If your car’s oil light illuminates on the dashboard, you should have your car inspected as soon as possible by a trained mechanic. Although the first color of light to flash when your oil is low is yellow, it’s best not to wait till it becomes red before you have your car checked out by a mechanic to correct any issue. In general, the flashing oil lamp on your car’s dashboard will become a serious problem after around 2 weeks or 500 miles of driving. Things can quickly deteriorate once it reaches that point, resulting in major mechanical damage. Schedule a maintenance appointment with a mechanic as soon as possible.
What does an oil light indicate
You might now be wondering what an oil light means. It could mean a variety of things, including the following;
- There’s not enough oil in your car
Oil loss can occur for various causes, including cracked valves, blown head gaskets, and more. Regardless, if oil leaks from your vehicle, it will begin to deteriorate and may eventually suffer serious damage. As a result, if there is insufficient oil in the automobile, the oil light will illuminate.
- The car’s oil pressure is low
A vehicle’s oil pressure must be sufficient for it to run at its best. Oil pressure can become too low for various reasons (blocked up oil filter, faulty pressure gauge, insufficient oil in the engine, etc.). The oil light will appear when this happens.
- The oil oressure sensor of your car is malfunctioning
Another reason your oil light can come on is if your oil pressure sensor isn’t working properly. This happens at random, usually as a result of normal wear and tear. If you don’t fix it, your car won’t get the right amount of oil pressure, which can cause more damage over time.
- Your car oil pump is bad
The oil pump in a car may fail over time due to wear and tear. This will almost certainly trigger a reaction from the oil light. The only available option at that point is to replace the pump because if you don’t, your engine will generate excessive friction and die much sooner than it should.
What to do when car oil light on
If you are well knowledgeable about the different oil fluids in your car and how to check them, then I am sure you are aware that It’s risky to continue driving with the oil lamp on since it’s possible, but unlikely, that you’ve run out of oil. If this is the situation, your engine may stop abruptly while driving, resulting in an accident. Check your oil level by opening the bonnet. If it’s too low, add more oil if you have any. If you don’t know how to check your oil, call your mechanic, explain what happened, and request for help.
The oil level indicates the quantity of oil is remaining in your car, while the oil pressure shows how smoothly the oil pump circulates oil through the engine. If your car oil pressure is low, it’s either because the pump isn’t circulating enough oil or because there isn’t adequate oil to circulate. It’s critical to have enough pressurized oil flowing through your engine to lubricate its moving parts. Your engine can be damaged if you don’t have it.
Return to your car, start the engine, and check if the oil light in your car is still red after you’ve checked the oil level and added more oil if necessary. Except the engine is making noises, you’re good to go.
Find out why your oil light came on
Even if your car’s oil light went off after you added extra oil, the fact that you had to add it could suggest a leak. Start looking under your vehicle for apparent oil stains, especially if it’s been parked overnight. Also, be aware of any burnt-oil smells coming from your engine or blue smoke. These simple car maintenance checks come from your car’s exhaust. Any of these could mean a leak or internal consumption of oil. These simple car maintenance checks can save you money and prevent you from condemning your car’s engine. Take your car to the mechanic to have it inspected and repaired if there are any leaks or concerns about oil consumption.
If you had to be towed, a mechanic would have already examined your vehicle to determine why the oil light came on. It’s possible that your oil pressure sensor is faulty, dirty, or needs to be replaced. If the oil pump was the cause of the problem, you’d most likely need to replace it. This isn’t cheap, but it’s a lot better than having to buy a new engine. Who knew the tiny red oil light had such importance! That being said, after changing your car’s oil or servicing your car, check your headlight bulbs to see if there is any faulty one, check your headlight lenses and observe if enough beam can pass through it. If it can’t, restore your car headlight lenses using a headlight restoration kit.
