What the Blue Engine Coolant Light Means

If you've ever glanced down at your dashboard in confusion at a little blue light upon starting your vehicle, we're here to tell you exactly what that little light is. It's your coolant temperature light, and its job is to indicate the temperature of your engine. When it's blue, that means your engine isn't quite at the operational driving temperature yet. In other words, the engine hasn't quite heated to the point where it's in optimum driving shape. For this reason, it's recommended that you wait until this little blue light turns off before you drive anywhere.

Other Uses

This engine coolant light turns another color you might've noticed, and that color is red! This light indicates that (you guessed it) your engine is too hot! If this light comes on, it's recommended you turn your engine off, or idle until the light goes back on. This light generally only comes on during warmer weather, but it can also make an appearance if you've been driving a lot, or hauling a large amount of equipment at high speeds. It's not necessarily a cause for concern, however, unless it turns on with seemingly no provocation, or doesn't turn off after a few minutes of no use.

Potential Issues

While you never know if a light staying on is a simple electrical issue causing the notification system to bug out or not, you should always take stock of the light staying on for long periods of time. If it remains blue and everything seems operational, then don't be too concerned. However, if the red light that indicates high engine temperatures comes up and doesn't go away, we'd recommend taking in your vehicle as soon as possible, as enhanced engine temperatures could signify all sorts of problems in an internal combustion engine. It's always better to err on the safe side, even if it's probably nothing.

If your engine coolant light has been giving you trouble, then we invite you to bring your vehicle into our auto repair shop! We'd be happy to answer any and all of the questions you might have.