As with so many things we all use almost every day, sometimes it can be easy to forget exactly how sophisticated modern cars are. Even the older vehicles roaming UK roads have a huge range of clever systems designed to make life easier, simpler or safer for us – and safe mode is one of them. Basically, it’s a failsafe that kicks in when your car’s electronic control unit (ECU) thinks there’s a risk of damage to some critical components.
If you find your car is often entering safe mode, or you’re often having to get rescued from the roadside, then it may be time to scrap your car.
What is safe mode and what causes it?
As we’ve touched on above, safe mode is a protective feature on your car that’s designed to limit its performance in response to certain faults or malfunctions. That means when your car enters safe mode, it will likely operate at reduced power, preventing the engine from reaching high speeds or accelerating quickly.
The idea is to protect the engine, transmission, or other critical components from more severe damage – in much the same way that a runner wouldn’t keep sprinting to the finish line if they have an injury. Essentially, safe mode is designed to allow you to drive the car with minimal risk of worsening whatever problem it’s detected, as it "limps" to a safe location or garage.
The mode is activated by the car’s electronic control unit, which acts as your car’s brain. This onboard computer system constantly monitors various sensors across the car, including the engine, transmission, and electrical systems. When something goes wrong, such as a fault detected in the fuel system, the ECU may automatically trigger safe mode to protect the vehicle’s internal parts.
It's worth noting that safe mode doesn’t just limit engine power; it can also reduce the functionality of systems like the air conditioning or the cruise control, further reducing strain on your car’s systems. For instance, if there’s a serious issue with the engine's cooling system or oil pressure, safe mode might be triggered to prevent overheating or further engine damage.
However, the key thing to remember is that it’s a temporary fix, and should be checked and repaired by a qualified mechanic as soon as possible to avoid serious long-term damage.
How to identify if your car is in safe mode
Here are a few key signs that indicate your car may have entered safe mode:
- Your car’s engine power is reduced
- You have difficulty shifting gears
- You’ve noticed high engine revs or limited speed
- There are warning lights illuminated on the dashboard
Let’s go through them in a little more detail. For starters, when your car enters safe mode, one of the first (and most obvious) things you may notice is a significant reduction in engine power. The car will struggle to accelerate or respond as it normally would, even when you press the accelerator fully.
Another common sign is difficulty shifting gears, particularly if the car stays stuck in one gear or struggles to transition between gears. This is often accompanied by a higher-than-usual engine revving or a noticeable lack of speed – that’s your car limiting its power to prevent further stress on the transmission.
In some cases, you may notice warning lights, such as the check engine light, illuminated on the dashboard. This typically accompanies the loss of power, and the car’s computer may store error codes that can be accessed later by a mechanic or using an OBD-II scanner.
What to do if your car enters safe mode
If your car enters safe mode, the first thing you should do is to pull over to a safe location. Definitely avoid trying to continue driving at high speeds, as this can worsen the issue and likely cause further damage. It’s also worth noting that, sometimes, a simple restart can reset the system and allow the car to function normally again, so it’s best to turn off the engine and restart the car to see if the issue resolves itself.
If restarting the car doesn’t fix the problem, it’s time to investigate further. If you have an OBD-II scanner - and the know-how to use it - you can use this to check for error codes that might indicate what caused the car to enter safe mode. These codes can give you an idea of whether the issue is related to the engine, transmission, or another system. If you're not familiar with using a scanner, or if you're unable to fix the issue yourself, instead it’s best to call a breakdown service or take your car to a mechanic for a thorough inspection.
Can you drive your car in safe mode?
While it is technically possible to drive your car in safe mode, you shouldn’t try it unless it’s absolutely necessary. As we’ve covered, safe mode generally makes it difficult to drive at normal speeds or accelerate quickly. This is especially problematic on motorways or busy roads, where you may be a hazard to other drivers. In some cases, the car might not shift into higher gears, which can also strain the engine.
If you’re in a situation where driving is unavoidable, then just make sure you drive cautiously and at reduced speeds. Most importantly, don’t delay getting your car checked by a professional. If you don’t know exactly how severe the problem is, it’s safer to arrange for the car to be towed to a garage rather than risking further damage by continuing to drive.
And, of course, if your car ends up entering safe mode once too often, or struggles to regain its normal function, then it may be time to start considering scrapping your car. If so, that’s exactly where we can help here at EMR Vehicle Recycling. With more than 70 years of experience to our name, we’re committed to getting you the very best price. What’s more, it couldn’t be easier – all you need to do is enter your car reg and postcode into the fields on our homepage, and you’ll have an instant online quote before you can say “scrap my car”. How much could yours be worth?
