Most common error messages and warning lights in various car brands

In this article, I want to recap the work I've done on over 350 different warning lights and error messages in various car brands. This page lists the most common warnings you can see on the dash of various vehicles. Sometimes, the warnings are absolutely unexpected but still extremely important.

It's much better if you understand the warnings and their nature rather than randomly try to understand if it's safe to drive your car or if you may damage something extremely expensive and important.

Audi - Gearbox Malfunction warning

The gearbox or transmission malfunction warning light in your Audi car can be really unexpected but it's important to know that it doesn't necessarily mean that your transmission is out of order.

In most cases, this means that the transmission control module is malfunctioning and it may be about to send your vehicle to limp mode. Several models have this problem and may surprise you with this annoying message more than once within their lifetime.

I've written several articles about the problem and spoken to several specialized mechanics to give you precise information on this issue.

Audi Gearbox Malfunction warning highlights:

• Common reasons:clutch in DCTs, low fluid level, low 12V battery glitch
• How to fix:replace/recharge battery, add transmission fluid, replace the clutch kit (in DCT)
• Possible consequences:fatal transmission damage, car completely immobilized
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?No
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$5000

BMW - Emergency Call Malfunction warning

When you see the Emergency Call Malfunction error message or also SOS malfunction, in your BMW, you should understand that there are no serious issues and you can keep driving. But the system that sends emergency messages in case of a severe accident isn't working.

Also, your GPS in the in-built navigation system may not work properly. This is the problem with the connectivity module that has a separate Li-Ion battery. It sometimes discharges and requires replacement. Also, the module itself may be damaged by water.

I've written about several messages and lights in BMW cars, including this one.

BMW Emergency Call Malfunction warning highlights:

• Common reasons:Telematic Control Unit broken or having low battery
• How to fix:look at the TCU, replace the battery in it, check if it works
• Possible consequences:no issues other than connectivity problems
• Priority level:Low
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible but complicated
• Repair price range:$10-$750

GM (Chevy, Cadillac, Buick) - Stabilitrak

In Chevy (and other GM-related) cars, you will pretty often see the Stabilitrak error message. This is the warning that is related to the traction control system. In most cases, this is a minor problem with some ABS sensor or maybe one of the control modules. But sometimes Stabilitrak will tell you about more serious issues.

You also should know that the wording may be different for this message. For example, more modern GM cars may tell you something like Traction Control Malfunction, Service ESC, etc. Also, you may see one of the warning lights related to the traction control system.

There are multiple articles here, on this blog, and you can explore the problems with traction control systems in GM cars easily.

GM Stabilitrak and traction control warnings highlights:

• Common reasons:any stabilization system component is faulty
• How to fix:scan for error codes to know the problem
• Possible consequences:the vehicle may eventually stop and you may be stranded
• Priority level:Medium
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Possible
• Repair price range:$150-$1,000

Stellantis (Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat) - Service Shifter

Stellantis now develops to embrace even more car brands. But with the quantity doesn't come the quality. One of the most common and yet very unpredictable error messages in Stellantis cars is the Service Shifter warning.

While in some cases, it's enough to just replace the shifter sensor that reads the position of the shifter itself, in a lot of cases, the shifter assembly will have to be replaced with the new one. Just because it's faulty. And no, Stellantis won't pay for this unless your car is still under the full warranty.

In several articles, I've written about the ways to deal with this problem and the consequences it may bring.

Stellantis Service Shiter warning highlights:

• Common reasons:low battery, faulty shifter sensors
• How to fix:replace or recharge the battery, use the scanner to clear the codes
• Possible consequences:dead battery will leave you stranded
• Priority level:Medium
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible
• Repair price range:$150-$500

Ford - Engine Malfunction, Service Now

This scary message in Ford vehicles, among other messages and warnings, can be very misleading. First of all, it may come on the dash of your car whenever there is a code in the ECU. And it doesn't always mean that the engine is under any kind of hazard.

Secondly, this warning may just disappear and you will not have the opportunity to even catch it somehow. It means that even Ford mechanics in the dealership won't be able to replicate the problem after taking a hundred bucks or even more out of your pocket for inspection services.

Usually, it's a glitch in one of the engine sensors but the problem range can be extremely wide.

Ford Engine Malfunction warning highlights:

• Common reasons:fault code in the ECU
• How to fix:hook up the scanner, read the codes, make conclusions
• Possible consequences:there is the chance your engine may fail
• Priority level:Medium
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$1,000

Honda and Acura - VSA warning light

One of the common problems with Honda and Acura cars of almost any generation is the VSA warning light. This is the light that tells you about the Vehicle Stability Assist problems. Actually, this is quite the same as the traction control problems in other car brands.

Again, there is no way to just wildly guess what's going on with your vehicle when you see the VSA light. In most cases, this is the problem with the wheel-speed sensors, steering wheel angle sensor, or some electronic control modules. But it can also be an issue with the power supply in your car.

