Shift Lights & Car Warning Lights

Installing a tach-mounted or standalone shift light will make your vehicle times at the drag strip more consistent as you shift into the next gear when the light illuminates. Your 1/4 or 1/8 mile times will also improve as you shift at the optimum RPM in your engine's power band.

When the oil pressure or water temperature light comes on, you are warned of an issue usually before it becomes catastrophic so that you can shut the engine down and address the problem. Custom car dash warning lights are valuable, communicating vehicle issues and can help save you money from damaged parts that would result from not being informed.

Depending on the year, make, and model of the vehicle, the factory / OE vehicle warning indicator lights and what they mean can vary and change. Below are the most common dashboard warning lights found on a vehicle and what they mean:

A gear shift light for race car applications tells the driver when to shift by illuminating at a pre-programmed engine RPM with an incandescent or LED light (typically amber / yellow). Often the shift light is a part of or attached to the tachometer gauge. The RPM chosen is typically at the end of the engine's power curve, before horsepower drops, to provide the best acceleration. The illumination a shift indicator light gives off can be seen in the driver's peripheral vision, allowing them to keep an eye on what is in front of the vehicle and reach for the shifter to complete the next shift.

Depending on the type of rpm shift light, whether standard size or mini, the mounting installation steps can change. However, in most cases, the first step is to locate a place to mount the shift light. It needs to be easily seen with peripheral vision but not in the way of seeing what's in front of the vehicle. Between the steering wheel and dash or in the front corner of the dash behind the "A" pillar are common options. For electrical connection wiring, a shift light usually has four wires. Once is a ground (usually black). Another wire is connected to a 12-volt "keyed" source (usually red). The third wire connects to dash lighting (typically white), allowing brightness adjustment to match the rest of the gauges. The last wire connects to the ignition system, shift light controller, or an RPM module (depending on the design), in order to provide the shift light with a signal so it can illuminate (often green).