Some warning lights that appear on your dashboard are serious. However, others are easily fixed. The bonnet warning light is one such light that is usually easy to rectify. Below you will find a short guide to what a bonnet warning light means and what you can do about it.
Why is My Bonnet Warning Light On?
Your bonnet warning light will usually show on your dashboard when the bonnet has not been closed correctly. If this light shows when you are driving, you should stop your car in a safe place and lift the bonnet before attempting to close it. When the bonnet has returned to a secure position, the bonnet warning light should turn off.
Most of the time, the bonnet warning light isn’t anything to worry about as it will usually come on if you have opened your bonnet for a reason and are already aware that it is open. However, this warning light can also come in handy if you have forgotten to close the bonnet for any reason and can prevent you from driving away with your bonnet open, which can be unsafe. Along with this, it can also alert you to any issues with the latch or sensor that might be leading your car to detect the bonnet as being open when it is actually closed.
What is the Bonnet Warning Light?
The bonnet warning light is a light on your dashboard that shows up to inform you that your bonnet is not securely closed. This could be if you have been working on something in your car’s engine such as filling up the windscreen washer fluid or the oil and have not closed the bonnet correctly afterward. Most of the time the bonnet warning light will show up on the dashboard as a light in the shape of a car with the bonnet open.
What Does it Mean When the Bonnet Warning Light is On?
The bonnet warning light is not usually a huge cause for concern. Usually, it will be rectified when you close the bonnet correctly. If you see the bonnet warning light come on, you should stop your car, lift up the bonnet, and push it back down again firmly. In most cars, you will hear an audible click when your bonnet has been closed firmly. The light should disappear from the dashboard once the bonnet has been fully closed.
How Does the Bonnet Warning Light Work?
The bonnet warning light is there to alert you that your bonnet is still open. You may see the bonnet warning light when you unlock and open your bonnet to check your oil levels or replenish your windscreen wiper fluid. The bonnet warning light should go off when you close your bonnet. If it does not, this could mean that you have either not closed the bonnet correctly or that there is a problem with the bonnet locking system.
What are the Common Reasons the Bonnet Warning Light Will Come On?
Some common reasons why the bonnet warning light has come on in your car could include:
Bonnet is Open
The simplest and most common reason for this warning light being turned on is that the bonnet is open. This might be because you have opened it on purpose to check something in the engine, top-up fluids, or if the car is in the garage to be fixed. If you see it when you are driving, however, it usually means that the bonnet has not been closed correctly. You should pull over and close the bonnet as soon as is safely possible.
Latch Failure
If your bonnet warning light is coming on when the bonnet is closed, the reason behind this could be due to a failure of the bonnet latch. The switch that will activate this warning light is integral to the latch, and when the latch fails, the switch may think that the bonnet is open even when it is closed.
Faulty Sensor
The bonnet warning light might also come on when your bonnet is closed if the sensor is faulty. If this is the case, you will need to have the sensor checked by a mechanic who can diagnose and fix the problem.
Is it Dangerous to Drive with My Bonnet Warning Light On?
While having the bonnet warning light on will not affect the car’s ability to drive, driving with the bonnet warning light on can be unsafe. If your bonnet is open and you are driving, all it takes is a gust of wind to push the bonnet up in front of your windscreen, which will obscure your view and potentially cause an accident. Because of this, it’s important to act quickly and calmly if you notice that the bonnet warning light is on when you are driving. Whenever it is safe to do so, you should pull over and lift the bonnet up before pushing it firmly back down into place.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix the Bonnet Warning Light?
Most of the time, the bonnet warning light is an easy fix that won’t require you to pay any money to a mechanic. Usually, the bonnet warning light will come on when the bonnet is open and all you will need to do is close the bonnet firmly to turn the light off and deal with the issue. However, you may need to take your car to a mechanic if you are getting the bonnet warning light when your bonnet is closed. This can be caused by several potential reasons including a faulty switch, latch, or sensor. How much it will cost to fix this problem will depend on the type of car you drive, the severity of the problem, and whether or not any parts need replacing.
Will My Car Fail Its MOT if the Bonnet Warning Light is On?
This will depend on the reason why the bonnet light is on. If the bonnet warning light has come on because the bonnet is open and there is nothing wrong with it, then the car will not fail its MOT. However, if your bonnet warning light is coming on due to a fault with the bonnet that might affect the safety of the car, there is a possibility that the car might fail the MOT.
About Fixter
Fixter is revolutionising the car maintenance industry, one repair at a time. Fixter was founded to make car maintenance as easy as booking a taxi. Digital, transparent and stress-free, with world-class customer service. Since launching in Manchester in 2017, Fixter has expanded to more than 100 towns and cities across the UK and provided thousands of car owners with honest, convenient and affordable car repair services.