What Does A Circle With An Exclamation Mark Mean On Your Car's Dashboard?

As a driver, the last thing you want to see is an unfamiliar warning light popping up on your dashboard. After all, we all know those lights are there to let us know our car needs attention— whether that's something as simple as checking the tire pressure or something more serious like an engine problem that requires taking your car in for immediate repairs. With so many different dashboard warning lights, unless you're an automotive expert, you might have trouble keeping up with them all. Still, it's a good idea to become familiar with the most common warning lights, especially those that could turn into big problems if ignored.

For starters, if you see a red warning light, that's a sign your car is experiencing a serious, potentially dangerous issue, and you should pull over as soon as it's safe to do so and get assistance immediately. One warning light that needs immediate attention is a red circle with an exclamation mark. This symbol is the brake warning light and it's one of the most important symbols to know on your car's dashboard. If you see this symbol, you know something is wrong with your car's brake system. 

When we think about every driver's worst nightmare, their car's brakes failing is probably toward the top of the list. If your brakes aren't working properly, you won't be able to stop safely, putting you and everyone else on the road at risk. That's why you need to pay special attention anytime you see the circle with an exclamation mark on your dashboard — it's as clear a warning as you'll get that something may be wrong with your brake system and shouldn't be ignored. 

Before you jump to any conclusions about the light, you'll want to confirm that you haven't attempted to drive off while the parking brake is engaged, which can trigger the warning light or a separate Parking Brake indicator to come on. If you know your parking brake isn't engaged, something else is to blame. While the warning light won't tell you exactly what's wrong with your brakes, some common issues include worn-out brake pads, low brake fluid levels, or problems with your car's anti-lock braking system (ABS). You can safely drive your car when the ABS isn't working. However, if you're unable to pinpoint the problem with your brakes, it's best to pull over when you can safely do so, call a tow truck, and have a mechanic look at your car as soon as possible.