Question: A warning light has been on in my car that looks to be the same exact light that turns on when I use cruise control—only it’s orange instead of green. Weirdly, it still turns green when I set my cruise speed, and that seems to work fine. What does the cruise control warning light actually mean?
Answer: A green cruise control light means that your cruise control is on and active. But if your dashboard cruise control light is amber, yellow, or orange, it usually means one of two things:
- Standby: You’ve turned on your cruise control system but have not set a speed.
- Warning: There’s an error with your cruise control system.
If you didn’t activate cruise control before the light appeared on your dash, your car’s computer is likely registering an error with the system. You might also see a blinking exclamation mark beside your cruise control icon.
Note: On some vehicles, a yellow light indicates that the cruise control system is in standby mode, while the orange light is a warning that there’s a problem with the system.
What to do if you see a dashboard cruise control warning light
Sometimes, a minor technical glitch can cause your cruise control warning light to come on. In this case, the fix might be as simple as turning your car off, then back on again.
But if the light reappears after you restart your vehicle, there’s probably an underlying issue. Try scanning your vehicle with an OBD-II code reader to see if your engine is sending a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) that can give you more information about the issue.
OBD codes related to the cruise control system may include:
- P0525, P0582, P0583, P0584, P2591, P2592: Error with the cruise control switch
- P0564, P0565, P0566, P0567, P0568, P0569, P056A, P056B, P0585: Error with the cruise control switch or engine control unit (ECU)
- P0570: Cruise control acceleration issue, possibly resulting from an error in the cruise control switch or ECU
- P0571, P0572, P0573: Error with the parking brake switch, cruise control switch, or ECU
- P0574, P0575, P0576, P0577, P0578, P0579, P0580, P0581, P0589, P0590, P0591, P0592, P0593: Error with the cruise control switch, cruise control connector, or ECU
- P0586, P0587, P0588: Error with the cruise control switch or cruise control connector
- P0594, P0595, P0596: Error with cruise control connector or ECU
If your dashboard cruise control warning light is on, don’t just ignore the problem. Avoid using cruise control until you can have your car checked out by a licensed technician. If you leave the issue untreated, you’re more likely to need significant (and expensive) car repairs down the road.
Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.
Everett Cook is an award-winning journalist and editor with more than 10 years of experience across a variety of industries. In editing for Jerry, Everett’s mission is to help readers have a better understanding of the costs of owning or leasing a car and to better understand their vehicle in terms of insurance and repairs. Prior to joining Jerry, Everett was an editor for Axios. His previous work has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Atlantic, Atlantic Re:think, The Boston Globe, USA Today, and others. He’s also been a freelance writer and editor with experience in SEO, audience building, and long-term content roadmaps. Everett is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.
