What should the dashboard indicator lights tell you before starting?

• A. They should be off (or indicate fault if not); warning lights must not be active.
• B. They should all be on to confirm power.
• C. Only the temperature light matters.
• D. The windshield wiper indicator should be on.

Answer: (A)

Before starting, you want a clean dashboard: all indicator lights should be off. If any light is on, that signals a fault in a critical system—engine, charging, brakes, or other safety-related systems—that must be fixed before you operate the vehicle. Some lights may illuminate briefly during a bulb check and then go out, but a persistent warning light means you should not start. This is why the correct choice is that lights should be off (or indicate a fault if not) and no warning lights should be active. The other options don't fit because they treat lights as a power check, focus only on one indicator, or incorrectly suggest a required indicator like the wiper light should be on.