Ignoring dash warning lights

[obi_waynne]

Have you ever ignored a dashboard warning light?

I thought the brake warning was a "get your brakes done soon" when in reality it meant "your brakes are shot NOW!" It cost me a new set of discs as well as pads so i learn't from that one.

My boss ignored his engine oil warning light and the car siezed up big time!

Anyone else? Has the petrol light caught anyone out?

 

[marti5]

Nope, I never ignore a dash warning light, I remember years ago my dad and I changed an engine in the snow, freezing cold in a Singer Gazelle took us all weekend with just flying kit tools.....he went for a test run of approx 5 miles and it seized up solid due to the oil pump from the donor engine being dodgy, when he walked down the drive towards me I said,,,,whats the matter run out of petrol ?? No! the oil light came on and I ignored it.....

 

[turbonutter69]

Only ever ignored the petrol light.
I did have a Mondeo seize up on me once due to lack of oil.
The warning light never came on though and it did work on start up.

 

[LGM]

I've just about figured out what each light actualy means, which is probably a good start to not ignoring them

 

[lutonmatt]

always ignore them on the trans am as the engine light is always on due to the race stuff in the engine
the jeep well who cares about that lol and plus dont have anylights

but normal dont look at them as half the cars i drive at work have lights on

 

[dpsubaru]

ignore the ABS light on the Carisma, it has been on for two years despite full new disc and pads. When blasted with the air hose it went off for a while but came back. just a pain and suspect the sensor is playing up.

 

[pgarner]

waynne watch the brake light on the VAGs the sensor doesnt allways work and is only something like a 1mm from the backing plate so they are shot.

ignore the washer alarm alot as it buzzs when theres around a litre left

 

[HDi fun]

waynne watch the brake light on the VAGs the sensor doesnt allways work and is only something like a 1mm from the backing plate so they are shot.

ignore the washer alarm alot as it buzzs when theres around a litre left

Do you not get some additional imformation via the dot-matrix display in the centre of the instrument cluster?

 

[RobBentley]

Do you not get some additional imformation via the dot-matrix display in the centre of the instrument cluster?

I would suspect so.. most VAG cars do. The W8 and R36 both have a 'Car Status' menu option where it lists everything in severity order with a brief description.

 

[pgarner]

no the only warning you get with the brakes is the light and a waning on the screen. the wear sensor is a wire that loops into the pad. so when its worn and brakes then it warning light comes on. theres lots of reports of people relying on this, rather than spending 2 mins whipping the wheels off and giving a visual check, then finding like waynne had the pad is near enough metal backing plate and the disc is scored to buggery.

Rob you only get all that info on the full FSI immo 3 clocks. i only have he half hight ones so just get the message flashes