Obviously, there are hundreds of other warnings and messages in Honda vehicles. And I've covered more or less all of them in various articles.

Honda/Acura VSA warning highlights:

• Common reasons:any issue with the VSA system
• How to fix:disconnect the battery for some time, read the codes
• Possible consequences:safety issues
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Not recommended
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$550

Hyundai and Kia - EPS warning

While there are a lot of various warnings and messages in Kia or Hyundai vehicles, the EPS warning may be one of the most common ones. This means that your car has electric power steering and right now it has a problem.

It's almost always about some minor issues like one of the sensors going bad or an electronic glitch. But sometimes, the problem may be much worse. If your car has a lot of miles on it, there is a chance that the power steering is destroyed. In this case, the price for repair will be pretty heavy.

Hyundai/Kia EPS warning highlights:

• Common reasons:problems with the power steering, dying battery
• How to fix:check the battery and alternator, read the codes
• Possible consequences:you may lose power steering
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Not recommended
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$1,500

Land Rover and Jaguar - Charging System Fault

It's not uncommon for any Land Rover or Jaguar vehicle to throw the message about the charging system problem, among various other messages. When you see this, you may be sure that the problem is in one of these units: a 12V battery, auxiliary battery, alternator, voltage regulator, or wiring.

This means that your battery doesn't get optimal charging voltage. In some cases, this message may mean that the battery is overall pretty old and inefficient and can't take any charge at all.

Fortunately, you can check a lot of factors using just a cheap multimeter. But JLR cars are very misleading when it comes to warnings and messages, so you may still need professional help.

Land Rover/Jaguar Charging system fault highlights:

• Common reasons:alternator, battery, or wiring problems
• How to fix:check the voltage invarious conditions, charge the battery
• Possible consequences:when battery dies, you willget stranded
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible but may be complicated
• Repair price range:$150-$800

Mazda - SCBS Malfunction

A lot of Mazda models can often throw the message saying Smart City Brake Support Malfunction or just SCBS Malfunction. This means that several smart functions don't work but it's not connected with brakes and overall safety.

The smart city brake support system is one of the things that helps your car automatically brake when there is an object on the road. Sometimes, this can help you avoid collisions or at least minimize the damage.

Unfortunately, this function is not perfect in Mazda cars, so it may malfunction and, among other messages, spoil your mood when you are driving your car.

Mazda SCBS Malfunction highlights:

• Common reasons:PCM issues, vacuum pump problems, oil pump early issues
• How to fix:no DIY fixes for this other than disconnecting the battery and resetting the error codes
• Possible consequences:a lot of bad things may happen if ignored
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$250-$900

Mercedes - Air Suspension Malfunction warning

While air suspension is a really comfortable and cool feature in your Mercedes, it won't last very long without problems. One of the most obvious issues you should think about is air leaks in almost any place and various error messages and lights going on the dash one by one.

One of the common warnings is the Air Suspension Malfunction message that only starts the marathon of various warnings. You will see this one when there is a leak or one of the control units malfunctions.

Before repairing this, you should obviously find the actual problem that triggers the message. Otherwise, you may spend too much money on this.

Mercedes Air Suspension Malfunction highlights:

• Common reasons:air leak, electronic problem
• How to fix:check for air leaks,take the car in for inspection
• Possible consequences:suspension may drop at anymoment
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$300-$2,000

Mini - Battery Discharged

If your Mini says "Battery Discharged", there is a high chance of issues with the battery itself. Sometimes, this may also happen when your driving conditions are extremely tough for the car and driving is concentrated mainly in the city traffic.

Short-distance driving, a lot of engine starts during the day will discharge the battery. If you see this message, it's high time to recharge the battery. But if the battery is over 4-5 years old, you may want to replace it with a new one to avoid unexpected problems.

Mini also throws other strange warnings and errors, so you may want to read the article explaining the most common ones.

Mini Battery Discharged warning highlights:

• Common reasons:low battery, power drain, bad alternator
• How to fix:check the battery voltage,replace the battery
• Possible consequences:when the battery isdead, you may get stranded
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Possible
• Repair price range:$200-$450

Nissan/Infiniti - BCI Malfunction

One of the most common error messages on the dash of Nissan and Infiniti cars (mainly the Armada and the QX60) is the BCI Malfunction warning. BCI stands for Backup Collision Intervention and this is the system that uses rear sensors to avoid hitting something when you are backing up.

The problem may be with the sensors, but there are software issues that haven't been solved yet. Nissan keeps saying that the problem is rare and only happens in certain conditions but the reports from car owners prove it's not that rare and may happen almost anytime.

Among other warnings and messages, BCI Malfunction is pretty scary as it distracts you from driving and also stops several smart functions from working properly. And there is nothing much you can do on your own to fix it.

