Understand the Gauges on Your Car Dashboard

The gauges present on the dashboard of a car indicate its condition. The main function of gauges is to alert the driver about various car systems, which in turn helps him monitor the car accordingly.

For example, a car dashboard speedometer shows the running speed of a car on the road; and the fuel gauge would show how much fuel is left in the tank and if you’re running low. Similarly, there are a whole lot of other gauges that serve different purposes.

Fuel Gauge

The car dashboard fuel gauge shows the level of fuel in the car. It has two sides: one shows that the fuel tank is going to be empty (with an E mark) and the other shows that the tank is full (with an F mark). The position of the needle on the metre helps the driver determine the quantity of fuel left.

How to Read

The fuel gauge has a needle that moves according to the fuel level. The closer the needle is to F, the higher the fuel quantity and the closer the needle is to E, the lower the fuel quantity.

So, if you notice that the fuel level is low, get it refilled as soon as possible to avoid running out of fuel.

Dashboard Tachometer

Engines rotate to start working. The tachometer measures the rotational speed of the car engine (in Revolutions per Minute or RPM). The number of revolutions the engine makes in a minute indicates the speed of the car, which in turn helps the driver know when to change gears.

How to Read

A tachometer has 8 numbers marked on it, which show RPM in thousands. If the needle of the tachometer is 3, then the number of RPM is 3x1000, i.e. 3,000.

If you notice a high RPM rate, you should change up the gear, and if the RPM rate goes down, you need to change down the gear. This will help keep the engine in good condition, as not shifting gears accordingly can damage the engine.

Temperature Gauge

The temperature gauge reads the temperature of a car’s engine. When starting your car, this gauge shows a lower temperature, and once the engine runs for a while, the temperature rises.

This change in the temperature gauge’s reading is solely due to the engine heating up during use.

How to Read

The temperature gauge has a hot range and a cold range in degrees (°) Celsius. The closer the needle is to the cold range, the colder the engine is, and the closer the needle is to the high range, the higher the engine’s coolant temperature is.

So, ensure that the temperature gauge does not show a very high reading. In case it goes unusually high, pull over to cool down the engine.

Oil Pressure Gauge

An oil pressure gauge shows the oil pressure in your engine. It is a tool that indicates the condition of the engine by measuring the pressure of oil circulating in it.

How to Read

Before starting the engine, the reading of the oil pressure gauge should be 0. However, after running the vehicle for some time, the oil pressure must range between 25-65 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch).

Oil pressure exceeding this range means that the oil is unable to pass through all the parts of the engine, which means that the engine lacks lubricant. This makes the engine prone to damage and can even result in engine failure.

Battery Gauge

Cars have batteries that are charged by an alternator belt when the engine is running. These batteries help start the vehicle. Thus, they are an essential part of the car.

The battery gauge on the dashboard measures and displays the status of the battery present in your car and detects charging issues.

How to Read

A standard battery gauge has a scale starting from 9 volts and ending at 18 volts. When driving, the battery gauge keeps the range between 13 and 14 volts.

So, if you notice an abnormality in the gauge, for example, if the battery’s voltage level is too high or too low, you should get your batteries checked immediately.

Ammeter

The ammeter signifies the flow of charge to the car battery. It tells the driver whether the battery is charging up or draining when in use.

How to Read

The ammeter shows the amount of current flowing through the battery, and its unit is amperes. If the ammeter shows a high reading, it means that a high current is going into the battery. If the ammeter shows a low or 0 reading, it means that the batteries are fully charged.

Speedometer

As the name suggests, a car dashboard speedometer measures and displays a car's speed in kilometres per hour (kph or km/h). The higher the value of the speedometer, the faster the car is moving.

How to Read

Reading the speedometer is simple: a higher value indicates a high speed and a lower value indicates a low speed. So, if the speedometer’s needle is at 60, then your speed is 60km/h, i.e., you will be able to cover 60 km in an hour if you keep the same speed.

It is essential to keep an eye on the speedometer, as it helps adjust the car's speed and control it if it exceeds the specified speed limit. This helps ensure safety and reduce the chances of accidents caused by speeding.

Odometer

This is the simplest measuring instrument on the car’s dashboard. It shows the total distance travelled by a car. It comes in use especially when the car is being resold.

How to Read

The reading of the odometer directly indicates the number of km (kilometres) run by the car.

Gas Gauge

This gauge is present in bi-fuel cars. It shows the level of gas, particularly natural gas, in the car. This gauge is quite similar to the fuel gauge and works the same way.

How to Read

A high gas gauge reading means that your car has enough gas, while a low reading indicates that the gas will run out soon.

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The dashboard of a car has several gauges. However, understanding the role of gauges in a car is necessary as they give details about the car's current state.

Each gauge present on the dashboard indicates different values, which help the driver monitor and control the car more effectively. For this reason, it is suggested that you first read about these gauges and then drive your car.

What is the most important gauge in your vehicle?

While there are many gauges in the car that are important, the speedometer is considered to be one of the most important of all. This is because it shows the speed at which the car is running.

This allows the driver to adjust the speed and gear, which in turn saves the car from potential damage.

What gauge indicates engine speed?

The tachometer indicates the engine speed and it helps the driver know when to shift gears.