Dynamo, brakes, oil pressure, ABS, stability control, airbags, windscreen wiper water, engine control – all drivers really should be familiar with the warning lights on the dashboard of their car. After all, they’re described in detail in the owner’s manual. But who actually takes the trouble to read up on them? So when a warning light goes on, drivers are naturally uncertain. Drive on or stop immediately? Call a tow service truck, or try and make it to the next garage? As a rule of thumb, Philip Puls of Technischer Überwachungs-Verein SÜD recommends, “Red means stop, but yellow or other colours are usually a sign that the driver can continue. If the light indicates a safety-relevant factor like the brakes, even an orange light is a warning to find the nearest workshop as fast as possible. But always take a look at the owner’s manual to make sure, and check all fluid levels too.”