Here we’ll be explaining the common Clio warning lights, what their likely cause is and how to proceed if one ever appears on your dash!
As much as we love them, there’s no avoiding the fact that our beloved Clios are almost 20 year old French cars, and so a few technical glitches here and there are to be expected.
Toxic Fume light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Battery Warning light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- Will illuminate when the battery is dying, or when an overload is detected is accompanied by the STOP warning light and a beep can be heard.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Stop light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- Does what it says on the tin, if the light illuminates and you hear an audible beep, stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Dashboard warning light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If it persists then drive carefully until you reach a technician.
Traction Control/ESP light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If the light stays on during driving, it means the ESP and other traction control systems are deactivated, so drive carefully.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Air bag light
- Should illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If the light fails to illuminate, or stays on during driving, the car has detected a fault in the airbag system. Drive very carefully until you reach a technician.
ABS/Anti-Lock Brake light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- Indicates a fault with the Anti-Lock Braking system. Normal braking will remain unaffected, but leave extra room in case you need to emergency stop, especially in rain, snow or ice.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Oil Pressure light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If the light stays on during driving, or is accompanied by the STOP light and an audible beep, then pull over as soon as possible and check your oil levels are within range.
- If your oil levels are fine, allow the oil to settle and re-check after a few minutes. If your oil levels are still fine, then consult a technician.
Temperature/Engine Coolant light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If the light is flashing, this indicates an issue with injection and should be looked into immediately.
- If the light stays on, this indicates the engine is too hot and needs to be cooled. Pull over and allow your Clio to idle, or stop the engine all together and let the car cool down.
- In both scenarios, ensure you check your coolant levels as soon as possible.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Handbrake light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- The light on its own usually indicates that the handbrake is on.
- If the light is on and is accompanied by the STOP light and a beep, this indicates there is an issue in your Clio’s braking system or your brake fluid levels are too low.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Engine Immobiliser light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If the light stays on, this indicates an issue with the immobiliser system.
- Try using a second key to start your Clio and if this doesn’t work, insert new batteries in your keys to ensure they’re working properly.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Power Steering light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Electronic Fault light
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- One of the most common Clio warning lights (thanks to French electronics)
- Indicates a general electrical fault, likely to be from the ECU or Injector circuit.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
Serious injection fault
- Will illuminate at ignition and should turn off shortly afterwards.
- If it persists then seek technician advice immediately.
With all of the above Clio warning lights, get your car to a specialist as soon as you can to help you determine what’s gone wrong and get it fixed as soon as possible!
Additionally, for extra piece of mind why not invest in a fault code reader for more detailed information about exactly what’s gone wrong with your Clio. We recommend this Fault Code Reader from StreetWize, available on Amazon for only £19.99 with free next-day delivery if you have a Prime Subsciption!
