What Causes the Bulb Failure Warning Light on the Car Dashboard to Illuminate?
2 Answers
Bulb failure warning light may illuminate due to the following reasons: 1. Damaged car bulbs will trigger this warning light. Common vehicle lights include turn signals, brake lights, license plate lights, position lights, front/rear fog lights, reverse lights, high beams, and low beams. In most cases, replacing the faulty bulb will turn off the warning light. 2. Poor electrical connections in the circuit can cause excessive resistance in the lighting circuit, leading the vehicle's computer to mistakenly identify a bulb malfunction. 3. Poor circuit contact. Park the car in a safe location, turn off the engine, remove the negative battery terminal with a wrench, wait for 15 seconds, then reconnect it to see if the warning light disappears.
When the bulb failure light comes on, it usually indicates a problem with one of the vehicle's exterior bulbs, such as a burnt-out brake light or taillight. I've encountered this several times while driving, especially at night when a light suddenly goes out—it can be quite alarming. The cause could be a bulb that has reached the end of its lifespan and burnt out, or a blown fuse located in the engine compartment's fuse box, which can be hard to find in some car designs. Poor electrical contact is also a common issue; for instance, the lamp socket in my old car rusted, causing a loss of current. In short, when this light comes on, it's best to stop and check which bulb isn't working. You can try replacing the bulb yourself if possible, but if that doesn't work, head to a repair shop promptly to avoid potential accidents.
