Email And Bacon: Misinterpreting Your Car's Iconography

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The dashboard and underhood of your car provide a constellation of symbols — much of the iconography is standard. The symbols that aren't? Sometimes they're easily understood and sometimes they're open for misinterpretation. Here's 20 icons trending toward the hilarious.

What if you were plopped into a car with no idea what any symbol in it meant? You'd probably come up with some pretty funny and really incorrect interpretations. We took a fresh look at some of our cars and came up with these. What about in your car? Anything really weird in there? [inspired by Reddit]

Click here if you want to see all of this list on one long-time-to-load page.

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Location: Engine radiator
Misinterpretation: Attention, read iBooks but do not put orange gatorade in urine storage tank
Real Meaning: Use only yellow-type coolant rather than the orange-type

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Location: Rear seats
Misinterpretation: Baby recliner
Real Meaning: Lower child seat anchor point

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Location: Under hood, near fire wall
Misinterpretation: Dharma initiative division
Real Meaning: Brake fluid fill point


Location: On top of fuse box
Misinterpretation: Harry Potter Walrus
Real Meaning: Fuses here

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Location: Dashboard
Misinterpretation: Master Shake signal
Real Meaning: Cupholder


Location: Radiator housing
Misinterpretation: Microwave bacon is not allowed and will disappear when lid is twisted
Real Meaning: Do not open the radiator when the coolant is hot

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Location: Accessory belt and fan housing
Misinterpretation: No drumming and no record spinning
Real Meaning: Don't touch accessory belt or fans while in operation


Location: Radiator housing
Misinterpretation: Warning, no hand turkey zone
Real Meaning: Don't touch, hot.

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Location: Fan housing
Misinterpretation: No hands, boat propellers only
Real Meaning: Don't touch the fan while in motion


Location: Key fob
Misinterpretation: Purse may spontaneously break, red flying saucer beacon, double trunk size
Real Meaning: Lock, unlock, panic, and click twice to open trunk

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Location: Dashboard
Misinterpretation: Seat bacon (alt. Summon Seat Snakes)
Real Meaning: Seat heater


Location: Sun visor
Misinterpretation: Stop dancing babies with lasso
Real Meaning: Do not place rear-facing child seat in front seats, may result in injury

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Location: Headlight controls
Misinterpretation: Top to bottom: Circle, shiny booty, escape pod, novelty christmas ornament
Real Meaning: Off, running lights, low beams, automatic headlights


Location: Side glass
Misinterpretation: Sunrise causes general alarm
Real Meaning: Car equipped with factory alarm

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Location: Overhead controls
Misinterpretation: Start sunset
Real Meaning: Map light


Location: Center console
Misinterpretation: Tire bacon results in a Predator targeting an open trunk
Real Meaning: Traction control off, emergency flashers, trunk open

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Location: Lower drivers side kick panel
Misinterpretation: Tow truck neighborhood this way
Real Meaning: Hood open


Location: Steering wheel
Misinterpretation: Trumpet storage
Real Meaning: Horn


Location: Door
Misinterpretation: Wall mounted TV programming
Real Meaning: Mirror adjustment

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Location: Hat shelf behind the rear seats
Misinterpretation: Attach anchor to baby and throw overboard
Real Meaning: Upper anchor point for child seat