Porsche Dashboard
Red Warning Lights & Symbols Explained

Understanding Porsche Red Dashboard Warning Lights

If you see a red warning light or symbol on your Porsche dashboard, it’s important to take the appropriate action. This section covers what to do when red lights or symbols appear on your Porsche dashboard.

Some of the red symbols can also appear as yellow ones. The red symbol or light is clearly there as a warning to you, but often the symbol and its meaning is not that clear. Later cars feature more message based driver information and we have sections dedicated to the dashboard messages.

If you see a red warning light do not ignore it. Check our guide below to see how to react and what to do next. The symbols shown below are the most common red versions and the ones to not ignore! If we helped you, please help us.

Porsche Red Warning Lights & Symbols

Engine Temperature Warning

Looks like a red thermometer in red water. This symbol indicates that the engine coolant temperature is at a dangerously high level.

Next Step – stop immediately and let the engine cool. Have the car towed to a Porsche specialist to diagnose the cause of the overheating condition. Overheating a Porsche engine is usually catastrophic and a very expensive repair!

Low Fuel Warning

Looks like a red gas pump with snake coming out the side! This symbol indicates a very low fuel situation and the red version typically indicates completely empty.

What to do next – gas up real quick! Don’t drive the car if at all possible with this light on. If on the other hand you know the fuel tank is full, this light would indicate a faulty fuel level sender. The fuel gauge should also be unresponsive.

Engine Oil Pressure Warning

Looks like a red oil can. This symbol indicates no or too low oil pressure in the engine. You never want to see this symbol!

Next Step – Do not run the engine and tow the car to a Porsche specialist. low oil pressure can do significant damage to an engine and it’s important to determine if the engine has low oil pressure or if this symbol is erroneous based on a faulty sensor.

Safety Restraint System and Airbag Fault

Looks like a red person strapped in a chair with a large red ball on their knees. This symbol indicates a failure in the safety restraint system.

What to do next – Yes, this is an air bag light, but it does not necessarily mean a fault with an air bag per se. This symbol indicates a fault in the safety system that controls seat belts, tensioners, airbags, and the occupancy safety system. Go to a Porsche specialist as soon as possible to diagnose this fault.

Battery Charging and Electrical System Fault

Looks like red oblong with plus and minus signs. This symbol indicates a fault in the battery charging and vehicle electrical system.

Next step – Switch off and get the car to a Porsche specialist. This could be as simple as a battery failure, however, it is more likely to be an alternator or power management fault. Do not drive the car. It’s much simpler to diagnose this condition if you don’t initially replace the battery.

ABS Fault Light

Looks like a red circle with ABS in the center. This is an ABS brake system warning. It can also be seen in yellow.

What to do next – Don’t drive the car. It’s important to identify why the ABS system is reporting a fault. This is a very important safety system that controls the brakes. Seek help from a Porsche Specialist.

Chassis System or Suspension Fault

Looks like the outline of a car with an up and down arrow. This is the chassis system or suspension fault indicator light or symbol.

What to do next – This fault light or symbol usually suggests an inability to manage vehicle ride height, and can be dangerous. We recommend you don’t drive the car and seek the help of a Porsche specialist as soon as possible.

Brake Pad Wear Indicator

Looks like a red circle with dots around the outside. This symbol or light is often also seen in yellow or orange. It indicates that the brake pad material is worn to a minimum safe level.

Next step – Brake pads, sensor, and rotor replacement will be necessary at this time. The warning comes on with a few miles left on the brakes, so it is safe to drive for a short distance.

Brake System Fault

Looks like a red circle with exclamation point, red ears, and sometimes the word, brake. This symbol indicates a fault in the braking system.

Next step – Not having brakes is a serious safety situation! Do not drive the car and have it towed to a Porsche specialist who can diagnose the cause. This could be brake force distribution issues, a failed stuck parking brake, or an electrical fault.

Transmission Fault

Looks like a red cog with an exclamation point. This symbol indicates a transmission fault.

Next step – Do not drive the car. Tow the car to a Porsche specialist and have them diagnose the cause of the transmission fault or failure. Transmission repairs are expensive on Porsche, so the quicker this situation is diagnosed the less damage can occur.

General System Fault Warning

Looks like an exclamation point and can also be seen in yellow. This is a general system fault warning and can indicate a number of faults within the vehicle systems.

What to do next – it’s important to go through the system messages to understand where this general fault is coming from. In worst circumstances, you will just see this red symbol and the car will be completely unresponsive. Seek the help of a Porsche specialist if that happens.

Driver’s Key Fault Light

Looks like a key! This warning light suggests a malfunction with the reading of the driver’s key. It can also be seen as a yellow light.

What to do next – with push button start this could just be an indication that the key is not in a good position to be read. In the center console is the perfect place. The red version of this light usually indicates a more significant problem than the battery in the key becoming weak. You need the key, so we recommend you investigate this quickly.

Seat Belt Warning

Looks like a red person strapped down by red and white belts. This symbol is the seat belt safety warning light. It suggests a seat belt is not being worn by an occupant and is usually accompanied by a very annoying noise.

Next step – have the occupant put on the seat belt! If this light fails to go out with the belt buckled, a occupancy sensor or belt buckle sensor may have failed. Diagnosis of this safety system at a Porsche specialist is needed as soon as possible.