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EV Warning Lights

Here is what every warning light on your EV is.

Every driver should know the warning lights on their car, and electric cars have some lights specific to their models. If you have recently started driving an electric car, or are thinking of buying one, here is everything you need to know about EV warning lights.

Warning Light Colours

The warning lights on your electric car’s dashboard follows a traffic light system:

Green: The system is working or in use

Yellow: Something is not working as it should be – needs checking as soon as possible.

Red: There is a serious issue, and you need to stop driving as soon as it is safe to do so and call for assistance.

Common Dashboard Lights

Of course, your EV will have most of the same dashboard lights that you would find on an ICE car. Here is a list of warning lights you will find on both ICE and electric vehicles:

Brake warning light – A red exclamation point in a circle. Indicates that brake fluids are low.
ABS warning light – Has the ‘ABS’ in a circle with outside brackets. Indicates there are issues with your anti-lock braking system, which prevents skidding.
Airbag warning light – This light indicates that one of the airbags is not working correctly. It looks like a small person with a circle in front of their face.
Power steering warning - Presents itself as a small steering wheel beside an exclamation point. With electric cars, it could mean you need to reboot the system.
Tyre pressure warning – It looks like a horseshoe with an exclamation mark in the centre. If this light comes on, you should get to a petrol station or garage where you can pump the tyres up.
Brake pad warning light – This light is a circle with three dashes around the outside. This is when the brake pad sensor has detected that your brake pads have become dangerously thin. You should avoid driving the car until you get them changed.

If you would like to know more about your car’s standard warning lights, you can learn more on our blog.

EV Dashboard Warning Lights

Ready to Drive

Since electric vehicles are notoriously quiet, this light simply alerts the driver that the car has been switched on and ready to drive.

Eco Mode

When your car is in ‘eco mode’, your car will adapt your driving style so it can get as many miles out of the battery as possible. You can usually find the eco mode button by the steering wheel, but this will differ depending on model. This light simply alerts you to the fact this mode is switched on.

Low Battery

This is the equivalent as your fuel light coming on in your ICE vehicle – it indicates that you need to recharge. Most models will display the charging box in yellow when you have 12% battery left, and then red when it reaches 5%.

General Fault

The general fault warning light signifies either one or more issues with your car. If you see this light, you will need a garage to look and diagnose this issue for you. It is most likely to be relating to how the vehicle moves, brakes, or turns.

Limited Power

The small tortoise on the limited power warning light may look unassuming, but if you see this symbol, you should take your EV to a garage to be checked over. It doesn’t refer to a singular issue, so may be covering a variety of faults.

Pedestrian Alert

Many electric vehicles are set up with advanced computer systems including cameras and infrared technology that detect potential threats such as pedestrians, cyclists, animals, or other cars. This light alerts the driver that there potentially is a pedestrian nearby the car that could cause an accident.

General Electric Fault

This icon means that there is an issue with any of the cars electrical system. The colour of the light will indicate the severity of the issue – if it shows in red you should stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so and seek roadside assistance.

12V Battery Charge

Including your lithium-ion battery, your EV has a 12V battery which is used when the car is turned off. If the charge is very low, you will struggle to turn on the car.

Auto-glide Control Indicator

This shows that the car is reducing in deceleration, which makes the vehicle coast to increase fuel economy.

Battery Temperature

If your battery gets too hot it can cause issues for your EV and could even end up catching fire. You may need to wait for the battery to cool down or take it to a garage.

External Sound System

Your EV is naturally quiet, so it is now law that it must make noises when travelling under certain speeds in order to alert pedestrians. If the light illuminates, then the system is no longer working.

Regenerative Brake System Warning Indicator

This light often shows in yellow or red and stems from an issue with the electronically controlled brake system fault indicator, or the parking brake and brake fluid warning indicator. These are separate lights but will more than likely be next to each other on the dashboard.