The dashboard gauges in your car tell a complex story about everything from your current speed to the health and condition of your engine and even whether things like your headlights are on. Different vehicles have different gauges, and some instrument panels are much more complicated than others. But if the gauges in your car stop working, it’s not a situation you can safely ignore.

If one meter stops working, the problem could be with the meter itself or a defective sensor. If all meters stop working at the same time, this often indicates a blown fuse or a defective instrument panel.

The most common causes of a car's gauges not working can be divided into three scenarios:

None of the meters work.