Oil light on but don't know what the problem is!

whippet

I was driving the wife's Seat Ibiza (03 - 1.2) earlier today and after an hour or so on the motorway as I was coming off the slip road the oil light came on.

I pulled in and dipped the oil and the level was perfect. It was serviced in september and has only done about 2000 miles since.

I started the engine again, the light came on again, but turned off after a couple of seconds, I rejoined the motorway and drove on for about 20 mins and then as I came off the slip again the light came on.

I did the same and made sure I was on level ground (just incase) and the oil level was fine.

I only had a couple miles to go and decided to drive on through back roads .. the warning was then intermittent .. and while I can't be sure it seemed to turn off when I was on the throttle and when I took my foot off (on downward inclines).

It's parked up for the night and I won't be back to it until tomorrow ... but what could this possibly be?

TPM

If you are lucky it might only be a bad connection or faulty sensor. On the other hand it could be a blocked oil pick up or an oil pump problem. either way do not drive it untill it is fixed.
I am not familiar with the 1.2 seat engine but im sure someone with more knowledge of it will be along soon

Nissan doctor

Is the light yellow or red?

If you are sure the level is at the maximum then you have one of two problems, either a faulty oil level sensor(common on VAG's, yellow light) or an actual oil pressure issue being recorded(sensor, pump, blockage etc, red light).

Obviously one is a lot more serious then the other.

whippet

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Is the light yellow or red?

If you are sure the level is at the maximum then you have one of two problems, either a faulty oil level sensor(common on VAG's, yellow light) or an actual oil pressure issue(pump, blockage etc, red light).

Obviously one is a lot more serious then the other.

it's a red light unfortunately !! balls to that, it's parked up in the midlands somewhere.

patrickc

not sure if thats the same engine as in the fabia of the same year, but a mate of mine had one and the same thing kept happening, turned out to be a faulty sensor.

Demmo

This engine is a weak unit. It could be anything from a faulty oil filter to an electrical problem to a engine problem in these.
First thing to do is an oil pressure check after checking the filter.

mathepac

patrickc wrote: »

not sure if thats the same engine as in the fabia of the same year...

Fabia, Polo, Ibiza - that 3-cylinder 1.2 wasn't exactly VW's greatest.

testicle

The red light is an oil pressure problem, not an oil level one.

Lucifer

I have had a few golf's with similar symptoms. So far all of them have been fixed with a new oil pressure switch. Started by checking oil pressure but it was fine. May not be the same in your car, so I would not drive it until you know if the oil pressure is OK.

trixyben

id say its highly likely an oil pressure sensor had a few of these before, its a relatively cheap fix so id start with that

whippet

trixyben wrote: »

id say its highly likely an oil pressure sensor had a few of these before, its a relatively cheap fix so id start with that

well due to necessity I decided to take a chance - probably a stupid but what the hell .. I needed to get the car home and the price of getting it towed would be probably the price of the car !!

I let it idle this morning and the warning light didn't come on at all.

I started driving it and the light remained off for about 20 miles and only came on when I had to stop for the toll on the M4.

it went back off when I got up to speed again and stayed off for the next 70miles of motorway driving and came on again when I got off the motorway.

It was intermittently on and off over the rest of the journey .. and after keeping an eye on it, the warning only came on when the revs drop below about 2250.

I will get the missus to drop it in for a proper look in the morning.

whippet

Thankfully sorted ... Just a software issue according to the garage that the missus dropped it in to