What does the exclamation mark in the car mean?
3 Answers
There are generally three types of exclamation marks that may appear in a car: 1. A triangle with an exclamation mark inside indicates a general fault warning light, which may illuminate under the following conditions: overheating of the dry dual-clutch transmission, fuel cut-off system intervention or malfunction, parking sensor malfunction, external light malfunction, or traction control system warning or malfunction. 2. A circle with an exclamation mark inside and surrounded by parentheses is the brake system warning light, which may illuminate under the following conditions: low brake fluid level (illuminates while driving) or malfunction in the brake system. 3. A horizontal line with an exclamation mark inside and parentheses below is the tire pressure monitoring warning light, which illuminates when the pressure in one of the vehicle's tires is too low.
That day while driving on the highway, a red circle with an exclamation mark suddenly popped up on the dashboard, scaring me so much that I immediately pulled over. This kind of brake warning light is the most common—80% of the time it's either the handbrake not fully released or insufficient brake fluid. Then there's the tire pressure warning inside yellow brackets; last time I was driving in the mountains, it lit up right after passing a gravel road. I quickly got out to check and sure enough, there was a nail stuck in the right front tire. The exclamation mark for power steering is pretty scary too—the steering wheel suddenly becomes as heavy as lifting bricks. When encountering these situations, never push your luck and keep driving—safety first! Especially at night on mountain roads with poor visibility, I always turn on the hazard lights, shut off the engine, and wait for help.
Last week, my cousin encountered an exclamation mark lit up on the dashboard right after getting her driver's license, and the poor girl was so nervous she burst into tears. Actually, there's no need to panic—the key is to identify the icon's location. A red circle with an exclamation mark is the most urgent, requiring immediate stopping to check the brake system. A yellow parenthesis shape usually indicates a tire pressure issue; just slowly drive to a safe area to address it. I always keep a portable tire pressure gauge in my car, so when an alarm goes off, I check all four tires. If you can't handle it yourself, take a photo of the warning light with your phone and contact the dealership to describe the situation—it's the easiest solution. Remember, icons may vary slightly between brands, but red always means you must stop driving immediately.
