RAM Warning Lights Guide: Symbols and Meanings

Whether it’s the RAM 1500 , RAM 2500 , RAM 3500 , or any other incarnation, you can be sure that your Ram is a reliable, stable truck that rarely has any problems. Part of the reason for this reliability is that your truck tells you the minute that there’s a concern through a system of warning lights. But there’s no point in having this system if you don’t know what these warning lights mean, and unfortunately, it’s not always obvious.

The team at Campbell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (CDJR) in Benton, Arkansas, has written this article to take you through some of the most common warning lights you’ll encounter on your Ram and give you an idea of what you should do if you see them illuminated. We’ve divided these lights up by color: They will either be red, yellow, green, or white and blue.

The red warning lights typically indicate something happening that could be dangerous or unsafe. Here are the ones that you might encounter:

• Seat belt indicator : This is the first red warning light you’ll be likely to encounter. It looks a little like the front view of a passenger with a buckled seatbelt, and if it’s lighting up, it means that someone in your Ram hasn’t attached their seatbelt.
• Airbags: This warning light that looks a little like a side view of a passenger with a circle in the front means that there’s a problem with your Ram’s airbags.
• Brake lights: Helpfully, the brake light indicator on a Ram displays the word “BRAKE” to alert you that you’ve engaged the brakes. The key point with this light is to recognize that if you don’t see it and you’ve engaged the brakes, there may be a problem with your Ram’s braking system.
• Oil pressure: This is the kind of oil lamp-style image that you get on most vehicles. If the oil pressure is low, it could be quite serious, so we recommend that you get your vehicle checked out by a mechanic as quickly as possible.
• Engine temperature: This light looks a little like a thermometer, and when it’s on, it means the engine temperature is too high, and the engine may be overheating. This could indicate other problems, such as a lack of coolant or a problem in the system, so it’s worth giving it attention.
• Electronic throttle control: This is a lightning bolt-shaped light, and when it’s illuminated, it indicates a problem with the electronic throttle system.

This light is in the shape of an engine and could indicate a variety of possible issues, from relatively insignificant to immediate problems, so it’s always best to take it seriously. When it’s illuminated, you should check the engine or take it to the shop for a professional to have a closer look.

This is a light with the letters ABS on it, and it informs you that there’s a problem with the braking system. The ABS prevents the wheels from locking up when braking by rapidly pumping and releasing the brakes, which reduces the risk of skidding. A malfunction in this system can cause you problems in an emergency situation, so it’s worth getting this checked out as soon as possible if this warning light is on.

This looks like a car with tread lines that weave in and out, and when it’s on, it indicates that your vehicle’s electronic stability control is active. This is a system that helps you maintain control of the vehicle in slippery situations or where you have to complete abrupt maneuvers or work in difficult conditions. If this system detects that your vehicle is losing traction, it can apply the brakes to the individual wheels and adjust the engine torque to bring it back under control.

It’s a neat system that can significantly reduce the risk of crashes, especially if you’re changing lanes in an emergency, so it’s a good feature to have.

This light shows a thermometer in a gear, and when it’s lit, it means that the temperature of the transmission system is unusually high. This can indicate a serious issue with the transmission and is well worth checking out as soon as you possibly can.

Green and blue lights usually indicate that a system is on standby and is ready to activate. These lights aren’t so much warning lights as information lights. That said, it’s important to know if your full beams are on to avoid blinding oncoming traffic, so you can think of green lights as a low-importance system activated, and blue lights indicate a more significant system that might be dangerous in the wrong context.

• Headlights : A headlight icon illuminates when you put your Ram’s dipped beams on. Full beams are indicated by a change in the icon and color to blue.
• Fog lights: An icon with vertical lines and a horizontal line lights up green when you activate the fog lights.
• Cruise control: This light is an icon of a speedometer with an arrow directed toward it, and it activates when you engage your Ram’s cruise control. When the arrow is absent, but the green light is on, it means that cruise control is ready to be activated.

Knowing what these lights mean is the first part of the process. The next thing to do is to gauge their seriousness and know how to respond when they light up. Some, such as the transmission temperature gauge, might need immediate attention. Others, such as the electronic throttle system, might be less serious.

Whatever the problem, you don’t want to leave it to chance, so make sure you get your Ram truck checked over by a professional. At Campbell CDJR of Benton, Arkansas, we have plenty of experience spotting all sorts of issues that might crop up, so if any of these warning lights are giving you concern, drop us a line , and we’ll be happy to help.

Dodge RAM 1500 2012 27 by Kārlis Dambrāns is licensed with CC BY 2.0