There are many different languages spoken across the planet, but non-verbal language is just as important as the spoken word. In fact, your truck even uses non-verbal communication to let you know how it’s doing. The question is: do you know how to listen?
Although your truck communicates through sound and feel, it also uses its notification lamps to let you know what’s going on under the hood. Everything from emissions control systems to tire air pressure monitoring is attached to warning lamps in most modern trucks, but if you don’t know what your notifications mean, you might miss a serious truck maintenance issue that needs to be addressed right away.
Below are a few ways you can learn your truck’s lamp language:
Crack Open Your Manual
Consider the Color
Just like with traffic lights, yellow or amber typically means that something needs to be checked soon, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem that needs immediate attention. Take it slow and use caution. A red engine lamp/light, on the other hand, usually means that you need to stop and take a look at something right away.
Check Engine vs. Stop Engine
When you see an engine lamp/light warning that tells you to check the engine (CHECK ENGINE), you should consider it as an indication that a system has either malfunctioned or that a system is operating outside of expected norms. When a light blinks and instructs you to stop the engine (STOP ENGINE), you should consider that to be a serious issue that needs attention at once, so try to get off the road as soon as possible.
Have Your Sensors Checked
Keep in mind that lamp indicators are controlled by sensors, meaning you could have a problem with a faulty sensor when nothing is actually wrong with the engine or other components. If an indicator light stays on despite performing engine maintenance or a lamp remains illuminated despite you correcting a problem, have your truck’s sensors inspected by a truck maintenance professional to see if the problem might be with a faulty sensor component.
