The engine oil warning light can appear on your dash to indicate an issue or error with low oil pressure or other oil-related problems. When the engine oil warning light turns on it is important to respond to it immediately. If your car is out of oil it could cause your vehicle to break down on the roadway which is highly dangerous. It is not safe to drive with the engine oil warning light on.
What to do when the light comes on?
In the event that your engine oil warning light turns on while driving the first thing you should do is find a safe space on the side of the road to pull over and turn off the car. This is important because if the engine suddenly fails, your vehicle could come to a complete stop, causing an accident or collision.
Once the vehicle is turned off, pop your hood and check your oil levels using the dipstick. Remove the dipstick and wipe clean with a rag or paper towel. Place the dipstick back inside and pull it out again to reveal the oil levels. If the dipstick is completely dry, your car is below the level of oil it requires to run properly. Do not attempt to drive your car as it could cause further damage. Call a tow truck and have your vehicle brought to a shop to be serviced by professional technicians.
If your vehicle is showing a sufficient amount of oil on the dipstick and a lack of oil is not the issue, further investigation will need to be done. An oil warning light can indicate several other issues such as an old oil circuit, faulty oil sensor, or your oil is really dirty and your car needs an oil change. To diagnose these problems further may be difficult to do on your own. An oil pressure light inspection can be done at many shops and will provide you with further information on how to proceed with repairs.
If you need an oil warning light inspection or repair, feel free to give Integrity Auto Services a call today!