Essential Winter Car Maintenance Tips to Avoid Breakdowns
Stay safe this winter with expert South African car maintenance tips. Learn crucial battery and service checks to avoid breakdowns and save money with Fixxr.
Read More3 December 2025
Bayabulela Jolobe | 14 November 2025 | Diagnostic & Warning Signs, Engine System
For most South African motorists, a glowing engine light on the dashboard causes instant worry—and for good reason. This amber icon (often called the ‘check engine light’ or ‘engine warning light’) signals that your car needs attention. Ignore it, and you risk expensive repairs or even breakdowns.
The engine light is part of your car’s onboard diagnostics (OBD-II) system. Its job: alert you to faults in the engine or emission controls so issues are fixed before they become severe. The light may look like an engine block or simply say “Check Engine.”
There isn’t one single reason this warning appears. In South Africa, some of the most frequent causes are:
Ignoring any of these can make matters worse. According to the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA), ignoring dashboard lights increases the risk of costly repairs.
The engine light may be your first clue—but it rarely appears alone. Other signs include:
If you have a flashing engine light and any of these symptoms, stop driving—it could prevent major engine damage.
South African law requires warning lights to function. A broken or ignored warning can lead to fines or warranty issues. AA warns that delays may void your insurance or warranty.
Follow these steps:
Fixxr provides quotes upfront so you stay in control.
Don’t gamble with your safety or wallet. Book your engine warning inspection online and get SA’s top mobile mechanics to your door—fast.
As the Head of Consumer and Operations, Bayabulela is responsible for continuously serving our customers, increasing our supply base, and driving the next phase of our business growth.
What that means is highlighting the Fixxr opportunity for as many potential mechanic partners as possible. The role also includes broadening and deepening our platform in existing markets, scaling into new markets and continuing to set the bar for safety and compliance in our industry.
He typically starts his days by diving into customer data and mechanic partner feedback. He also has to consistently evaluate Fixxr’s business strategy and drive governance and accountability in concert with our cross-functional partners.
Bayabulela has built a breadth of skills and experience across operations, strategy, marketing and product development.
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