The Ford Ka, also known as the Ford Figo was first introduced in 1996 and is now on the third generation which was introduced in 2014. The Ford Ka is popular due to its compact size, ideal for city driving and affordable price range.
If there’s a fault with your Ford Ka, chances are you will receive a dashboard warning light. These are triggered by a computer called the Electronic Control Unit, or ECU. Sensors in various locations around the car continuously monitor and relay information back to the ECU. If a fault is detected, a amber or red light shows on the dash.
The colour of the light, or symbol is a good indication of how serious or urgent the fault is. Red, in particular flashing red is the most urgent and will require immediate attention. Damage to the vehicle or the safety of vehicle occupants can be at risk depending on the fault.
Amber symbols are less severe, indicating a fault or maintenance task that requires looking at soon. Detailed are the dashboard warning lights for the Ford Ka / Ford Figo, the various symbols that can illuminate, what they mean and recommended course of action.
Ford Ka / Figo Diesel Particulate Filter Light
Depending on the year of manufacture of your Ford Ka, you will receive one of these lights on your dashboard informing you that the diesel particulate filter requires cleaning. Turning the ignition key to MAR-ON will see the warning light come on and shortly go out. If the warning light comes on while driving, automatic filter cleaning has failed. To enable the cleaning process, drive at a speed of 40 mph (64 km/h) or more, engine speed of 1800 – 2 500 rpm, for at least 15 minutes with gear 4 or 5 engaged. The light will go out once the filter has been regenerated.
Ford Ka / Figo Low Brake Fluid Warning Light
The red exclamation mark in a circle indicates either: 1. Low brake fluid – The brake fluid level falls below the acceptable limit and may indicate a leak in the system. Top up fluid as soon as possible and make frequent checks to see if levels fall. If fluid levels have fallen again, seek assistance to get the brake circuit repaired. See why is the brake warning light on for further help. 2. Handbrake – The handbrake is still applied. Check handbrake / parking brake and release. See parking brake stays on while driving for further help.
Ford Ka / Figo Air Bag Failure Warning Light
The air bag light should self-check with engine ignition and shortly go out. If it comes on or stays on, there’s a failure with the air bag system. Seek assistance soon as air bags may not be deployed in the event of an accident. The passenger air bag light comes on when the system has been manually deactivated. If the symbol flashes, there is a fault in the system. For further help, see why is the airbag light on?
Ford Ka / Figo Overheating Engine Coolant Warning Light
The red coolant symbol may be accompanied with an additional red dot in the display warning that the engine coolant is overheating. In this situation, stop as soon as safely possible and switch off engine. Open bonnet and visually check coolant levels in the reservoir are not below the MIN (minimum) mark. If it need topping up, wait 10 minutes or so for coolant to cool down, slowly open cap and top up so levels fall between MIN and MAX. Check for signs of leaking fluids. See engine temperature warning light explained for further help.
Ford Ka / Figo Low Battery Charge Warning Light
Symbol will illuminate as a self-check with engine start and should go out shortly. If the light stays on or comes on when driving, the battery has low charge. This indicates either a fault with the battery, charging system or wiring / connections. If driving, turn off any utility that uses electric such as heating, air con, demisters, USB charging etc. Avoid switching engine off as it may be unable to restart. Stop at a garage to seek diagnosis and repair. See why is the battery light on for further help.
Ford Ka / Figo ABS Dashboard Warning Light
ABS stands for ‘anti-lock braking system’ and is an additional system to your normal brakes to help prevent skidding when under heavy braking or when slowing down on poor road surfaces. Normal brakes remain in working order. Drive carefully and have fault checked by Ford engineer as soon as possible. For additional help, see why is the ABS light on in my car?
Ford Ka / Figo EBD Failure Warning Lights
If the brake light and ABS light come on together, there is an EBD failure. EBD stands for ‘Electronic Brake Force Distribution’ and is a technology similar to ABS to help prevent locking wheels to gain greater control when braking. Early locking of the rear wheels may occur under heavy braking in the event of EBD failure. Turn engine / ignition off and restart to see if fault clears. Traditional brakes will remain unaffected but gain assistance as soon as possible.
Ford Ka / Figo Low Oil Pressure Warning Light
The red oil can symbol has 2 meanings: 1. Low oil pressure – if the light comes on when driving (non-flashing) stop as soon as safely possible and switch off the engine. Do not continue your journey as engine components may be damaged. Call for assistance. 2. Degraded oil – If the light comes on and flashes this indicated that the oil has degraded and requires changing. It’s important that the oil is changed quickly as degraded oil can have detrimental effects on engine components and invalidate vehicle warranty. See why is the oil pressure light on for further help.
Ford Ka / Figo Power Steering Warning Light
The amber steering wheel with an exclamation mark indicates an electronic power steering failure. Power steering is an additional system that works with normal steering so that the amount of force required to turn the wheel is reduced. Normal steering will be unaffected though greater force will be required to turn the wheel. Contact Ford for assistance.
