Chevy Dashboard Warning Lights
Wareing Sheridan Chevrolet
A light that flashes at startup is often a bulb check. A light that stays on after that is the truck asking for a closer look. Chevrolet’s own guide is the list that matches your year and model.
This page follows Chevrolet’s dashboard lights article, checked October 15, 2026. It covers the Chevy dashboard symbols and meanings people call about most: the check engine light, oil pressure, coolant, the brake system warning, the antilock brake system, tire pressure, and the airbag readiness light. It is not a remote diagnosis. The owner’s manual for your VIN is the picture of the icon. Our service department in Sheridan is where the truck gets scanned.
On a gas vehicle, Chevrolet’s first step is simple. Turn the vehicle off and leave it off for two minutes before you restart and see if the light returns. That restart is not the advice for an EV. Some EV faults can keep the vehicle from starting again. Follow the article or the owner’s manual for that model.
Start here
What to do first
Startup flash
Many lights blink when you turn the key so you can see the bulb works.
Stays on
Chevrolet treats a light that remains on as a fault. Plan a dealer visit.
Pull over
Brake, oil pressure, and coolant lights mean stop when it is safe.
Airbag light
If the airbag readiness light stays on, Chevrolet says see a dealer immediately.
Check engine, oil, and coolant
Chevrolet calls the check engine light the malfunction indicator lamp. You will see this check engine light when the vehicle detects a malfunction with the engine or propulsion system. On an electric vehicle it can appear with a charging problem. Chevrolet says to get the vehicle serviced as soon as possible. The check engine light can show up before you feel a change in how it drives.
The engine oil pressure light comes on when you start the engine. If this oil warning light comes on during a drive, Chevrolet says pull over and shut the engine off as soon as it is safe. Check the oil and add oil if the level is below the normal range. Restart. If the light stays on for more than 10 seconds, turn the vehicle off and do not restart it.
The coolant temperature warning means the vehicle has overheated. Driving with it on can damage the engine, and Chevrolet notes that damage may not be covered by the warranty. Pull over and shut the engine off as soon as you can. Plan on a tow to the dealer.
The low fuel warning light means you need fuel. If it stays on after you fill the tank, have the truck checked. The charging system light comes on briefly at startup. If that charging system light stays on during a drive, Chevrolet says there may be a problem with the vehicle’s electrical system. Do not treat it as a dead battery you can ignore.
Brake, ABS, and StabiliTrak lights
The brake system warning light flashes at startup to show the bulb works. If it comes on and stays on, Chevrolet says there is a brake problem, and low brake fluid can turn it on too. If you are driving, pull over as soon as it is safe and stop carefully. Vehicle speed may be limited, the pedal may feel harder, and the truck may take longer to stop. If the light is still on after you stop, have the vehicle towed.
An antilock brake system light by itself means the regular brakes still work and the antilock brake system does not. If the ABS light and the brake system warning light are both on, Chevrolet says ABS is out and there is a problem with the regular brakes. See a dealer. Turning the 4WD front axle lock on can light ABS, since that setting disables it. If the electric parking brake light stays on after you release it, or the service electric parking brake light stays on, Chevrolet says take the truck to a dealer.
A flashing traction control system light means the system is working. A solid light that is not flashing can mean the traction control system or electronic stability control needs service. If you turned electronic stability control off on purpose, the off light is expected. Trailer sway control, when the truck has it, uses the brakes to calm a trailer. Our StabiliTrak guide walks through that system in more detail.
Tire pressure and the airbag light
The tire pressure light flashes at startup on vehicles with a tire pressure monitoring system. If it stays on, a tire is significantly underinflated. Check the cold pressure against the placard in the door. If the tire pressure indicator keeps flashing when you start the vehicle, the tire pressure monitoring system itself may need service. Chevrolet’s tire page says the system can alert when a tire is 25 percent below the recommended cold pressure, and a blinking yellow light that lasts more than a minute and then stays solid means you should schedule a diagnostic.
The airbag readiness light is not a light to drive around. Chevrolet says if it stays on, the vehicle needs dealer service immediately. Seat belt reminders mean buckle up. If the passenger airbag On and Off lights are both lit, that is a dealer visit too.
Have the light read in Sheridan
Tell the advisor which light is on, whether it flashed at startup, and whether it stayed on. Bring the truck in if the brakes, oil, coolant, or airbag light is involved. Do not clear a code and hope the fault left with it.
Common questions
What should I do if a Chevy warning light stays on?
Match the icon to the owner’s manual. On a gas vehicle, Chevrolet says turn it off and wait two minutes before a restart. If the light returns, have the truck serviced. Do not use that restart on an EV.
Is a flashing light at startup a problem?
Many Chevrolet lights flash when you start the vehicle so you can see the bulb works. A light that stays on after that is the one to take seriously.
What if the oil or brake light comes on during a drive?
Pull over when it is safe. For oil pressure, shut the engine off, check the oil, and do not keep restarting if the light stays on more than 10 seconds. For the brake light, stop carefully and have the vehicle towed if the light remains on.
Where can I have the light checked in Sheridan?
Wareing Sheridan Chevrolet can scan the truck in the service department. Tell them which symbol stayed on. The owner’s manual is still the picture of that icon for your model year.
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