Is Your Car's Oil Pressure Warning Light On?

You can't drive long distances. If the oil pressure light pops on your dash, safely pull over, turn the car off, and check its oil level with an oil dipstick. You might drive to the nearest auto shop if the oil sits above the safe line and there are no engine noises. However, request a tow ride if the oil level is below that line. Also, try to notice any odd noises after turning the car off; if you hear anything different, don't try to drive; request a tow ride.

If the issue is a faulty oil sensor, you won't hear any different noises from the engine, and the oil level will be acceptable. You also won't notice any blackness on the oil, and the yellow "check engine" light might pop on the dash.

If so, it's better to stop driving. It depends on the damage's extension. For instance, if the issue is indeed a lack of oil, running the car in this state compromises the entire system; oil act as a lubricant in the vehicle's internal moving parts, and the lack of it results in progressive damages. In extreme cases, a mechanic must tear down the car's engine to fully estimate how much this issue impacted it.

Failing pumps results in low oil pressure and engine protection. The typical symptoms that follow this issue are engine noises when the vehicle is running, blackish oil, burning oil smells, slow engine cranks, and rattling.

Sometimes, the issue can be electrical without actually involving oil pressure problems. So, an electrical malfunction can falsely trigger the oil pressure warning.

In this case, electrical issues don't cause abnormal sounds nor affect the oil level. Shutting the car off and restarting it might clear the light for a while. Even tapping on the dash can make the warning go out. Sometimes, a "check engine" light can pop up too.

This can relate to a faulty oil pressure switch. An oil pressure switch failure can happen because of electrical issues; these types of problems do not show any aggressive symptoms, and the car's behavior shouldn't change drastically. The oil level might be full and clean, with no odd symptoms or noises coming from the car. Still, the "check engine" light might appear on the dash next to the red oil pressure warning.

A clogged oil filter can trigger the "oil warning" light on the dash since the filter is vital in maintaining oil quality and pressure. In this case, the oil probably gets a dark-colored appearance and might be at a low level; stop the car and check this with an oil dipstick. Additionally, if your vehicle is underperforming, ask for a tow ride.

Some oil filters have a bypass valve in the filter, and some manufacturers have a pressure relief valve in the oiling system. If the filter clogs up, the oil bypasses it, contaminating itself and damaging internal engine components. In this same scenario, some oil filters can come apart and lodge filter particles through the car's oilways.

If sludge and filter particles obstruct the car's oil passages, you might notice poor performance; the engine sputters when accelerating, odd noises coming from underhood, a burnt oil smell, and the yellow "check engine" light popping on the dash.