Drivers warned subtle sign in car will lose them £500 when they sell it

Drivers have been warned over a subtle sign in their car which will lose them £500 when they try and sell it. Motorists and road users are being warned over THREE dashboard lights which will cost them if they're trying to flog their motors secondhand.

Owen Gregory, a professional vehicle appraiser at Big Motoring World, warned This is Money: "If you bring in a car with a warning light on, it’s a bit of a giveaway about the car’s overall condition. It tells us there could be an issue, and that might hinder our ability to sell it quickly."

The top three dashboard lights you should sort out before heading to the dealer include the engine management light with a potential risk loss of £500. Motoring expert Owen said: "A red light indicates a serious issue, and the car might not be safe to drive.

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"An amber light is less severe but still needs addressing." Another one to watch out for is the ABS light and speaking to This is Money today (Saturday August 10), Owen added: "If we see this light on during an appraisal, we’ll knock off at least £500 from the trade-in price."

The fault could be as minor as a faulty sensor, which might only set you back around £70 to fix, Owen added. Lastly, the service light, which can still shave £200 off your car’s value. A full service can cost between £170 and £400, but it could save you from a bigger loss when you trade in, he went on to explain.

An Engine Management Light can indicate anything from a loose fuel cap to major engine issues, he said. A red light signals a serious problem, while amber suggests something less severe but still needs fixing. Ignoring this could slash £500 off your trade-in value.