What does the steering wheel exclamation mark on the dashboard indicate?

[SanLandon]

An exclamation mark displayed on the car dashboard near the steering wheel symbol may indicate a fault in the active steering system. Here are explanations about the steering wheel exclamation mark display: 1. This indicator normally appears when the engine is off and should disappear immediately after engine startup, with the steering wheel becoming looser, indicating the electric power steering function is activated. 2. The computer self-check warning light will illuminate during startup but should turn off automatically after ignition; if it remains lit, there's likely a fault in the power steering system. If this occurs while driving (which can be dangerous as it might lead to steering lock), immediately stop the vehicle and contact maintenance to clear the fault. It's normal for the light to turn off after startup. The power steering warning light also illuminates during dashboard self-check at startup - as long as it turns off after the engine starts, there's no issue. 3. Another exclamation mark may indicate the handbrake is engaged, which will disappear when released. For power steering mechanism faults, the warning light should normally turn off after the vehicle is started and running.