What Does the Wrench Icon on the Car Dashboard Mean?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 10, 2023

The wrench light on a car dashboard means that the vehicle is due for maintenance. Different automakers use variations of this light, such as a car with a wrench in the middle, but a wrench is always incorporated in some way.

Modern cars have over a dozen warning lights placed in the dashboards, such as lights for oil pressure, coolant temperature, battery, park assist, and the check engine light. The oil pressure light means that the engine is not receiving enough oil, while the check engine light, officially called a malfunction indicator light, means that there is an issue with the emissions system – if it is blinking, it requires immediate attention.