Dreaming of Cars: The Meaning of Cars In Dreams

Cars are one of the most common dream symbols in developed countries. In the US and most other countries, cars and other motor vehicles are part of our daily lives. We rely on transportation to get us to where we need or want to go. It is the purpose and our dependency on cars that shapes our personal symbolism of cars. The following article explores the meaning of cars and similar motor vehicles within specific contexts.

In dreams cars are YOU and show you how you are getting through life. Depending upon the context of the dream, a car can symbolize our physical body, our mind, our ego (Freud's definition), our consciousness, our personality, and/or our life in general or the direction our life is taking currently. A car can also represent our social persona (Carl Jung)- who we are to others, also known as our social image or our social status. The context of car dreams shows us how much power and control we have (or believe we have) over our lives as well as how successful we are at moving from one stage of life to another.

When analyzing a car dream, it is important to ask yourself the following questions about the context of the dream:

• Where are you? If you are sitting- which seat are you in? Sitting in the driver's seat shows you that are in the driver's seat in your life- you have control or attempt to. If someone else is in the driver's seat, it is possible this person or what they symbolize to you is controlling your life. Sitting in the passenger seat may mean you have a passive approach to life. Sitting in the backseat may mean you are taking a "backseat" in your life or specific situations. It is important to keep in mind that other people often do not symbolize themselves but rather an aspect within you that you identify with them (example, your angry aunt may symbolize your anger or your negative approach to something).
• How's the ride? How the car is riding often shows us how many obstacles and hardships we are experiencing. A bumpy ride, seeing rocks in the road or see other obstacles and dangers including traffic signs indicating danger show us what environment we are currently navigating through and how easy or hard we feel it has been to get through.
• How's the car? If the car is missing a tire or other important part-- what what is missing in your life that you need right now? Do you have a flat tire? If so, you may feel as though your life is going nowhere and you are stuck or stranded in your current situation. Was the car overheating? Dreaming of a car overheating could mean you are overheating and expending too much energy. You may need to slow down and may be at risk of burning out. You are taking on too much and may need to take a break and re-evaluate.
• Are there other cars around you? The other cars could symbolize others but are more likely symbolizing other aspects of who you are that are either unknown to you are repressed/ignored. If you know these people in real life, they could represent traits, behaviors, or feelings you associate with these people that you also possess or want to possess. Being in traffic could symbolize being crowded or overwhelmed.
• What color is the car? Colors can symbolize different things to different people but many colors have a general meaning to all. For more information, view the Dream Dictionary of Colors.
• How do you feel in the dream? Driving fast and experiencing a sensation of elation means something quite different then driving fast and experiencing a feelings of fear and panic.

If you see an armored car in a dream, you may want to ask yourself where in your life you are insecure or where you feel the need to overprotect yourself. Since this is associated with a car, the insecurity may pertain to what you have done in your life so far or the direction you are currently taking. Where the car is going or what the car contains may give you a clue about the core insecurity influencing your current path.

If the insecurity does not apply, it is possible the dream means that you feel you need to be more careful with your money.

Bumper cars can have two very opposite meanings so it is important to consider the context of the dream and the dreamer's feelings associated with the bumper cars.

• Bumper cars could represent fortitude, flexibility, and the ability to quickly recover from hardships and setbacks.
• Bumper cars could also mean that you feel your life is going nowhere or that you have been traveling aimlessly without purpose. There also could be a sense of feeling trapped within a game involving competition and butting heads with others.

Since cable cars, trains, subways and buses all ride on a set path, seeing them in dreams could mean you do not believe you have control over the path of your life. This could be both positive and negative.

• On one hand, the dream could show you that you have belief in a bigger picture, a grand design, fate, and a higher purpose for yourself and your life. This symbol shows that you feel that your decisions are less important than fulfilling something larger than yourself. Riding on the cable car (or train, subway, bus, etc.) could mean you "on track" and that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
• On the other hand, it could also show you that you are being passive in your life's decisions. You may be just following the masses and not listening to your inner voice and are over-influenced by others. Perhaps you have made compromises in order to avoid conflict or maintain the status quo.

Often associated with these vehicles is missing one since they run on a schedule and have a specific set path. Missing your ride can mean you feel you have missed an opportunity or fear you will. Perhaps you feel behind and are in need of catching up in order to achieve your goals.

To dream of a car accident can symbolize your emotional state and is usually associated with being overrun with anxiety, fear or "driving" yourself too hard. This dream may be telling you to slow down before you hit disaster. It is important to rethink or re-plan your course of actions and set yourself on a better path to avoid burn-out.

To dream that you are in a car crash with another car may symbolize that your beliefs, way of life, or goals are conflicting with another's or you are having an inner tug-of-war. It may also represent an experience you have had that was shocking to you and left an impression on you that resulted in changing how you think or feel about the world, where you are headed, or how you approach life.

