Adaptive headlight (AFS) light
Can I keep driving? None of these makers' pages tells you to stop driving. Hyundai says drive to the nearest safe location, turn the engine off and restart it, and have the car inspected if the light stays on. Genesis says a blinking AFS or AFLS OFF indicator means the system is not working properly and should be checked. Volkswagen says the dipped headlights still operate manually; contact a repairer. What each maker's page says
The headlights that adjust themselves — the adaptive or intelligent front-lighting system — are switched off or have a fault. Genesis lights an AFS or AFLS OFF indicator when you switch the system off with its button, and blinks it while driving when the system is not working properly. Hyundai and Kia light an Intelligent Front-Lighting System (AFS) warning light on a fault. Volkswagen's amber Adaptive Light System lamp means the headlights will not dip automatically, though dipped beam still works by hand.
Yellow / amber
Not defined by regulation: a maker convention
What to do
If it came on after someone pressed an AFS or AFLS OFF button, that is the system switched off, not a fault (Genesis). If it blinks while driving or stays on, stop where it is safe, turn the engine off and restart it, as Hyundai's manual says; if it is still on, have the car inspected. On a Kia, clear dirt, snow or debris off the front camera first: Kia says a covered camera can stop the system working properly for a while. On a Volkswagen, dip the headlights by hand until a repairer has looked at it.
Makes differ: what this light means on your car, the other colours it may use for the symbol and what the car wants you to do are set by the manufacturer, so your car's owner's manual is the authority.
- Symbol
- A headlamp over a two-way curved arrow
- Also called
- AFS OFF light; AFLS light; Adaptive Front Lighting System warning light; Intelligent Front-Lighting System (IFS) warning light; Adaptive Light System light
- Colour
- Yellow / amber
- Standard
- None — a maker convention, described here from 4 makers: Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen
Where makes differ
Genesis has an AFS or AFLS OFF indicator with its own OFF button: on with the button means switched off; blinking while driving, or not lighting for its start-up check, means a fault. Hyundai and Kia call the newer system Intelligent Front-Lighting System (IFS); Kia shows a cluster message first and then the AFS warning light, and says a dirty front camera can stop it temporarily. Volkswagen calls its lamp Adaptive Light System and ties it to automatic dipping. Mazda's CX-30 manual describes AFS but sends its faults to the general exterior light warning, so Mazda is not a source here. None of these pages prints the colour for every model; Volkswagen's is amber.
Not defined by regulation: a maker convention
Neither US FMVSS 101 (Tables 1 and 2) nor UN Regulation No. 121 lists this light, so no rule fixes its symbol or its colour. What follows is what the makers cited below say; other makes, and other model years of the same make, may draw it differently.
Neither FMVSS 101 (Tables 1 and 2) nor UN Regulation No. 121 lists an adaptive front-lighting fault tell-tale. R121 item 3b, 'Automatic main beam functions', covers the automatic high-beam tell-tale, which is a different lamp, and item 40, 'Headlamp levelling', is a control only. R121 table checked 2026-10-13 in the edition cited on /dashboard/more/.
Related lights
Other yellow / amber maker lights
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AdBlue (DEF) warning lightLiquid container with a wavy fill line and a drop · also red · maker convention
EPC (electronic power control) lightThe letters EPC · maker convention
Lane assist (lane keeping) lightLane markings running away from you, dashed line in the middle · also green · maker convention
Forward collision warning lightCar seen from behind with radar arcs around it · also red · maker convention
Blind spot monitor lightTwo cars side by side with signal waves between them · maker convention
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) lightSpeedometer dial with a needle · also green · maker convention
Auto Hold lightThe words AUTO HOLD · also green · maker convention
Power steering warning light (EPS)Steering wheel, sometimes with an exclamation mark · also red · maker convention
Water in fuel light (diesel)Fuel pump with water drops beside it · maker convention
Gearbox (transmission) warning lightCog wheel with an exclamation mark · maker convention
Key not detected lightKey with a question mark · maker convention
Bulb failure (exterior light) warningLight bulb with rays and an exclamation mark · maker convention
Hill descent control lightCar pointing down a slope · also green, red · maker convention
Auto stop-start lightLetter A inside a circular arrow · also green · maker convention
Service due (spanner) lightA spanner (wrench) · maker convention
Low engine oil level lightOil can above a wavy level line · maker convention
Frost / icy road warning (snowflake)A snowflake · maker convention
Low washer fluid lightWindscreen with a dashed fountain of spray · maker convention
Key battery low lightKey fob beside a small battery · maker convention
Immobiliser (security) lightCar outline with a key inside it · also red · maker convention
Reduced power (tortoise) lightA tortoise · maker convention
Pedestrian warning sound off or faultyWalking figure with sound waves · maker convention
4WD / AWD warning lightFour wheels joined by axles and a drive shaft · maker convention
Master warning light (triangle with !)An exclamation mark inside a triangle · also red · maker convention
Spanner warning light (a fault, not a service reminder)A spanner (wrench) · maker convention
Foot on brake light (press the brake pedal)A foot pressing a pedal · also green · maker convention
Electric drive system fault light (EV and hybrid)A car outline with an exclamation mark · also red · maker convention
Low drive battery light (electric cars)A battery with plus and minus signs, stacked on more cells · also red · maker convention
Driver attention warning (coffee cup) lightA cup with steam rising from it · also red · maker convention
Speed limiter lightSpeedometer dial with a needle held under a limit mark · also green · maker convention
SOS (eCall) lightThe letters SOS in a frame · also red · maker conventionAll yellow / amber dashboard lights, regulated ones included
What each maker's page says
No regulation defines this light, so it is described from 4 carmakers' own manuals or owner pages: Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen. Each was opened with a plain request and is quoted word for word below, with the date it was checked. Everything above the table is our own summary of these quotes; the makers' pages cover their own models only.
| Maker and page | In their words |
|---|---|
| Genesis Genesis USA — Genesis Dashboard Indicators (Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) or (AFLS) OFF Indicator) Checked 2026-10-13 | “On some vehicle models this indicator appears as AFS. The AFLS OFF indicator will come on when you turn the adaptive front light system off by pushing the AFLS OFF button. […] If it blinks while driving, the Adaptive Front Light System is not working properly. Take your vehicle to an authorized Genesis service location and have the system checked.” |
| Hyundai Hyundai owner's manual, 2025 Tucson (general market) — Warning and indicator lights (Intelligent Front-Lighting System warning light) Checked 2026-10-13 | “Whenever a malfunction with the Intelligent Front-Lighting System is detected. If this occurs, drive your vehicle to the nearest safe location, and turn the engine off and restart the engine. If the warning light remains on, we recommend that your vehicle be inspected by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer.” |
| Kia Kia owner's manual (model code MV1, 2025, UK English) — Lighting: System malfunction (Intelligent Front-Lighting System (IFS): System malfunction) Checked 2026-10-13 | “When Intelligent Front-Lighting System is not working properly, the warning message will come on for a few second on the cluster. After the message disappears, the warning lights AFS will appear. We recommend that you have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Kia dealer/service partner. When the front view camera is covered with dirt, snow, or debris, Intelligent Front-Lighting System may temporarily not work properly.” |
| Volkswagen Volkswagen UK — Adaptive Light System (yellow) (amber lamp) Checked 2026-10-13 | “An amber adaptive light system light means that action is required […] The headlights will not dip automatically. The dipped headlights will still operate manually. Please contact an authorised repairer.” |