Nissan dashboard symbols
The dashboard lights Nissan names in its own way, and where the rest are explained.
Nissan's owner's manuals name each warning light and indicator light, and some of the names are Nissan's own. Their tables of contents list the lights by colour, red, yellow and the rest, and Nissan's master warning light can be either red or yellow: it comes on when a warning message appears in the vehicle information display.
Nissan's names for the lights
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) is the check engine light, the charge warning light is the battery light, and the supplemental air bag warning light is the airbag light. The engine oil pressure warning light is the oil pressure light. The manuals separate a steady Malfunction Indicator Light, an emission control system malfunction for which they say the car need not be towed to the dealer, from a blinking one: an engine misfire that may damage the emission control system. The brake warning light, the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) warning light and the low tire pressure warning light are the brake, ABS and tire pressure lights, and the electric power steering warning light is the power steering light. For the brake warning light, the Rogue and Sentra manuals say that if the driver judges it safe, they should drive carefully to the nearest service station for repairs, and otherwise have the vehicle towed.
Nissan's stability control is Vehicle Dynamic Control, VDC. The car with skid marks that blinks while VDC or the traction control system is working is Nissan's slip indicator light, the stability control light on other makes; the manuals say it alerts the driver that the vehicle is nearing its traction limits.
Lights of Nissan's own
The VDC OFF indicator light comes on when VDC is turned off, and shows that the VDC system is not operating.
Where Nissan sends you
Nissan's manuals recommend visiting a NISSAN dealer for checks and work on the systems these lights watch over, from the air bags to the seat belts.
Sources
- 2024 Nissan Rogue Owner’s Manual, Nissan North America, 2. Instruments and controls: Warning lights, indicator lights and audible reminders
- 2024 Nissan Sentra Owner’s Manual, Nissan North America, 2. Instruments and controls
- 2020 Nissan LEAF Owner's Manual, Nissan North America, 2. Instruments and controls
Last reviewed September 28, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research