To dream that you have been rear-ended could mean that something from your past is still impacting you now in some way. You need to learn from the past and acknowledge something that is holding you back in order to move forward.

To see or dream that you are in a car dealership refers to some decision that you need to make about where you want to go in life. You are trying to figure out your purpose, set our goals, and decide on a direction in life.

Explore your personal experiences in car dealerships. Have you struggled to find what you need or want? Do you feel pressured or manipulated into buying a car you do not want or cannot afford? How do your answers to these questions translate to other areas in your life right now?

Dreaming of a car fire represent two different sentiments and is dependent upon context and the feelings the symbol evokes in the dreamer.

• The car fire could represent intense anger associated with one's life path and choices that have led to the current position. This is often also associated with anger and defiance towards authority and resentment towards others with power and control.
• Fire can also be cleansing and renewing. Perhaps you have realized you were on a dangerous path and need to make a drastic change. Perhaps you have been reckless, have hit rock bottom and need to give up all things and start over again. This is a dream symbol found in substance abusers. This may relate to the Phoenix within mythology.

To dream that you have been carjacked may show you that things are not going as planned. Have you lost direction in life? Are you being pulled in the wrong direction? Do you feel circumstances in your life have forced you on a different course? Are you allowing something or someone outside of yourself to control your life? These type of dreams are also associated with a loss of a sense of control.

Car Battery: This symbol tends to relate to your stamina and energy. A dead battery suggests you are overworked and running out of energy-fatigued. You need to slow down and "recharge your batteries" or you run the risk of burning out.

Car Radiator: This symbol may be showing you that you need to cool off. You are getting too worked up over something.

Carburetor: This symbol tends to represent emotional, spiritual and physical balance if you have knowledge of cars and what a carburetor actually does. Considering most cars do not have a carburetor- this may also symbolize a part of your life that is out-dated, no longer needed, and in need of a change.

Gas Tank: Dreaming of a gas tank shows you that you need to take an inventory of your energy. It is important to take care of yourself in order to have the continued strength to persevere through your individual journey. Dreaming of an empty gas tank literally means you are running out of gas in real life and need to relax, recharge, and regain your strength. Dreaming of a full gas tank shows you that you are prepared for the long journey ahead.

Handles: If our dream is focused on the car handles, it may be showing us a few things. Based on context, we may learn that we are contemplating a major shift in direction and may be making a major change in our lives. A handle also may be telling us that we feel we cannot escape our need to continue on this current path. It may indicate a need for a break from our goals and a need to replenish our energy and spirit before continuing on our way.

Horn: Dreaming of a car horn or beeping a car horn shows that you need attention from others or that you need to pay attention more to something highlighted in the dream. Horns are typically used to avoid dangers on the road by alerting others to your presence. This may relate to a situation in your current life. Perhaps you need to put others on notice and express yourself more and feel heard.

Steering Wheel: Dreams that focus on the steering wheel show you how much control you feel you have in your life and the direction it is taking. Driving a car with a steering wheel that is not working means you are feeling as though you are losing control.

Tires: Tires have similar meaning to our feet-- they take us to where we need to go. If our tires are working well, it shows us we believe we have all that we need to continue on our journey. Missing tires shows us we feel unprepared for what is ahead and we simply to not have what it takes to get there. A flat tire may show us that we are wearing out or have lost some of our ability to continue on do to emotional trauma or the psychological effect all the bumps in the road have had on us.

Trunk: Dreaming of a trunk of a car shows you your emotional baggage. What is in the trunk? The trunk is often referring us to what is always in the back of our mind and it could also show us what in our past is influencing us now. The trunk tends to symbolize what unconscious influences we have that are impacting our journey beyond our normal perception.

Window: To be focused on the car window could mean you are reflecting about your life and current choices. Being unable to roll up the windows of your car shows that you not only may feel you cannot fully protect yourself from the elements but are also hesitating or showing some reservation about the direction that you are taking in life or the path that you have chosen.

Windshield Wipers: This symbol shows you how clear your vision is of your future and how conscious are of your current emotional/mental health. Wipers that are not working correctly may show you that you are not seeing yourself or a situation clearly. Something is hidden from your view either because it is unconscious or you have ignored or repressed it. Driving in the rain or a storm with wipers that are working well shows you that you are able to weather the storm and are able to see through challenges and keep your focus on your ultimate goals.

Seeing an old-fashioned carriage in your dream could mean that your beliefs and ideas have been a bit old-fashioned themselves. Perhaps you are traditional but perhaps traditional has moved into being a bit stuck in the past. It may mean that parts of your life that you cling to are becoming obsolete and no longer of use to you. This symbol emphasizes a possible reluctance to change and evolve while also clinging to nostalgia.

The carriage may also relate to fairy tales depending upon the context. Does your life resemble a fairy tale? Have you been stuck on unrealistic ideals that you have held onto sabotaging realistic and great goals for yourself? Seeing a carriage in a dream demands further exploration in what works for you now in order to achieve your dreams.

To dream that you are at a carwash suggests that you need to clean up your self-image and that you are ready to make a fresh start.

To see or ride a golf cart in your dream shows that you are too cavalier or careless in the pursuit of your personal goals and that you have no sense of urgency in things. This may also mean your goals and your efforts have been superficial and that your pursuits have been childish or materialistic.

To see or drive a go-kart in your dream represents your ability to navigate through life's course with all of its difficult twists and turns. The dream may also be a pun on your "drive" and aspirations.

To see a haunted car in your dream represents unfinished goals. Perhaps obstacles and influences on the way have influenced your life's path so much that your former goals and pursuits are now haunting you as you progress on a different path. This could relate to jobs, relationships, or other areas of life.

Industrial cars and trucks in dreams symbolize physical labor and the amount of working you are doing or need to do on your current path. This could reflect your current daily activities and occupation or it could symbolize other type of work and construction of a more mental/psychological nature. Most industrial vehicles are able to contribute to substantial changes to the landscape and infrastructure of roads hence would also relate to these type of changes to our life's path and our internal structures of our psyche.

Seeing a parked car in a dream tends to mean you are stuck and life has stalled- you are going nowhere fast. This could have negative and positive meanings. If you need a break, a detour from your current path (perhaps a break from work?), then this is a positive symbol. If you have goals and dreams that you are attempting to accomplish, then this symbol may mean your focus and attention needs to be channeled differently. Have you been waiting for things to come to you or land in your lap? A parked car is a rather passive position and it may relate to you being too passive in your life. Perhaps you have been "spinning your wheels" and need a fresh start with a new approach to your life.

If you can't remember where you parked your car, you may be feeling lost in life and my be not only uncertain where to go but where to even start. You are undecided about what you want to ultimately do with your life.

To see a police car in your dream could mean that help is on the way for you or that you are open to and seeking help. You may be experiencing some inner turmoil and need intervention.

A police car may also represent rules and restrictions you are imposing onto yourself and your life.

Race cars in dreams typically symbolize a fast-paced and "racy" approach to life. Depending upon the context of the dream, this could also be a warning that your current pace is dangerous for you and there is potential to spin out of control.

Race cars can indicate to you a competitive, headstrong, a driven nature. If there are two race cars racing each other, it could also show you two competing ideas or goals that are currently on your mind.

Dreaming of a car that does not have automatic transmission but instead has a standard transmission that requires the driver to change gears shows you feel the need to control many small details of your life. This feeling may be associated with the current burdens you have in your life or they could be associated with insecurities that cause you to want to over-control everything in your life.

Having a dream that focuses on automatic transmission may mean you feel everything falls into place for you and is working as planned. If the automatic transmission in your dream is faulty, it may show you that you feel your plan is not working and you feel setbacks are out of your control and are having difficulty overcoming them.

Having your car stolen in a dream often reflects a feeling of being robbed of who you are, your own identity and the power you have to get to where you need to go in life. This not only reflects a sense of loss but also a sense of feeling stripped of all that you know which leaves you feeling stranded without the ability to get to where you need to go in life. This may relate to big areas of your life such as occupation, significant relationships, or some other situation that has been significant and self-defining for you.

Seeing or interacting with a toy car in a dream could symbolize a desire to gain more control over your life. There is an element of play and planning for the real thing in these type of dreams. Depending upon the dreams feelings associated with the dream, this could be a symbol of preparation or it also could be a symbol of immaturity and skirting adult-life responsibilities.

Cars have made a great impact on society. They have greatly influenced commerce, the distribution of goods, the job market, travel and increased the interactions with others. Cars have also had a negative impact on society. They have helped to create greater dependency on fuel, almost eliminated "small towns" and contributed to environmental concerns such as pollution.

Cars were once a luxury item used by the very rich. Now, most people from all classes have and rely on cars. Cars in America and most other countries have become a symbol of what connects us to what we need and what we do (job, supermarket, education, social events). Without a car, most of us would find ourselves isolated lacking an essential tool we need to get to where we need to go in a timely manner.

Developing countries to not share our dependency or views of cars. People living in developing countries or those who grew up in one may have different meanings to their dreams when cars are a focal symbol. Cars could relate to the rich, to the imposing influence of Americanization, or to a hope of a better future.

When analyzing car dreams, it is important to take into account the dreamer's beliefs, experiences, culture, and views of cars themselves. In this context, the same dream may mean something quite different from one person to another.

Don't see a car-related symbol you dreamed of? Share it in a comment and it will be added to this hub.

Sources:

www.dreammoods.com

www.mythdreamssymbols.com