idiot light
Glowing dash alert
An idiot light is a warning indicator on a vehicle's dashboard that lights up when something is wrong—low oil pressure, overheating, check engine.
The term is mildly dismissive: unlike gauges that give continuous readings, idiot lights tell you only that a problem exists, not how severe it is.
They're designed so even an idiot can understand them.
Vehicle control panel
- check engineVehicle diagnostic alert
- oil pressureLubricant circulation force
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
overheat · coolant · brake · ABS · airbag · transmission · alternator · tire pressure
Warning or watchfulness
- cautionCareful attention to risk
- signalMessage-conveying cue
- dangerExposure to harm
- hazardSource of potential harm
fault · failure · trouble · emergency · malfunction · problem · attention · urgency
Consisting of two parts
- on-offHaving two states only
- vagueUnclear, ill-defined
- uninformativeConveying no knowledge
- basicFundamental in nature
simple · layman · non-technical · oversimplified · ambiguous · unclear · generic · imprecise
dashboard
Vehicle control panel
- check engineVehicle diagnostic alert
- oil pressureLubricant circulation force
- batteryPortable electricity storage
temperature · overheat · coolant · brake · ABS · airbag · transmission · alternator · tire pressure · fuel
alert
Warning or watchfulness
hazard · fault · failure · trouble · emergency · malfunction · problem · attention · urgency · notification
binary
Consisting of two parts
- on-offHaving two states only
- vagueUnclear, ill-defined
- uninformativeConveying no knowledge
basic · simple · layman · non-technical · oversimplified · ambiguous · unclear · generic · imprecise · rudimentary
idiot lightgauge
Standard of measurement
analog gauge · meter · tachometer · temperature gauge · oil pressure gauge
idiot, idiots, idiotic, idiotically, idiocy, light, lights, lighter, lightest