If you have ever found yourself surprised by an alert appearing on your vehicle’s dashboard, you’re not alone! It can be rather worrying when things start flashing.
Should you pull over? Will you be able to complete your journey?
If you drive a Honda, below we will reveal everything you need to know about the triangle with an exclamation point so that you know what to do if this starts flashing.
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Triangle With Exclamation Point Honda Meaning
This warning light will flash to tell you that there is something wrong with the Vehicle Stability Assist system.
The Vehicle Stability Assist system is designed to help stabilize your vehicle while cornering should your car turn a little bit more or less than desired.
It can even help you by gripping the road while you accelerate on a slippery or loose road surface. Your Vehicle Stability Assist system does this by regulating the vehicle’s engine output and applying the brakes selectively.
Should VSA Be On Or Off?
Your Vehicle Stability Assist System should generally be turned on. However, there are some circumstances whereby turning off vehicle stability assist makes sense, for example, if you are stuck in fresh snow, mud, or sand.
What Causes A VSA Light To Come On?
There are a number of different reasons why the VSA warning light may come on your Honda vehicle’s dashboard. This includes the following:
Different sized tires
If one (or more) of your tires is not going around at the correct speed, your VSA will know about it. On comes the warning light! Honda recommends a tire size for your vehicle for a reason, so make sure you follow the information in your car’s manual.
Something went wrong in the engine
In a lot of Hondas, if something has gone awry with the general engine system, the car will also turn the VSA off. As a consequence, the warning light will naturally start flashing.
If you have a number of lights on your dashboard, it is likely that you have a different issue, i.e., something is wrong with the engine, and your car is simply letting you know that the VSA has been turned off temporarily until the engine is fixed and the code is cleared.
VSA system is broken
VSA system issues are not very common, but they can happen. So, if your indicator light remains on after you have checked all other possibilities, it could be that there is something wrong with the VSA.
Of course, the best thing to do is book a servicing with your preferred mechanic as soon as possible. The last thing you want is for the issue to get even worse.
You turned VSA off by accident
Finally, you may have simply turned your VSA off by accident. In vehicles that are quite a few years old, there is a manual button that you can press to turn the Vehicle Stability Assist system off.
For instance, on the 2006 Honda Accord, the button is situated down to the left of the steering wheel on the center dash above knee level.
If you bump or brush the button, you may end up turning it off, hence why the warning light has started to flash on your dashboard.
How To Fix VSA Light On Honda
If the VSA warning light with the exclamation point is turned on, we recommend taking the following steps.
Step 1
Firstly, make sure that you have not accidentally turned the VSA off, prompting the warning light to start flashing on your Honda vehicle’s dashboard.
Do some research online or check your vehicle’s user manual to find out whether there is a manual VSA button. If there is, check it to make sure that it has not been turned off.
Step 2
Take a look at your Honda vehicle’s dashboard to see whether there are any other warning lights switched on. If there are, this is likely to mean there is an engine problem, so you should take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible.
Step 3
Check your tires to make sure they are moving at the same speed. If you have replaced your tires, check to ensure that what you have selected matches up with the tires specified in the vehicle manual.
Step 4
If you have carried out all of the checks mentioned, yet the warning light with the exclamation point is still flashing, it is time to get an expert to assess the issue for you. Drive your car to a mechanic at the earliest opportunity, as you do not want to risk the issue getting worse and more expensive.
Is It Safe To Drive With VSA Light On?
If you drive your vehicle without the VSA, you will miss out on the stability enhancements that VSA provides. Therefore, you will certainly need to drive more cautiously.
At the same time, you will have all of your normal cornering and braking abilities, so you can continue to drive.
This does not mean you can ignore the problem, though. After all, the VSA warning light serves as an indication that there is something wrong with your car, and it could actually be the engine that is impacted. This is why it is important to get your vehicle checked out as soon as possible.
How Much To Fix VSA System?
Once the warning light with the exclamation point starts to flash on your dashboard, you may start worrying about how much it is going to cost you to get your vehicle fixed.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to provide you with an answer to that question without assessing your vehicle. This is because there are numerous reasons why this indicator light may flash, with some issues being more extensive than others.
One thing we can say, though, is that the longer you leave it, the more expensive it is likely to end up being. This is why it is important to book a service with a mechanic sooner rather than later to get your VSA system indicator light switched off!
