There’s a lot to know about taking good care of a car or truck. Thankfully, your vehicle helps you out now and then with warning lights. Here’s a quick guide to what they mean and how you should react to them.

Oil Pressure Warning Light 
This light indicates that your engine needs oil or that the oil pressure is low. Either your vehicle is burning oil, or your oil pan is leaking for some reason. If the oil pressure warning light pops on, pull off the road as quickly and safely as possible, turn off your car immediately, and add oil. Nothing will kill an engine faster than running it without oil. 
  
Check Engine Warning Light
The Check Engine light can indicate a few different problems with the engine or emissions system, from simple to serious. The good news could be you have a loose or cracked gas cap; the bad news – your catalytic converter is shot. When this light comes on, pull into a Mountain View Tire location at your earliest convenience. If the light is flashing, stop driving as soon as it’s safe and see us for a diagnosis as soon as you can.

Tire Pressure Warning Light
This light lets you know your tires are under-inflated. Low tire pressure can lead to reduced gas mileage, poor handling, shorter tire life, and a greater chance of a blowout. If your tire pressure warning light is on, pull into any Mountain View Tire store and we’ll check and fill your tires for free. We can also examine your tires for signs of damage and the cause of the leak.

Engine Temperature Warning Light
If you see a thermometer or the word “Temp” light up while you’re driving, or if you notice that your temperature gauge is heading toward the H, pull off to a safe spot and let the engine cool – until the gauge falls back to at least the halfway point. Usually, this light or gauge indicates a problem with the vehicle’s coolant system. Never open a hot radiator cap, and never pour water over a hot engine or into a hot radiator. Ignoring your temperature warnings can lead to serious engine trouble, so see us as soon as you can drive safely.

Brake Warning Light
If the brake light comes on while you’re driving, take your foot of the gas and turn on your emergency flashers. Pump your brakes to allow more fluid into the brake system. That may give you the ability to stop at least temporarily. If you need to slow your vehicle while on a highway, carefully drive into the grass or gravel on the shoulder of the road. If your brakes fail while driving downhill, look for a runaway truck ramp at the bottom of a downhill road. You can also shift from “drive” into the next lower gear. This forces your engine to act like a brake, eventually slowing the vehicle. If you have brake problems, call us immediately. We can arrange to have your vehicle safely towed in for service.

(This post was inspired by and includes content from an article at Yahoo! Autos.)