Ford Ka / Figo Injection System Failure Light
Often called the malfunction indicator light (MIL) or check engine light, if this warning light stays on after ignition on or comes on when driving, it indicates a fault with the injection system. Excessive exhaust emissions may occur, a loss of performance, high fuel consumption and poor driveability of your vehicle will be symptoms of the fault. You may continue to drive though avoid causing the engine excessive strain. Prolonged use may cause damage. Petrol engines only: if the warning light is flashing, this indicates possible damage to the catalytic converter. In this instance, release the accelerator pedal and lower vehicle speed until light stops flashing. Continue journey at moderate speed and avoid conditions that may cause light to flash. If light remains on, contact engineer for help. For further help, see why is the engine management light on?
Ford Ka / Figo Low Fuel Warning Light
Warning light will come on in amber indicating that around 5 litres of fuel are available in the tank. An additional amber dot may illuminate next to the fuel gauge. If the fuel light flashes, this indicates a system failure – Speak to Ford engineer for advice.
Ford Ka / Figo Water in Diesel Filter Warning Light
Light illuminates when water is detected in the diesel filter. Water in the diesel filter circuit can cause severe damage to the injection system and result in irregular engine operation. If the warning light comes on, contact Ford engineer as soon as possible to have the system bled. If the warning light comes on immediately after refuelling, it’s likely water has entered the fuel tank. Turn the engine off immediately and seek assistance. Other versions of the Ford Ka may show the warning via a triangle that contains an exclamation mark 
along with a message.
Ford Ka / Figo Glow Plug Dashboard Light
The glow plug warning light comes on when the ignition key is turned to MAR-ON and will go out as soon as the glow plugs have reached a predetermined temperature. The engine can be started once the glow plug light goes out. When ambient temperature is high, the glow plug light stays on for a much shorter amount of time. If the light flashes, there’s a fault with the heating system and assistance should be sought.
Ford Ka / Figo Code Protection System Failure Warning Light
This is an anti-theft device, engine immobilising system. When you turn the ignition key to MAR-ON, it sends a code to the engine control unit (ECU) to deactivate the immobilising system. If the code isn’t recognised, the warning light comes on. In this instance, turn the key back to STOP and then MAR-ON again. If this fails, try another key if possible. If these options fail, contact a Ford engineer for assistance. If the warning light flashes, it indicates a failure with the Ford Code Protection System.
Ford Ka / Figo Generic Failure Warning Light
The amber triangle containing an exclamation mark is a generic failure symbol and has the following meanings: Engine oil pressure sensor failure – Warning light illuminates when a fault is detected with the engine oil pressure sensor. Fuel cut-off inertia switch – Warning light comes on when the fuel cut-off inertia switch intervenes. Display may show specific message. Parking sensor failure – Warning light comes on when a parking sensor failure is detected. In these instances, contact Ford engineer.
Ford Ka / Figo ESP / Hill Holder Failure Warning Light
This warning light has two meanings: ESP failure – ESP or Electronic Stability Program is a safety system to help stabilise the car when instability is detected. Normal operation is: The light illuminates with ignition and goes out shortly, or flashes when the system is in use. If the light comes on when driving (non-flashing), or comes on together with the button LED ASR OFF, there is a system fault. Hill Hold failure – Warning light illuminates when a fault is detected with the hill holder system. Vehicle may roll when on a slope. Contact Ford engineer for assistance.
Ford Ka / Figo Worn Brake Pads Warning Light
The brake pads warning light on the dial turns on (and a message appears in the display) if the front brake pads are worn down. It is not an immediate dangerous situation, but have the front brake pads changed as soon as possible.
Ford Ka / Figo Ice on Road Warning Light
The Ford Ka snowflake light indicates a warning that there may be ice on the road. This warning light starts flashing when the outside temperature reaches or falls below 4°C to warn the driver of the possible presence of ice on the road.
Ford Ka / Figo Lights / Follow Me Home Warning Light
‘Follow me Home’ allows the space surrounding the car to be lit up for a certain period of time. To activate ‘Follow me Home’, with the ignition key on STOP or removed, pull the stalk towards the steering wheel within two minutes of when the engine has been switched off. Dashboard light illuminates to inform the driver that ‘Follow me Home’ has been activated, or that side / dipped lights are on.
Ford Ka / Figo Tyre Pressure Warning Light
Tyre pressure monitoring system (iTPMS) light comes on indicating that one or more tyres have fallen below the recommended value of air pressure. If the light comes on, avoid heavy braking or sharp steering and inflate the tyre to the recommended pressure as soon as possible (see tyre pressure sticker). Driving with deflated tyres increases fuel consumption, decreases the life of the tyre and makes your car less stable. If there is a TPMS fault, the warning light flashes for 75 seconds and then stays on constantly. There are certain circumstances where you’ll need to reset this system, for a guide, see reset Ford Ka tyre pressure system.
Ford Ka / Figo Service Warning Light
The spanner symbol is to inform the driver that an engine oil service / maintenance check is required. It will illuminate when the vehicle has reached the mileage or time (whichever occurs first) for the applicable checks. If you perform your own service or an engineer forgot to reset the light, see reset Ford Ka service light.
Additional Information
If you are having trouble using the remote control key fob to enter your Ford Ka / Ford Figo, you may need to replace the battery. See: