Flashing Red Car Symbol on Dashboard in Nissan – What's This?

So, you are surprised to see a little red car flashing in your Nissan car and that's why you are here. In this short article, I'm going to tell you what exactly is the red flashing car with or without the key sign in it.

Red car light highlights

• Common reasons:immobilizer is active, problems with immobilizer
• How to fix:start the car with your key, try another key, change the key fob battery
• Possible consequences:car may not start
• Priority level:Medium
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible
• Repair price range:$0-$250

But this is exactly the anti-theft system that indicates that your car has just activated the system to avoid car theft. There are certain patterns in how this system works.

By the way, you may want to have a look at the article explaining another weird warning light in Nissan vehicles showing two cars crashing.

Anti-theft system in Nissan cars explained

To understand why that red light keeps flashing in your Nissan car, you need to know how the security system works. In this article, I will explain to you the standard pattern of the anti-theft system operation. It may have other functions if you have an additional alarm system or some other aftermarket upgrades.

So, here's the standard pattern:

• the alarm system is activated and deactivated by the key fob (when you press the buttons on the fob);
• in the keyless entry system, the alarm may also be deactivated when you press the buttons on the door handle;
• anyway, the immobilizer stays active even when the alarm is deactivated and the red light will still be blinking;
• the immobilizer deactivates only when the car confirms that you have the proper key with you;
• in keyless entry cars, this happens automatically when you are in the car, so you may not even notice the red car-shaped light;
• in older vehicles, the immobilizer will only be turned off when you insert the key into the ignition cylinder;
• also, the immobilizer will be activated automatically after some time when you take the key out of the ignition or turn off the engine.

The latest point is very important. I usually get panicky phone calls from my clients asking about the red light in their Nissan vehicles when they appeared to be sitting in their cars after they turned the engines off. This doesn't happen often, so you just may not have noticed the immobilizer being activated and the red car-shaped light starting to flash on the dash.

So, the common problem looks like this: you come to a stop, take the key out of the ignition cylinder, and stay in the car waiting for someone. The car is off and it doesn't see the key anymore, so it will activate the immobilizer to avoid car theft. Even though the doors remain open, the immobilizer is on until you insert the key into the ignition cylinder. That's why the red light seems so scary.

Can the red car light go on when you drive?

No, it shouldn't go on when you are driving because the engine will immediately shut off due to an immobilizer operation. That's actually what an immobilizer does - it cuts the fuel and power supply to the engine to avoid driving without the proper key in the vehicle.

But, in extremely rare cases, this red car light may start blinking and the vehicle may immediately stop when there are problems with the immobilizer in your Nissan vehicle.

What if the red car is blinking and the engine doesn't start?

This is a much more common problem with Nissan vehicles. If you see the red car flashing on the dash and you can't start your engine, you may be sure that the security system is still active and the vehicle can't confirm that one of the legal keys is in the car at the moment.

What does this mean? Well, several things:

• the key fob battery is dead and now the car can't confirm that the key is inside the vehicle (common for keyless entry cars);
• the chip in the key fob is damaged or disconnected from the battery and can't send the proper signals to communicate with the car;
• the security system is having a glitch and needs resetting for proper operation (later, I will tell you how to reset it);
• the antenna of your keyless-entry car is broken or disconnected;
• something interfered with the signals and your Nissan can't understand if the proper key is inside the car.

The most common things are the dead battery in the fob or a glitch in the security system. Other cases are extremely rare and are rather theories you should know just in case. Anyway, solving the problem may not always be as easy as you may want it to be.

Let's see what you can do!

DIY fixes for red car flashing and engine not starting

If you are in your Nissan vehicle with the proper key and you still see the red car flashing and the engine doesn't even crank, you may be sure that the anti-theft system takes you for a car thief and won't let you start the car. The starter motor won't even crank, in this case.

There are four common fixes you can apply one by one without paying money to the dealership or calling a tow truck for help. Here's what you should do:

1) Change the battery in your key fob. This is a very common problem. The batteries in keyless-entry fobs don't live long as they constantly work and send signals. Change the battery and see if this helps you solve the problem.

2) Just complete the door-open cycle again. Go out of the car, lock it with the fob, wait for a minute or two, unlock the car with the fob, get into it, and see if the problem disappears.

3) Reset the security system. To reset the system, you will need to disconnect the battery. Locate the battery, disconnect the negative terminal, and then disconnect the positive one. Press the honk to use up the remaining power and wait for 5-7 minutes. Connect the positive and then negative terminal and see if the problem disappears.

4) Get the spare key fob. Your car initially came with two key fobs. Get the spare one and try starting the vehicle. You may also want to change the battery in that spare fob because it's most likely drained.

Usually, these steps will help you solve the problem and keep driving your Nissan without any red lights blinking on the dash. But if the problem persists and you can't find the proper solution, the only thing that is left to try is to go to the dealer. You may try to call the dealer and ask if they have some road assistance or loyal towing services.

I describe more in the separate article about the Altima "No Key Detected" problem - have a look!

If you have anything to add about the red flashing car lights in Nissan vehicles, you are welcome to the comments section below!