Speed limiter light
Can I keep driving? Green: information only, in Volkswagen's words. Amber on a Volkswagen, or a flashing limiter symbol on a Nissan LEAF, is a fault: both makers say switch the limiter off and have it checked at a workshop. Neither page says you must stop. What each maker's page says
You have set a maximum speed and the car will not go faster on the accelerator. Volkswagen shows it green when the limiter is on and amber when it is not available because of a fault. Unlike cruise control, including the adaptive cruise light, a limiter does not hold a speed for you: you still drive with the pedal, it only caps how fast you go.
GreenYellow / amber
Not defined by regulation: a maker convention
What to do
Green needs nothing. If the set speed blinks, you are over the limit (Kia, Nissan). Nissan says the limiter will not brake the car down to the set speed, so going downhill you may still exceed it. Amber (Volkswagen) or a flashing limiter symbol (Nissan): switch the limiter off and have it checked by a workshop.
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
- Speedometer dial with a needle held under a limit mark
- Also called
- Speed limiter active; Speed limiter not available; Manual Speed Limit Assist (Kia)
- Colour
- Green or Yellow / amber
- Standard
- None — a maker convention, described here from 3 makers: Volkswagen, Nissan, Kia
Where makes differ
Volkswagen has two lamps: green for 'speed limiter active' and amber for 'speed limiter not available'. Nissan's 2023 LEAF lights a speed limiter symbol and the set speed together; the set speed blinks if you are over it, the symbol flashes on a fault, and Nissan says the colour shows the system's state without naming the colours on that page. Kia calls it Manual Speed Limit Assist: the set speed blinks and a chime sounds while you are over it, and pressing the pedal past about 80% to kickdown lets you exceed the limit. On Volkswagen the green adaptive cruise lamp also lights for the limiter.
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 a speed-limiter tell-tale; both mention only the cruise-control control (paragraph 5.2.8 in each). Checked 2026-10-12 in the editions cited on /dashboard/more/.
Related lights
Other green maker lights
Lane assist (lane keeping) lightLane markings running away from you, dashed line in the middle · also yellow / amber · maker convention
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) lightSpeedometer dial with a needle · also yellow / amber · maker convention
Auto Hold lightThe words AUTO HOLD · also yellow / amber · maker convention
Hill descent control lightCar pointing down a slope · also yellow / amber, red · maker convention
Auto stop-start lightLetter A inside a circular arrow · also yellow / amber · maker convention
READY light (electric and hybrid cars)The word READY · maker convention
Foot on brake light (press the brake pedal)A foot pressing a pedal · also yellow / amber · maker convention
ECO mode lightThe word ECO · maker conventionOther yellow / amber maker lights
Diesel particulate filter (DPF) lightBox full of dots with a pipe at each end · maker convention
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 conventionAll yellow / amber dashboard lights, regulated ones included
What each maker's page says
No regulation defines this light, so it is described from 3 carmakers' own manuals or owner pages: Volkswagen, Nissan, Kia. 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 |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Volkswagen UK — Speed limiter active (green lamp) Checked 2026-10-12 | “When this green light is displayed, it means your speed limiter is on and your car will not exceed the maximum speed you have set.” |
| Volkswagen Volkswagen UK — Speed limiter not available (amber lamp) Checked 2026-10-12 | “The indicator lamp lights up amber. Malfunction. Switch off the speed limiter and go to a qualified workshop.” |
| Nissan Nissan UK owner's manual, 2023 LEAF — Speed limiter display and indicators (9.14.1.1 Speed limiter display and indicators) Checked 2026-10-12 | “When the vehicle speed exceeds the set speed limit, the set speed indicator (2) blinks and the speed will not increase when depressing the accelerator pedal until the vehicle speed becomes lower than the set speed limit. The speed limiter system will not automatically brake the vehicle to the set speed limit.” |
| Nissan Nissan UK owner's manual, 2023 LEAF — Speed limiter malfunction (Speed limiter malfunction) Checked 2026-10-12 | “If the speed limiter malfunctions, the speed limiter indicator in the display will flash. Turn the speed limiter off by pushing the speed limiter main ON/OFF switch and have the system checked by a NISSAN dealer or qualified workshop.” |
| Kia Kia owner's manual, 2026 Tasman (UK) — Manual Speed Limit Assist (MSLA) (Manual Speed Limit Assist) Checked 2026-10-12 | “If you drive over the preset speed limit, Manual Speed Limit Assist operates (set speed limit will blink and chime will sound) until the vehicle speed returns within the speed limit.” |
| Kia Kia UK HTML owner's manual (model code YBC, 2023) — Manual Speed Limit Assist operation (Manual Speed Limit Assist operation) Checked 2026-10-12 | “To drive over the preset speed limit you must depress hard on the accelerator pedal (more than approximately 80%) until the kick down mechanism works with a clicking noise. […] The "OFF" indicator will blink if there is a problem with speed limit control function.” |