oil warning light

  1. Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2007 Watford Posts: 590 Boosted 16v VTR
    #1
    i had a light on my dash flashing which i thought was engine temp or something, but it turned out to be the low oil warning light (i thought the oil light was the red oil can that comes on when you start the engine, but apparently not)
    Anyway, it turned out that my oil was low, so i topped it up with a whole bottle of oil. This was on tuesday, but today it's flashing again. Surely i can't be low on oil again? There is no apparant spill on my driveway, and it would be a big spill to lose all that oil i put in?
    a mate of mine reckons that light flashes for no reason in a lot of saxos?
    Any help would be great.
  2. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: May 2006 Stockport, Manchester Posts: 5911 Vtr @ 123bhp R.I.P VTS
    #2
    Mine flashes aswell even though the oil is bang on. Maybe you put too much in. Did you check on the dipstick?
  3. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Mar 2003 United Kingdom (England) Posts: 7064
    #3
    Have you checked the dipstick on a level surface with engine off for 30 mins?
  4. Infrequent Poster Joined: Apr 2006 Wigan Posts: 151 Saxo Vtr
    #4
    You need to be checking your dipstick first, see what the level is like and top it up and keep checking and see if your loosing oil, the light could just be a electrical fault, sensor fault ect, the light is actually oil pressure, when you turn the ignition on the light is on because the engine isnt running and theres not enought oil pressure, once the engine is running the light will go out as there is oil pressure, though low oil levels will cause a lack in pressure which could cause the light to come on
  5. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Feb 2006 northumberland Posts: 7693 pulsar gtir, mk4 astra sxi
    #5
    check the oil pressure, if there is a problem with oil pressure and not just an electrical fault it can do quite a bit damage. at least if you get it now it may just be the oil pump. if you let it loose all pressure when your drivingit can fuck every moving part in the engine really. does it sound tappy or anything on startup? does the light stay on for a while on startup? you should really be getting oil pressure as soon as it starts.
  6. Infrequent Poster Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 130
    #6
    yeah do the above. if its loosing oil and you have no signs of leaks check the condition of your coolant incase its headgasket related, sure it will be fine tho.
  7. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Feb 2006 northumberland Posts: 7693 pulsar gtir, mk4 astra sxi
    #7
    it would be loosing oil if the HG had gone and it was burning oil.
  8. Frequent Poster Joined: Dec 2007 Watford Posts: 590 Boosted 16v VTR
    #8
    cheers for all the info. It has only done it once since satuday morning, and that was when i first started it up today. I drove it a few times yesterday and it never happened again.
    I'll see if it does it tomorrow morning. Incidently, i park on a hill, could this be the reason it thinks its low on oil? I've noticed my petrol guage jumps around on hills too
  9. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Feb 2006 northumberland Posts: 7693 pulsar gtir, mk4 astra sxi
    #9
    park it on flat ground and check the level on the dipstick. then top up accorndingly.
  10. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Dec 2005 flavalas of york United Kingdom (England) Posts: 8456 gen7 toyota celica
    #10
    mine flashs now and again even tho oil is ok on dipstick
  11. Established Member Joined: Oct 2007 Heysham Posts: 2371 Transit connect
    #11
    i had the same problem but i found out what mine was after bout 2 weeks it was because i got my sensor wet so it was short circuiting try getting a spare one to check it
  12. Newbie Joined: Sep 2010 southampton Posts: 1
    #12
    my 2001 vtr had it for few weeks now n it sounds a bit tappy now n then and when i been driving round for say a hour or so i come to the lights n stop n it revs on its own just ova and unda the 1 is this common?