Nissan/Infiniti BCI malfunction warning highlights:

• Common reasons:sonar problem, software problem
• How to fix:disconnect the battery for some time, update the software
• Possible consequences:BCI won't work
• Priority level:Low
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$200-$800

Subaru - RAB Disabled

Subaru cars now almost all have the RAB system - Reverse Automatic Braking. Just like such systems on other cars, RAB loves malfunctioning. When you see the RAB Disabled message in your vehicle, you should drive carefully as the vehicle won't automatically brake before hitting any object when you are backing up.

The RAB problem became one of the most common problems and is still very common now. The core reason for the issue is that the metal brackets that hold the RAB radars behind the rear bumper are very thin and are easily misshaped. When the sensor changes its position even for a millimeter, there are chances you will see RAB, BSD, RCTA, and other warnings and messages in your Subaru vehicle.

Subaru RAB disabled warning highlights:

• Common reasons:radars out of position, radars are broken, water damage, software issue
• How to fix:clean the radar area, disconnect the battery for some time, get professional help
• Possible consequences:several features won't work
• Priority level:Medium
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$100-$750

Tesla - Cruise Control Unavailable

While every single Tesla is an extremely technological vehicle, the majority of them will still fail to work properly without any errors and warnings. The more electronics your car has, the more problems you may get.

If you see the Cruise Control Unavailable message in your Tesla, it means one component that affects the adaptive cruise control is failing. It may be a wheel-speed sensor or some electronic control module. You may or may not feel any other changes in the way your Tesla behaves.

Unfortunately, diagnosing your EV on your own is almost impossible. And throwing new parts in a guessing game may be too expensive. So, the dealership is your only option to locate and solve the issue with the cruise control system. The only option for DIY repairs is to unblock the radar or camera that was blocked by something.

Tesla Cruise control unavailable warning highlights:

• Common reasons:camera or radar is blocked, battery low, software glitch
• How to fix:clean camera and radar areas, reboot the car, check the 12V battery
• Possible consequences:smart safety functions won't be working
• Priority level:Low
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Yes
• Repair price range:$0-$250

Toyota - Check Hybrid System

While Toyota failed to fight in the EV field, for now, it concentrated on making hybrid cars. And a lot of them will throw this annoying warning saying Check Hybrid System from time to time.

Whenever you see this error message, the first thing you should check is the 12V battery. This is something you can check and repair on your own with zero problems and little cost. But everything else in the hybrid system requires a lot of professional tools and knowledge to inspect and repair.

Sometimes, the Check Hybrid System message may mean that the hybrid battery is done. Usually, this happens after 100,000 miles or more. Fortunately, the hybrid battery pack is much cheaper than the battery for an EV.

Toyota Check hybrid system warning highlights:

• Common reasons:12V battery low, connection problems, hybrid battery dying
• How to fix:check the 12V battery, take it in for inspection
• Possible consequences:the vehicle may refuse to start
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Yes
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$200-$750

Volkswagen - Transmission in Emergency Mode

Among all the possible warnings in Volkswagen cars, the Transmission in Emergency Mode is one of the scariest errors. The problem is that a lot of modern VW transmissions are pretty weak. But it doesn't stop them from being extremely expensive.

So, when you see this message, there is a chance that the transmission is malfunctioning. But first, you need to check the transmission control module and the battery. When the voltage in the electrical system is not sufficient, it may end up throwing all kinds of different messages.

Of course, to locate the problem, you will most likely need to go to the dealership or at least to a specialized repair shop.

Volkswagen Transmission in emergency mode warning highlights:

• Common reasons:transmission control unit problem, low voltage, transmission problems
• How to fix:check the battery, check hoses under the hood, take it in for inspection
• Possible consequences:transmission may fail
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$200-$4,500

Volvo - Reduced Engine Performance

Modern Volvo cars are equipped with powerful yet small-sized engines. It's not uncommon for them to fail too early. But very often, engine damage is not that critical and it can be repaired by just correcting the electronics faults.

If you see the Reduced Engine Performance error message and a turtle warning light, it just means that the power of the engine has been limited by the ECU. It's not pointing you towards any specific problem and you will still need to catch the codes hidden in various control modules.

Unfortunately, until you resolve the problem, your vehicle can only be driven at a very slow speed.

Volvo Reduced engine performance warning highlights:

• Common reasons:engine management problem, actual engine damage,transmission damage
• How to fix:read the codes, disconnect the battery for some time
• Possible consequences:engine damage,transmission damage
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$800

Most common warning light - Check Engine Light

Check engine light or CEL is known to be the most common warning light you will ever see in any vehicle. This light means that there is a code in the ECU. It's not even always connected to the engine but it has something to do with the electronics of your vehicle.

Very often, the check engine light tells you about the problems with emissions or fuel combustion. But there is no way you can just guess the problem. You need to read the codes and see what exactly happens with your vehicle when it malfunctions.

The check engine light is often substituted in various cars for messages like engine malfunction or engine fault. These messages basically mean the same.

Check engine light highlights:

• Common reasons:vast choice of different problems
• How to fix:read the codes to narrow down the issue
• Possible consequences:depends on the actual culprit
• Priority level:Medium
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$1,000