Exclamation mark warning light flashing on dash

**noyesm** · 5th October 2025, 01:36 PM

Hi there,

I have searched high and low trying to figure this out but there appears to be no definitive answer online. The other day after a decent drive an exclamation mark started flashing on my dash. This is a "!" - on its own, nothing either side of it.

I have looked in manuals trying to figure it out and the best guess is that it's transmission overtemp.

1. Can anyone confirm that this is what the light means?
2. If it is transmission overtemp, what could cause that? Fluid is fine on the dipstick, doesn't smell burnt, car runs, drives and shifts ok.

FYI it is an 86 model year but 1987 on the VIN plate. 3.9 flapper.

Other things i have seen said it is the brake warning light, but brake fluid perfect and there are no wires going to the brakes themselves (no ABS). Also saw people saying it could be the EFI, but all seems OK.

I am tempted to give the transmission a service and replace filter, but it was done about 40k ago. Thoughts?

**p38arover** · 5th October 2025, 08:38 PM

I just looked through my genuine RRC workshop manuals and none of the drawings of the warning lights match that.

There should be a transmission overheat warning lamp but I can’t see one in your pic. Being red it is a major warning.

**noyesm** · 6th October 2025, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by p38arover

I just looked through my genuine RRC workshop manuals and none of the drawings of the warning lights match that.

There should be a transmission overheat warning lamp but I can’t see one in your pic. Being red it is a major warning.

I think this may have only been used on a few year models...I can find other references to it online but not in the manual. By a process of elimination I think it must be automatic overtemp.

So then the question is how to diagnose the problem. The warning only comes from vigorous driving, which makes me think it might not be a faulty sensor and it may be getting hot. I am going to take it for a drive today and use my thermometer to check temperatures at the cooler and the transmission pan.

**Tins** · 6th October 2025, 02:13 PM

1986 RRC 3.5 warning light | Range Rovers Forum

This might help. Dunno.

**noyesm** · 6th October 2025, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Tins

This might help. Dunno.

Ah yes, funnily enough I have seen that post (my photo above was nicked from it as I forgot to take a photo of mine!!) but it is the same behaviour. On re-reading it does seem there was a procedure that I missed the first time around "You need to change the lever into low box and wait for 5 mins and then change back. The light should then go out."

On my drive just now it didn't come on and I measured the temps...61 on the inlet side of the toilet brush cooler where the sensor is, 52 at the other end, transmission casing max at 70ish. I don't think that is considered "hot".

**p38arover** · 6th October 2025, 03:51 PM

The OP’s pic is the same as the one on RangeRovers.net

**Tins** · 6th October 2025, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by noyesm

Ah yes, funnily enough I have seen that post (my photo above was nicked from it as I forgot to take a photo of mine!!) but it is the same behaviour. On re-reading it does seem there was a procedure that I missed the first time around "You need to change the lever into low box and wait for 5 mins and then change back. The light should then go out."

On my drive just now it didn't come on and I measured the temps...61 on the inlet side of the toilet brush cooler where the sensor is, 52 at the other end, transmission casing max at 70ish. I don't think that is considered "hot".

Certainly wouldn't think so. Pretty sure the operating temp of the ZF in my D2 is around 80º. Can stand quite a bit more apparently, not that I want to find out...again.

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