Engine oil warning light

[Peteridd117]

Car has not long had a service engine oil topped up ect, the engine oil warning light is on I’ve checked the dip stick and it’s just over half full. The car isn’t being used it’s just sat in the yard atm and is being ran for ten minutes every other day. It’s a seat ibiza 2014 if that helps any suggestions would be appreciated, I will also top up the engine oil sometime this week (even though it’s over half full) to see if that helps. Just out of curiosity will i need the same brand as what is currently in? as I don’t know what they put in, it says castrol is recommended on the engine bay with its specific OW (this is my first car I haven’t a clue as you can tell lol)

[Dogwatch]

Start from scratch with an oil and filter change then you'll know:
- what the oil is and that it's fresh:
-the sump is full (to upper dipstick mark);
- the filter isn't clogged with years of crud and starving the oil pump - hence low oil pressure

It could be that the answer lies elsewhere but at least the basics will be right.

Don't give it a short run every other day, that's bad for the engine as it never gets to operating temp. Give it a good twenty minutes (or more) once or twice a week or Ideally a five-mile run .

ETA. topping up the oil to the halfway mark doesn't count as a 'service' in my view!

Edited by Dogwatch on Sunday 12th November 22:21

[Peteridd117]

Ok thanks for response. Is it necessary to do oil filter change as it was all changed and new oil September?

[Megaflow]

Check the manual to find out if it is an oil level warning or an oil pressure warning. The next step depends on the answer of that.

[DuraAce]

Megaflow said:

Check the manual to find out if it is an oil level warning or an oil pressure warning. The next step depends on the answer of that.

This.

If it's the oil pressure light then you could be doing serious damage by starting it.

[Peteridd117]

It’s engine oil pressure the manual says don’t even run it on idle. Do I need it towing to a garage? Is this because it’s been sat in-yard for around about 3 month? Will it be ok to leave a few weeks not been ran? As I don’t plan on using it for a few weeks Or does it need sorting/looking at ASAP? Cheers

Edited by Peteridd117 on Monday 13th November 00:09

[GreenV8S]

Peteridd117 said:

it’s over half full

Is that half full as in half way between the high and low marks on the dipstick? That should give you a range of about 15mm or so.

[Peteridd117]

Yes I haven’t even used it since it was serviced. It’s just above the half way level on dip stick. It was lower than it is now before I had it serviced and there was no warning light then. Can I put the recommended brand oil in? As I don’t know what brand the garage put in

[GreenV8S]

Peteridd117 said:

It’s engine oil pressure the manual says don’t even run it on idle.

There's your answer then.

Don't run the engine until you have fixed the problem. If you aren't capable of fixing it yourself, that will mean taking it to somebody who will fix it for you - obviously without running the engine.

[Peteridd117]

Yes but will it do any harm leaving it (without running it) for a few weeks and then getting it fixed/looked at? Or do I need it doing ASAP I don’t need the car atm that’s all it’s just sat in the yard.

[GreenV8S]

Peteridd117 said:

will it do any harm leaving it (without running it) for a few weeks

No harm whatsoever. You can leave it as long as you like, just don't start it until the problem is fixed.

[Turkish91]

May sound daft but was a genuine filter used? I had a similar issue with my old Civic Type R - it had been serviced but a non-genuine filter used and at idle the oil light would flick on and off. After a lot of head scratching and having replaced the oil pressure sensor just as a precautionary measure, a genuine filter was fitted and the problem stopped. Hopefully your Ibiza is as simple as this - pressure sensors are usually sub £10 and filters are cheap enough too.

[Megaflow]

Peteridd117 said:

It’s engine oil pressure the manual says don’t even run it on idle. Do I need it towing to a garage? Is this because it’s been sat in-yard for around about 3 month? Will it be ok to leave a few weeks not been ran? As I don’t plan on using it for a few weeks Or does it need sorting/looking at ASAP? Cheers

Edited by Peteridd117 on Monday 13th November 00:09

Now we know it is a loss of oil pressure, I would have said the next step was to fit a cheap meachanical gauge and confirm it is actually no pressure or a dodgy switch. But, reading your next question. Yes, it will be fine until you can get it to a garage.

[Wait Here Until Green Light Shows]

So did you drive back from having it serviced with the light on, or was it delivered back by the garage and this is the first time you've started the car?