Land Rover Dashboard Warning Lights

Take the hazard out of guessing and learn what the most common warning lights mean

About your Land Rover's safety features

Your Land Rover has a range of safety systems relying on sensors and safety mechanisms to ensure that your vehicle is working at its optimum performance while ensuring full protection for other road users and passengers.

We have created this simple guide to help you understand each of the common warning lights that may appear on your Land Rover. It is important that you know how to respond to each warning light to reduce any additional damage to your vehicle and to ensure that your vehicle is safe.

What the Land Rover warning light symbols mean

If the lamp remains on or comes on while driving, there is a fault with the battery charging system. You’ll find a warning message on the instrument panel.

The seat belt sign will come on and a chime will sound if a passenger or driver unbuckles their belt while the car is in motion. The lamp will go out again when the relevant seat belt is buckled.

The brake warning lamp illuminates briefly when the ignition is switched on. It should go out and stay off while you’re driving. If it comes on, you could have a fault in your brake system or be running low on brake fluid.

The critical warning message lamp will come on to warn you when an important message displays in the instrument panel.

If the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) warning lamp illuminates, the level of DEF is seriously low. Follow the on-screen messages; your Land Rover will not run when the DEF reservoir has run dry. The lamp also illuminates if the incorrect fluid has been added to the system, or if there is a fault with the system.

The engine temperature warning lamp comes on when the engine's temperature is too high. The instrument panel also displays a warning message. Stop as soon as you can safely do so.

If the DEF reservoir runs out completely, the car will stop rather than risk damaging the engine. The warning lamp illuminates red to warn the driver that the level of DEF is seriously low. It also comes on red if the incorrect fluid has been added to the system, or if there is a fault with the system.

When the lane departure feature is active, you should always use your direction indicators before crossing a lane marking. If you don’t do so, the red lane departure warning lamp will illuminate.

If the low oil pressure warning lamp flashes or illuminates while driving, stop the vehicle as soon as you can do so safely. Switch off the engine immediately. Check and top up the oil level, if necessary.

The Hill Descent Control (HDC) lamp illuminates continuously when the HDC system is selected and the system is controlling a steep descent. If the lamp flashes, HDC has been selected, but the operating conditions are not being met or HDC fade-out is occurring.

The airbag warning lamp illuminates, as a bulb check, when the vehicle's ignition is switched on. The lamp should go out again after 6 seconds. If the lamp illuminates again while driving, there is a fault with the airbag system.

The ABS warning lamp comes on briefly, as a bulb check, when the ignition is switched on. If the lamp remains on, or comes on while driving, there is a fault with the ABS system (though the brakes will still work). Drive with care, avoiding heavy braking.

The brake warning lamp illuminates briefly when the vehicle's ignition is switched on to check the bulb is working. If the lamp shows amber after starting the engine, or while driving, the cause could be worn brake pads or a fault with the braking system.

If the lamp illuminates when the engine is running, there’s an emissions-related fault. The vehicle is safe to drive with the lamp illuminated, but you should report the fault as soon as possible. While the lamp is on the vehicle may enter limp-home mode, which reduces vehicle performance to prevent further damage.

If the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) warning lamp lights up amber, it means that the level of DEF is running low. The warning lamp also shows amber if the wrong fluid has been added to the system, or if there is a fault with the system.

The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) lamp flashes when the system is triggered. If there is a fault with the system, it remains illuminated and the instrument panel displays a warning message. You can still drive, but the DSC assistance won’t be on, so proceed with caution.

The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) OFF shows when the system is switched off. The lamp is accompanied by a chime and a confirmation message in the instrument panel.

If the filter has failed to regenerate and is starting to become full, the exhaust warning light comes on amber. The instrument panel also displays a warning message. Follow the on-screen messages when it is safe to do so.

The external temperature lamp illuminates when the external temperature is low enough for ice to form on the road.

The follow mode lamp illuminates when the adaptive cruise control system is in follow mode, i.e. maintaining a set distance from the vehicle in front.

The general warning and information lamp illuminates to let you know that a non-critical warning message, or an information message, is displayed in the instrument panel.

The glow plug lamp illuminates when the vehicle's ignition is switched on, to indicate that the glow plugs are active and helping the engine to start.

The low fuel warning lamp illuminates when the fuel level is low. You should refuel at the earliest opportunity. The arrow shows which side of the vehicle the fuel filler flap is located.