The Subaru Warning Light That Could Save You From An Expensive Engine Rebuild

Warning lights on your Subaru Crosstrek, Outback, Forester, and other model instrument panels have all kinds of purposes. The report and video quiz below will help you understand what they mean and could save you from an expensive engine rebuild.

Do you know what all the warning lights on the instrument panel of the Subaru Crosstrek, Outback, Forester, and other models mean? Some are purely informational, and others require attention at some point in the future, and some you should have your Subaru retailer investigate immediately, which could keep you paying for an expensive engine rebuild.

There are over a dozen warning and informational lights on the dashboard of your Subaru vehicle. Some are there to provide additional information to help you operate the car safely, like the high beam indicator light, for example.

And some lights are active warnings that alert you to malfunctions that can be dangerous to you or your vehicle, like an alert from your tire pressure monitoring system that one or more of your tires are dangerously low on air pressure. This warning light could keep you from being involved in an accident or changing a tire on the side of the road.

Why did these lights illuminate?

Your Subaru vehicle has a sophisticated onboard computer that monitors thousands of data points in the performance of the entire emissions system, from the fuel tank to the oxygen sensor. There are common problems that the system identifies, like evaporative leaks. The evaporation of unburned fuel is bad for the environment, so Subaru's system detects leaks. Sometimes all it takes is to tighten or replace the gas cap, which fixes the problem.

Another problem is not so common but could be serious. Misfires occur when fuel combustion does not occur correctly or at the right time. Causes include valve misadjustment, faulty coils, old spark plugs, and bad wires.

Another warning light is a failing catalytic converter. Catalytic converters reduce harmful emissions but can lose efficiency as they age.

Oil control valves sensing low oil.

The check engine yellow light is solid (middle left of the cluster). If you see this, you can temporarily drive your Subaru without damaging it. The solid check engine light indicates that your car requires attention, but not immediately.

If the check engine light is flashing, your Subaru has a more severe problem, and driving more than a few minutes might damage your valves, catalytic converter, or other emission components. It is rare to see a flashing check engine light, so, likely, you will never see one.

However, if you are driving and your check engine light starts to flash, take the next exit where you can safely park the vehicle and shut the engine off. Call roadside assistance to have the vehicle towed to the nearest Subaru retailer.

Why are there other lights on?

To work correctly, the cruise and vehicle dynamics control systems require a powertrain operating at peak efficiency. When the check engine light senses a problem, your Subaru deactivates those other systems to avoid erratic performance.

The video quiz below provides visual examples of these warning and informational lights to help you understand what they mean and how to respond.

If you have more questions about any of the lights, audible warnings, or gauges on the dashboard of your Subaru Crosstrek, Outback, Forester, or another model, be sure to visit your Subaru retailer. Knowing your Subaru warning lights could save you from expensive repairs.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report, where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru