Guide
Dashboard lights and new noises — what is urgent and what can wait
Red means stop now; amber means get it looked at soon. For noises the rule is simpler: anything that changes with SPEED is usually wheels, tires or brakes, and anything that changes with ENGINE REVS is usually under the hood. Here is how to tell which one you have.
Updated 2026-08-22 · Frank's Mobile Mechanic 24/7
Red, amber, and the one that flashes
RED lights are 'stop safely and switch off': oil pressure, charging system, temperature, brake system. Driving on with a red oil-pressure or temperature light is how a repairable problem becomes an engine.
AMBER lights mean 'this needs attention, but you are not about to destroy something in the next mile': check-engine, tire pressure, traction control. Get it read soon rather than today.
A FLASHING check-engine light is the exception to amber. It means a misfire severe enough to damage the catalytic converter. Pull over, switch off, and do not drive it further than you must.
Noises that change with road speed
Speed-related noises come from things that turn with the wheels. A rhythmic hum or growl that rises with speed and changes when you steer gently left or right is a classic wheel-bearing signature. A rhythmic thump you can count is usually a tire.
A squeal that appears when you brake and stops when you release is a brake wear indicator doing exactly its job. A grinding sound under braking means the wear indicator has been ignored and metal is now involved — that one is not a 'next month' problem.
Noises that change with engine revs
If the noise tracks the engine rather than the road — it rises when you rev in neutral — it lives in the engine bay. A belt squeal on a cold start, a ticking that follows the revs, a whine that changes when you turn the steering wheel: all engine-speed noises, all different causes.
The useful test is exactly that: in a safe, stationary spot, does the noise change when you rev the engine without moving? Knowing the answer before you call narrows the problem enormously.
What to write down before you call anyone
When it happens (cold start, after twenty minutes, only braking, only turning), what changes it (speed, revs, steering, braking), and whether any light came on. Those three answers turn a vague call into a diagnosis.
Text those, with the year, make and model, to (323) 413-4378. If it is something to watch, you will be told that too.
