Would you know if your car was overheating? The warning light many motorists don’t recognise

Motorists have been left scratching their heads over the meanings of different warning lights on their car dashboards.

And some drivers have been shocked to learn the meaning of the red symbol which looks like two wavy lines with a thermometer sticking out. 

Many drivers would not know if their car was overheating before it was too late which runs the risk of being stranded in the middle of nowhere – and saving thousands on potential repairs.

Some cars have a light-up dashboard symbol that will warn the driver if the car is overheating – the engine cooling warning light.

But some who have seen it light up on their jalopies have been confused over what the odd-looking symbol means.

Drivers have been shocked to learn the meaning of the red dashboard warning light which looks like two wavy lines with a thermometer sticking out – it means your car is overheating

If your engine gets too hot then it can cause pricey damage to your car or even irreparably damage the engine (stock photo)

‘What does the symbol that looks like a thermometer/tree in water mean in a car?’ one user asked on Twitter.

And another user, unperturbed by their cars dire warning, wrote: ‘I’m going to just keep ignoring the squiggly lines light on my dashboard. I don’t need no more unexpected bills this month.’

But a concerned fellow driver urged them to get it checked out, replying: ‘Squiggly line under a thermometer symbol you need to check your coolant asap.’

The engine cooling warning light is the most unrecognised dashboard symbol by British motorists, with 80 per cent unable to correctly identify it, according to a survey by ATS Euromaster.

But the warning light tells drivers that the engine is overheating, so if you see the light come on while driving you should pull over your car as soon as you can safely do so and switch off the engine.

You should then open the car bonnet – from the cabin if possible – and leave your car turned off for at least half an hour to cool down, the RAC say.

Experts at Halfords say that if your engine gets too hot then it can cause pricey damage to your car. You could even irreparably damage the engine.

The warning light also usually indicates that engine coolant levels are running low, so a refill is likely to be a top priority.

You should never remove the radiator cap or expansion tank cap of an overheated engine as it is pressurised and could lead to severe steam burns.

Cars use engine coolant, commonly known as antifreeze as it does not freeze at low temperatures, to dissipate heat created by fuel being burned in the engine and the friction of the car’s moving parts.

Vehicles usually have a coolant reservoir with markings for minimum and maximum fill levels – when the engine is cold the level should be between the two marks.

Once the engine has cooled you should check the coolant levels. If it is too low you should top it up with a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water (or a pre-mixed antifreeze) by pouring it into the reservoir.

In an pinch, you can use clean tap water, but never cold water, if you do not have any antifreeze on hand – but it should be added at the earliest opportunity.

Many drivers would not know if their car was overheating before it was too late which runs the risk of being stranded in the middle of nowhere – and saving thousands on potential repairs (stock photo)

The engine cooling warning light is the most unrecognised dashboard symbol by British motorists, with 80 per cent unable to correctly identify it

If you overfill the antifreeze reservoir this can damage the entire cooling system.

If topping up the coolant does not get your car working or it is full, you will have to call recovery services to pick you and your car up, and the issue may be more serious.

The effectiveness of antifreeze fades over time as it degrades, so your engine will be unable to stay as cool as efficiently. If left like this, this can cause issues which are far more expensive than a bottle of coolant.

Antifreeze needs to be replaced between every three and five years – depending on how often you use your car, its age, and the temperature of where you drive.

If your car is constantly overheating despite a new change of antifreeze, it is possible the cooling system in your car has a leak, so you should get this checked by a mechanic.