How often should you service your car in New Zealand?
Months or kilometres, petrol, diesel or EV: how to work out the right service interval for your car, and when to service sooner.
Read article →The short answer
Red warning lights generally mean stop driving as soon as it is safe; amber lights generally mean get the car checked soon. A flashing engine light means stop. Meanings vary between makes, so check your handbook, and if a light stays on, have the car scanned and the cause found rather than just reset.
Dashboard warning lights are the car's way of telling you something is wrong. They are not all equally urgent, and the symbols vary between makes, so use this guide as a starting point and check your handbook for the exact meaning on your car.
Colour is the first clue
- Red: a serious fault or a safety issue. Stop driving as soon as it is safe to do so.
- Amber or yellow: a fault that needs attention soon. You can usually keep driving carefully to a workshop, but do not ignore it.
- Green or blue: information, such as lights or cruise control being on.
- Flashing: usually more urgent than the same light steady.
The common ones
Engine (check engine) light
Amber, steady: the engine management system has logged a fault. Get it scanned soon. Amber, flashing: usually a misfire that can damage the catalytic converter, so ease off and stop driving as soon as you can. See diagnostics.
Oil pressure light
Red. Stop immediately and switch off. Running an engine without oil pressure can wreck it in minutes. Check the oil level and call for help rather than driving on.
Battery or charging light
Red. The charging system is not charging, which could be the alternator, belt or battery. The car will run on battery power for a short time, so head for a workshop, avoiding unnecessary electrical loads.
Coolant temperature light
Red. The engine is overheating. Stop safely, switch off and let it cool before checking coolant. Driving an overheating engine can cause expensive damage.
Brake system light
Red. It can mean the handbrake is still on, low brake fluid, or a hydraulic fault. If the handbrake is off and the light stays on, do not keep driving; get the brakes checked. See brake repairs.
ABS light
Amber. The normal brakes still work, but anti-lock braking is not available. Get it checked soon.
Airbag (SRS) light
Amber or red. The airbag system has a fault and may not deploy in a crash. Get it checked promptly; it also fails a WOF.
Tyre pressure (TPMS) light
Amber. One or more tyres are low, or the system has a fault. Check pressures. If it flashes and then stays on, the monitoring system may have a fault.
Power steering light
Amber or red. Steering may become heavy. Drive carefully to a workshop.
Electric and hybrid vehicles
EVs and hybrids have their own warnings: high-voltage system faults, reduced-power or "limp" indicators, charging faults, and a 12V battery warning. A red high-voltage warning means stop and call for help rather than keep driving. A weak 12V battery can trigger a surprising string of unrelated warnings. See EV and hybrid servicing.
Warning lights and your WOF
Airbags are part of a WOF inspection, so an airbag warning light that stays on can stop a pass, and from 1 November 2026 NZTA says inspections also check driver-assistance warning indicators on vehicles that have them, with a malfunction needing to be fixed. See the WOF changes and why cars fail a WOF.
Do not just reset it
Clearing a light with a scan tool does not fix the cause, and the light will usually return. It can also wipe useful fault information. Get the fault read, the cause found and the repair done, then clear the light.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive with the check engine light on?
If it is steady and the car drives normally, you can usually drive carefully to a workshop, but get it checked soon. If it is flashing, or the car is running badly, stop as soon as it is safe.
What does a red warning light mean?
Red generally means a serious fault or safety issue. Stop driving as soon as it is safe, and check your handbook for the specific warning.
Why did a warning light come on and then go off?
Some faults are intermittent, or the system re-tested and passed. The fault code is usually still stored, so it is worth having it read.
Will a warning light fail my WOF?
It can. Airbags are part of the inspection, so an airbag light that stays on is a problem, and other warning lights can point to faults that fail an inspection. From November 2026, driver-assistance warning indicators are checked too. Have lights diagnosed before your WOF.
Written by the GVI Service Centre team. We are an independent workshop in Penrose, Auckland, servicing petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles. Facts about NZ rules are checked against NZTA and other official sources at the date shown; always confirm anything important with the source.
