When your vehicle warns you of an oil problem, what looks like an old-fashioned oil can will illuminate on your dashboard. If the oil light comes on while you are driving, get to a safe place and turn the engine off immediately. It is important to stop driving your vehicle because you may have run out of oil. That could lead to a break down, putting you and other drivers at risk. Testing your luck and driving with your oil light on can also cause extensive damage to your vehicle’s engine.
Here are some things to check if your oil light has come on:
- Once you have parked your car in a safe place, check the oil level. This can be done with the dipstick. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean with a cloth, and then put it back into the vehicle. If the dipstick is dry or there is not very much oil on it, you may have a low oil problem. If this is the situation, do not turn the engine back on.
- Another reason your oil light may come on is if the oil pressure is low. Low oil pressure means the pump isn’t circulating enough oil, or there isn’t enough oil in the system for the pump to circulate. The oil is important to keeping the surfaces lubricated, so if the oil light comes on and the pressure is low, pull over and turn off the engine.
Driving with low oil pressure or low oil in the system can ruin your vehicle’s engine, eventually breaking the motor. If you notice the oil light on while you are driving, pull over immediately and address the problem. This is one warning light that should be taken seriously!
If you have any questions, we welcome you to contact Wiygul Automotive Clinic at 1-866-702-8050.
