What Does Oil Light Mean?
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The oil Light on your car’s dashboard is an indicator that you need to have a look at the oil level in your car. For most vehicles, there are two types of lights which can turn on – yellow and red. When the yellow light comes on, you need to have your car oil changed. This is nothing out of the ordinary and your usual mechanic should be able to tell you how soon you should have your oil changed after the oil light turned on.
On the other hand, if the oil light is on and the color is red, then you need to have it checked by a professional mechanic immediately. Indeed, it is usually considered very dangerous to drive with the red oil light on. There are many things that may happen while driving with red oil light on For instance, your vehicle may become non-responsive while running, or halt abruptly. To avoid any such a situation, you should stop the vehicle immediately and get your oil light on the issue from a good mechanic.
Why Is Oil Light on A Car?
The oil light in your vehicle can come on due to a number of reasons. These have to do with the status of the oil in your car’s engine or the oil light sensor itself. In the case of oil sensor issues, you’ll notice oil light flickering. Here are the four most common reasons why you might have your oil light on:
Low Oil Pressure
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Low oil pressure is a direct result of oil pump not working properly. Alternatively, the oil level may have dropped so low that the system cannot circulate it anymore. Oil light flickering or oil light on is a bad sign for your vehicle’s engine and you should stop, turn it off and call a nearby mechanic for assistance.
Oil Change Requirement
Oil change after a certain time period or a certain distance covered is a necessity. If you see your oil light on, then you will need to have the oil changed as soon as you can. It is highly recommended that you do this well before time.
Old Oil Circuit
Oil circuits, like all other replaceable parts of engines, grow old over time. So, they need to be replaced when their expected service period is over. Now, there are many reasons why you should have your oil circuit and pump replaced. In most cases, this should fix your oil light on car.
Malfunctioning Oil Sensor
Sometimes, the oil sensor on a car can stop working properly. This is usually indicated by oil light flickering. The sensor can malfunction due to some contaminant entering into it. If you have your oil light on even though your oil levels are adequate, you should have the sensor replaced at the earliest.
What To Do If Oil Light On The Dashboard?
When the oil light is on, there are several effective steps you can take to address the problem.
Get Off the Road
After you see your oil light on the first thing you should do is to park your car to the side of the road. Driving with the oil light on or oil light flickering is a risky thing to do. Don’t drive like that or you might encounter an unfortunate accident.
Turn Off the Engine
When there is inadequate oil in the engine, the moving parts can grind against each other. This can lead to engine damage from the inside. To avoid this, you should turn the engine off as soon as you are off the road.
Gauge Oil Levels
Once you have parked your car, you need to check its oil level. Use a dipstick at the oil well to check for this. You will need to pop the hood of your car and dip the stick in the oil well.
If it has the appropriate level of oil then there can be some other problem. You should do the dipstick twice to confirm the oil levels are as recommended. If the levels are lower than recommended, you need to call a mechanic. Normalizing the oil level can solve your oil light on problem in this case.
Get Professional Help
Whether your oil levels are adequate or not, you need to have your vehicle looked at by a professional mechanic. This will help ensure that your vehicle is running as it should and there are no underlying problems which will turn your oil light on.
Is it safe to drive with oil light on?
No, it is usually not considered safe to drive with your oil light on or flickering. If you do so, then you are running the risk of having an accident or damaging your car’s engine. With the sole exception of when your oil light is on to indicate a regular oil change, you should avoid driving when your oil light is on.
How do I fix my oil light?
Any issues concerning your oil light on car will need to be fixed according to the reason behind it. So, if you have low oil pressure, then your oil circuitry may need changing. If you have low oil levels, then you simply need to renew it. For oil sensor malfunctions, sensor replacement will fix your oil light problem.
How do I reset my oil light?
Resetting your oil light is a simple procedure. However, you need to know the make and model your car. There are different methods applicable to different brands. For instance in Chevrolet cars, you’ll need to turn the key to ‘accessory’. Then press and hold the enter button, and start the car. These steps should reset the oil light.
Conclusion
Having your oil light on will not be a major cause for concern if you know what to do. Follow the steps we have mentioned above to see to this problem immediately.
FAQs
Is It Bad If You Find Your Oil Light On?
No, but you need to check what the root cause behind your oil light on. Then, you need to address the problem and resolve it before running your vehicle likes usual.
How Many Miles Can You Go When Your Oil Light On?
This depends entirely on how new your vehicle is when you had it serviced last, what kind of fuel it uses and of course, what is the real reason for oil light on.
Why My Oil Light On After Oil Change?
If your oil light is still on after oil change, you’ll need to reset the oil light. Follow the procedure outlined above.
Why Does My Oil Light Come On But Oil Is Full?
In such a situation, you should check the oil pressure with a manual gauge. Make sure it is within permissible limits. If the pressure is adequate, then you need to replace your oil pressure sensing unit.
Can I drive my car with low oil?
This is not recommended as it will very likely do potentially irreparable damage to your car’s engine.
Can Too Much Oil Cause The Oil Light To Come On?
Too much engine oil can actually damage your car’s engine. But it is highly unlikely that it will turn the oil light on. Following the above steps will ensure your vehicle keeps running smoothly
