Warning light: red car with key flashing - what does it mean?
 

Hey all,

Does anyone know what the blinking light just below the check engine light represents? It's a red car with a key in the middle. It was flashing just before my steering lock assembly went out on me. The dealer just replaced the assembly last week but I got this blinking light again this evening when I started the car. It only flashed for a few seconds but I also noticed that it took me 6 or 7 presses of the fob to open the car door.

I also got a check engine light at the same time (when I started the car). I have HFC which do occasionally throw a CEL but when I plugged in my CEL reader I am now getting a "Link Error" telling me to turn the car off and back on. Unfortunately, no amount of turning the car off and back on seems to resolve this.

Thank you!

Check your FOB battery?

I believe it means that your car's not detecting your fob. Someone confirm.

:iagree: Sounds about right...


Now, seeing that light is usually an indication that your steering lock is going to fail, but since it already failed, check your battery...
Go to the dealershit again too...


Which HFCs do you have? Did you ever get a code for something like under threshold, or another code? The other code usually means you have an exhaust leak from header to cat

Yeah, the key detection thing is a bit confusing since there is a "no key" warning that shows up on the left side of the dash, which is separate. The low battery is a possibility but the fob I'm using has a 2 month old battery (I replaced it when I was having trouble remote unlocking the doors at the recommendation of the dealership. Stupid me - it was an early warning sign that the steering lock assembly was about to go out).

I was looking through the owner's manual for a description of that particular warning light but am having difficulty finding the section where the lights are described. There is the MWI section that seems to detail the dashboard so perhaps I am missing something while reading it...

You can always put the key in the fobgina... If it's in there you can rule out if it's a battery problem or something else... You don't need much or any battery for the key to recognize the fob once you place it in the fobgina

:iagree::iagree:

:iagree:

That would be correct. You either need a new batt for your fob or reprogram the fob.

That happened to me on my 09 Z

I believe the "oh $hit" indicator light is the one that comes on below the headlight indicator. And guess who's oh $hit light just came on at 29991.9 miles.

Mine flashes as well. I pulled the fuse for the steering lock awhile back and also replaced the battery in my FOB recently. Still flashes, but always starts, no problems.