Oil warning light flashing

[8bit]

I know this has been covered a bit recently and I did search but want to explain exactly what I've seen today so as to be sure I'm on the right track, so here goes...

Was out for a drive today, kept getting caught behind slow Sunday drivers so didn't really get to open the car up much. After I'd been driving on and off for about 90 mins I was behind a couple of very slow moving cars on a 60mph limit road so when I got a chance to do so safely I pulled out, dropped into third and floored it to pass them.

As soon as the car got up to a few thousand rpm the oil warning light flashed about 6 times and three loud beeps, then disappeared again. This happened again a short while later but wasn't pushing the car as hard this time, then again as I was pulling in to Tesco off the roundabout at the entrance.

Checked the manual which said to check the oil level, which I did and it showed actually over the maximum mark. I haven't had to put any more in since I got the car and the last time I checked it the level was fine so figured this was because I'd just been driving about. Drove the car very gently home and left it for an hour before checking again but the level still looks a bit high.

I read a few posts that say to get the pickup in the sump checked/cleaned but given that the oil level looked higher than it should be is this still the recommended thing to do? I can't do this myself so it'll have to be the garage if so, should I get the car towed there or am I safe enough to just drive it there very carefully?

 

[james walker]

did you check the level with the engine hot??

 

[Graham89]

Sounds like pil pick up if its when you booted it. Not the level to worry about i'd be looking at pick up/pump/sensor..

Your in the same position as me on this one. I'm checking the pick up next weekend

 

[8bit]

did you check the level with the engine hot??

It was still hot when I checked it the first time at Tesco, yes. Second time the car had been off for an hour and it still looked a bit high, but then it's parked outside my flat and is facing down a slight hill. I'll check it again in another hour or so to be sure.

Sounds like pil pick up if its when you booted it. Not the level to worry about i'd be looking at pick up/pump/sensor..

Your in the same position as me on this one. I'm checking the pick up next weekend

It'll have to be a trip to the garage if that's the case. Is it safe to drive the car before getting this checked/fixed?

 

[Graham89]

As long as the light isnt on then yes. If it does pop up all the time i wouldn't advise it. I'm getting warning light flashing only on very hard driving so once a week maybe.

It's something that could be done at home with the right tools. Its a case of draining oil, Getting under car and removing the sump to clean the pick up tube. Then re seal and bolt back on with new oil and filter

 

[LEE69]

Oil pick up gets my vote.

 

[8bit]

As long as the light isnt on then yes. If it does pop up all the time i wouldn't advise it. I'm getting warning light flashing only on very hard driving so once a week maybe.

It's something that could be done at home with the right tools. Its a case of draining oil, Getting under car and removing the sump to clean the pick up tube. Then re seal and bolt back on with new oil and filter

I'll check the level again shortly then get the car booked in ASAP. I don't have much in the way of tools and no way of getting under the car at the moment, got plans to get some axle stands, trolley jack and some more tools so I can do more stuff myself but will leave this one to the professionals I think.

Oil pick up gets my vote.

Sounds like it, thanks all. I'll post back once it's been looked at.

 

[techie]

Is it a red pressure warning or a yellow level light?

 

[8bit]

Is it a red pressure warning or a yellow level light?

It's the red light, flashes maybe 6 or 7 times with 3 loud beeps.

Just checked level again, looks a bit high but as I said the closest to a flat surface I can get parked is the slight hill and camber on the street outside my flat. I'll check it at lunchtime tomorrow, the car park at work is pretty flat.

 

[Lallen82]

ok i had this problem it was down to the pick up pipe being blocked i repeat dont drive your engine with this light on as i did for a few miles just get to me mates garage the engine was tapping so loud as no oil to top of the timing chain so he had to fix that as well as it sounded like a diesel lol all good now thank fook

 

[techie]

It's the red light, flashes maybe 6 or 7 times with 3 loud beeps.

Just checked level again, looks a bit high but as I said the closest to a flat surface I can get parked is the slight hill and camber on the street outside my flat. I'll check it at lunchtime tomorrow, the car park at work is pretty flat.

As said then, get the strainer sorted straight away.

 

[8bit]

As said then, get the strainer sorted straight away.

OK thanks - straight to garage then, no driving it anywhere else?

 

[techie]

Not worth the risk really is it.

 

[8bit]

Fair one - I'll ring the garage in the morning, they're only just round the corner from my place so that's as far as it's going for now.

Thanks all