Diagnostics

The battery warning is easy to decipher because it looks exactly like the thing that needs attention, don’t be fooled though if the battery light is illuminated and if your car or van starts up ok and drives normally. There could be a fault with your alternator or wiring. It's not very often it’s an issue with the battery itself. We can test your battery and check if your alternator is charging correctly.

The coolant temperature warning lets you know your car is running too hot, when blue it indicates the engine is cold, when amber or red then this indicates your coolant temperature is too hot. This could be caused by a broken water pump, low coolant levels in the radiator, a leaking or burst coolant hose, or even damage to the radiator itself. These are serious issues and could lead to much bigger engine problems if ignored. Driving a vehicle that is overheating is not only unsafe but it also risks permanent damage to the engine or head gasket. We can carry out diagnostic checks of your coolant system and also coolant pressure testing to find leaks.

An illuminated oil pressure light could indicate something as simple as an oil top up. Or it could also mean something more serious, it could mean a leak in the engine, or broken oil pump, faulty switch or a blockage in the oil system. If the engine's dipstick shows oil levels are low and adding oil turns the light off, then you're in luck. If that doesn't do the trick, or the light comes on shortly after you've added oil, it's smart to get the issue checked as soon as possible. Driving for extended periods with an oil pressure warning light illuminated is another sure-fire way of causing big repair bills down the road. Your engine needs good lubrication to reduce wear in all the moving parts and if that is compromised major internal damage can be done. More recently we have seen wet belts breaking up and blocking the oil strainer causing the light to come on. If your oil light is on, we can check and test your oil pressure.

The tyre pressure warning light will indicate if there is a drop in pressure on any of your vehicle wheels and tyres, with some vehicles fitted with run flat tyres you may look at the tyre and presume it’s still pumped up, don’t be fooled check your pressures in each tyre and adjust to the correct pressure. If one is low, get it checked out immediately. Tyre pressure warning lights are now also part of the MOT and if the light is illuminated at time of test it will fail. In many modern cars, the tyre pressure monitors include a display in the driver's gauges, or in a menu located within the infotainment system, to tell the driver the exact tyre pressure at each wheel. As an example, if one tyre shows significantly less air pressure than the others, stop the car and refill the tyre to the correct pressure. Start the car and see if the warning light goes off after a few minutes, you may also have to drive the vehicle a short distance for this to reset.

DPF light is designed to alert you when the DPF filter becomes too full of soot and can't self-clean. This often happens when the vehicle is frequently driven for short distances or at low speeds, not allowing the DPF to reach the optimum temperature required for a successful regeneration. In some cases this light will also be illuminated with the engine light or glow plug warning light indicating there is a fault with a sensor or system related to the DPF. If so then the DPF will no longer try a self-clean and will continue to block up even more. If you are having issues with your DPF light we may be able to help.

If your ABS light comes on individually, you are safe to drive your car to your destination, as your normal brakes will still work. You will have to be more careful though because the ABS system will now have been deactivated and your ABS will not respond in case of an emergency. Anti-lock brake warning lights (abs) are part of the MOT and if illuminated at time of test your vehicle will fail. In some cases, this light will be illuminated with other lights including the traction control light or even the engine light. Parts that cause this light to come on include a fault wheel speed sensor or abs sensor, faulty abs pickup ring or the abs pump itself. If you have the abs light on its best to get it checked out and diagnosed as soon as possible so then your brakes work to their optimum. If you require our help in diagnosing faults with your abs we can help.

The airbag light will usually show up on your dash when you turn your ignition on and then go out after a few seconds, if it says on or flashes you have a fault, if you have the airbag light illuminated you can technically drive your vehicle, but it's not recommended. After all, an airbag warning light indicates something is wrong with the system, so there's a possibility your airbags won't deploy during a collision. Don't be fooled into thinking it’s just a fault with one of your airbags. There are many parts within the system that could cause this light to come on ranging from a seatbelt, seat recognition pad, airbags, seat airbags, side airbags, crash sensors and control modules. This light being on your dash is also a mot fail. Get this checked by a trusted professional once you notice the airbag warning light on your dash. If you have the airbag warning light on, we may be able to help

The bulb failure light is one of the less serious dash lights on this list. But then again, if the lamp or bulb in question is a headlamp or taillight or even an indicator, you could be risking an accident or even being stopped by the police. If this light does its best to get all your light checked, a lot of modern cars now have led light used for some of their lighting and it can just be a faulty section of that light causing this fault. From daytime running lights, number plate lights, side lights, marker lights it's surprising how many lights there are on the outside of your vehicle. If certain lights or out when it comes to your mot then your car will fail and if that is an LED unit then it might take time to order in that part, so it best to get this warning checked out as soon as you can.

This light is only found on a diesel car, when you first turn your ignition on you should see this light illuminate and then wait for it to go out before starting your engine, this gives your glow plugs time to warm up the engine cylinders ready to start the engine. Sometimes this light will stay on or start flashing while you are driving, this could be indicating a fault with your glow plug system or even your fuel system. Did you know glow plugs are not changed as part of a service like spark plugs are. Over time with glow plugs get hot and cold they eventually burn out and then cause starting issues. If your glow plug light is on and you are getting poor starting problems, we can test each glow plug and carry out a diagnostic check