Bulb Failure Warning
One of the exterior bulbs has burned out — usually a headlight, brake light, or indicator.
What it means
The car monitors current draw on exterior lighting circuits and flags a bulb that has failed (or an LED unit drawing abnormal current). Many clusters tell you which position. A dead brake light or headlight is both a safety issue and a ticket magnet.
Can you keep driving?
Yes, but fix it within days — and avoid night driving if it's a headlight, or driving at all in heavy traffic with a dead brake light.
What to do now
- 1
Do a walk-around with the lights, hazards, and brakes (ask someone to press the pedal) to find the dead bulb.
- 2
Replace with the exact bulb type in your owner's manual; wear gloves — skin oil shortens halogen bulb life.
- 3
If a new bulb fails immediately, have the socket and wiring checked for corrosion or shorts.
Likely causes
- • Burned-out bulb (most common)
- • Corroded socket or connector
- • Wiring fault
- • Wrong-spec aftermarket LED causing a false positive
Typical fix cost
$5–$25 for a bulb; $50–$150 for sockets/wiring; LED units cost more
Ranges reflect mainstream US parts-and-labor pricing; your vehicle and region will vary.