What does a yellow light with an 'a' inside a circle on the dashboard mean?
2 Answers
The reason for a yellow light with an 'a' inside a circle appearing on the dashboard is that the engine auto start-stop system is active. At this time, the car often shuts off, and releasing the brake will automatically restart the engine, allowing normal driving to resume. The conditions for auto start-stop activation include: engine coolant temperature being too low after a cold start, typically below 70 degrees Celsius; outside temperature below 5 degrees Celsius, or cabin temperature below 20 degrees Celsius when heating is on; insufficient battery charge, usually below 60%; steering wheel angle exceeding 30 degrees; front seat belts not fastened; and parking on a slope. The auto start-stop function activates automatically each time the car is started, provided the above conditions are met, and the vehicle speed exceeds 3 km/h for about 4 seconds, without requiring any additional action from the driver. However, the auto start-stop function must be turned off in the following situations: during water wading; when driving on a slope (most cars are usually set to automatically disable it in this case); and when refueling, the engine must be completely turned off and power must be cut before refueling.
I recently encountered that warning light too, and remember it indicates an issue with your car's auto start-stop system. This feature automatically shuts off the engine at red lights to save fuel, and the yellow light likely means the system is disabled or malfunctioning, possibly due to low battery charge or minor sensor problems. While I don't think it's an immediate safety concern while driving, it does affect fuel efficiency. I'd suggest first checking your owner's manual for the exact location to confirm the system status; if the light stays on, get it checked at a repair shop promptly to prevent minor issues from worsening. Regular maintenance focusing on battery health can help prevent such occurrences. Anyway, dealing with this taught me the meaning of this warning light, so I'm sharing this reference with you.
