// Dashboard Warning Light
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
🛑 Stop immediatelyred light
🛑
Stop driving immediately. This warning indicates a condition that can cause severe mechanical damage or create a safety hazard if ignored.
What it means
Your engine is overheating. This is a critical situation — continued driving can warp the cylinder head, blow the head gasket, or seize the engine entirely. Repair costs can exceed $3,000 if ignored.
What to do
- 1Pull over safely and turn off the engine immediately
- 2Do NOT open the radiator cap — pressurized coolant can cause severe burns
- 3Wait at least 30 minutes before checking coolant level
- 4Check for obvious coolant leaks around the engine bay
- 5Have the car towed — do not attempt to drive to a shop
Related OBD-II codes
If your scanner returns one of these codes, use MyOBDCode to decode it for full repair cost estimates.
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