I remember when one of the lights on my dashboard came on and I called the dealership to make an appointment. The earliest one they could give me was 2 weeks away. I took it and then asked the guy, "But, like, my car isn't going to blow up or anything in the next two weeks, right?" He laughed at me.

On the positive side, my car did not blow up or anything on those two weeks.

On the positive side, my car did not blow or anything on those two weeks.

VERY good to hear.

I was told that most of the warning lights come on very early so that you have the time to make it in to be serviced. The exceptions to that rule, I think, would be the battery light and the omigodyourcarisoverheatingrightNOW light.

I was told that most of the warning lights come on very early so that you have the time to make it in to service.

I've been told that too. Plus, there's no little ! sign, which BMW likes to use for the big stuff.

My GTI has a screen that actually has words on it. "Please Refuel", or "Oil Change Soon", or whathaveyou.

In 2005, I high-centered on some poorly-maintained streets, and badly damaged the underside of the car. I just thought I'd hit a bump hard - "Bang!" and the car shook - but no big deal. (Made a passing pedestrian jump, though - that should have been my first clue.)

I was looking for parking about a block away, and had to turn around - and that's when I noticed the big line of moisture down the street where I...had just been...driving...

...oh. I thought, "Is that my car?"

And the screen in the dash lit up all flashing and blinking with huge red letters: "STOP!"

I did.

I'd ripped the oilpan off. All the oil was rushing out of my car - when I turned the engine off, I could hear the liquid sound underneath. The repair dude said if I'd driven another 10 or 15 feet, the engine would have seized - new car time.

I was *so* fortunate. And I'll never forget "STOP!"

And the screen in the dash lit up all flashing and blinking with huge red letters: "STOP!"

Now that's an effective warning light. My warning light looked like a human heart. I was all, "I have a blockage in my ventricle?"

I kind of wonder though if I would be tempted to talk back to the car.

Dashboard: STOP!

Me: NO! YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME.

My warning light looked like a human heart. I was all, "I have a blockage in my ventricle?"

Next will be some sort of air-particulate sensor, and it'll flash a wagging-finger sign when you've got a donut in the car.

Me: NO! YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME.

Da!

However, at the time, I was all "BY YOUR COMMAND IMPERIOUS LEADER"

I talk back to my Sprint Navigation. (I've named her Moneypenny.)

Moneypenny: You are now off track...

Me: No, I'm NOT!