Question: What does the wrench dash light mean on my car?
Answer: A yellow wrench dash light is typically a car’s way of telling you it’s time to get your vehicle serviced. This could be as simple as an oil change or something more specific if the system has encountered an error or you have passed a mileage milestone that recommends a specific service. Pay attention to whether the wrench signal is accompanied by other lights or symbols such as exclamation points, circles or is flashing. These can indicate more serious issues. If your car’s essential maintenance goes unaddressed, it could lead to larger issues later on.
You can check your owner’s manual for additional information about your vehicle’s wrench light, what it means and how you should respond when it turns on. Technicians often use special monitoring devices to retrieve a specific code associated with a warning light that will give more specific information about the required service.
Can you drive with the wrench warning light on?
Since the wrench warning light is telling you that your car needs routine maintenance or service it is not advisable to ignore it. Continuing to drive your vehicle when it needs service can cause long-term problems. Your safest bet is to take it to a local mechanic or repair shop so they can further diagnose the problem or error code associated with the warning light.
Some cars, such as a Honda Fit, will also display a code along with the warning light. Your car’s user manual should provide information on understanding what that code indicates without taking it in first. If you’re willing to research based on the error code details, this will give you more information about the potential service needed and the costs associated with any repairs and labor.
Does the wrench warning light vary by car type?
Some car brands use the wrench warning light to indicate certain types of issues, but this can vary depending on the make and model. For example, on Ford Trucks it can often be associated with a powertrain problem whereas with other types it simply is a warning to take the car in for service and further diagnostics.
How do you reset the wrench warning light?
The process of resetting the wrench warning light varies depending on your vehicle’s make and model. Assuming you are taking your car in for service or further diagnostics, simply ask the repair technician to reset the light once they’re done. If for some reason you had the car serviced and fixed, but the technician did not reset the light for you, head to Google with the specifics of your car and you should be able to locate a procedure to reset the wrench warning light. Your car’s owner’s manual might also have information on how to do this.
Kevin Berry is the Senior Director of Content at Jerry and has been working in the digital content space since 2011 across the car insurance/repair, personal finance, travel and sports industries. Prior to Jerry, Kevin was a content team lead at NerdWallet overseeing the Multimedia Production and Travel Rewards teams. Previously, he worked for NBC Sports, Comcast Cable and Nike. He has a Master`s Degree from Arkansas State and a Bachelor`s from Oregon State University.
Giselle Gomez is an editor with over a decade of experience editing content across personal finance, education, travel, and sports. In editing for Jerry, Giselle’s focus is on making sure content is consumer and SEO-friendly and helping readers understand all things car ownership. In prior roles, she worked as a content strategist, syndication editor, and writer. Her work is featured in AP, NerdWallet.com, BestColleges.com, and more. Giselle holds a master’s degree from Arizona State University.
