Oil pressure warning light
Discussion
I would move over to the left lane, indicating, see how near the next exit was (or rather, remember, because that is advanced planning), before deciding whether to pull over onto the hard shoulder. I don’t think hazards would be necessary until you had pulled onto the hard shoulder. Should there be no hard shoulder, I would slow with hazards on and come to a stop when the vehicle behind had pulled out to overtake, and there was no further hazard behind that.
I would not stop on the motorway, unless the oil or water temperature were rising above normal to a worrying level. A wrecked engine is preferable to a wrecked human.
Of course, I assume the driver would know what the symbols mean, and also that the vehicle was well maintained. If the light was orange, I would pull off the motorway and check the oil level (after letting oil drain back).
I have had a water pump fail, and a engine light come on and the temperature gauge rise. I pulled off at the next junction, allowed the car to cool a bit, then drove home (I was only 6 miles from home). It was the notorious BMW plastic impeller that went.
I would not stop on the motorway, unless the oil or water temperature were rising above normal to a worrying level. A wrecked engine is preferable to a wrecked human.
Of course, I assume the driver would know what the symbols mean, and also that the vehicle was well maintained. If the light was orange, I would pull off the motorway and check the oil level (after letting oil drain back).
I have had a water pump fail, and a engine light come on and the temperature gauge rise. I pulled off at the next junction, allowed the car to cool a bit, then drove home (I was only 6 miles from home). It was the notorious BMW plastic impeller that went.
Pica-Pica said:
I would move over to the left lane, indicating, see how near the next exit was (or rather, remember, because that is advanced planning), before deciding whether to pull over onto the hard shoulder. I don’t think hazards would be necessary until you had pulled onto the hard shoulder. Should there be no hard shoulder, I would slow with hazards on and come to a stop when the vehicle behind had pulled out to overtake, and there was no further hazard behind that.
I would not stop on the motorway, unless the oil or water temperature were rising above normal to a worrying level. A wrecked engine is preferable to a wrecked human.
Of course, I assume the driver would know what the symbols mean, and also that the vehicle was well maintained. If the light was orange, I would pull off the motorway and check the oil level (after letting oil drain back).
I have had a water pump fail, and a engine light come on and the temperature gauge rise. I pulled off at the next junction, allowed the car to cool a bit, then drove home (I was only 6 miles from home). It was the notorious BMW plastic impeller that went.
I have to admit I was debating whether indicating or hazards but went for hazards in case the car decided to die suddenly and was stuck there.I would not stop on the motorway, unless the oil or water temperature were rising above normal to a worrying level. A wrecked engine is preferable to a wrecked human.
Of course, I assume the driver would know what the symbols mean, and also that the vehicle was well maintained. If the light was orange, I would pull off the motorway and check the oil level (after letting oil drain back).
I have had a water pump fail, and a engine light come on and the temperature gauge rise. I pulled off at the next junction, allowed the car to cool a bit, then drove home (I was only 6 miles from home). It was the notorious BMW plastic impeller that went.
Dixy said:
Can I point out smart motorways have no hard shoulder.
Hard shoulder makes it simple.
If you stop you will be in a live lane, if you continue you risk mullering your engine and worse putting oil on the carriageway.
I mentioned no hard shoulders in my comment.Hard shoulder makes it simple.
If you stop you will be in a live lane, if you continue you risk mullering your engine and worse putting oil on the carriageway.
Watch the oil or water temperature gauge. Exit the motorway if it stays low enough.
Muller the engine or muller yourself, your choice.
Pica-Pica said:
I mentioned no hard shoulders in my comment.
Watch the oil or water temperature gauge. Exit the motorway if it stays low enough.
Muller the engine or muller yourself, your choice.
How many cars display oil temperature?Watch the oil or water temperature gauge. Exit the motorway if it stays low enough.
Muller the engine or muller yourself, your choice.
Have any of you actually experienced a low oil pressure warning?
waremark said:
Pica-Pica said:
I mentioned no hard shoulders in my comment.
Watch the oil or water temperature gauge. Exit the motorway if it stays low enough.
Muller the engine or muller yourself, your choice.
How many cars display oil temperature?Watch the oil or water temperature gauge. Exit the motorway if it stays low enough.
Muller the engine or muller yourself, your choice.
Have any of you actually experienced a low oil pressure warning?
waremark said:
Pica-Pica said:
I mentioned no hard shoulders in my comment.
Watch the oil or water temperature gauge. Exit the motorway if it stays low enough.
Muller the engine or muller yourself, your choice.
How many cars display oil temperature?Watch the oil or water temperature gauge. Exit the motorway if it stays low enough.
Muller the engine or muller yourself, your choice.
Have any of you actually experienced a low oil pressure warning?
Saved the engine but the turbo needed overhauling.
waremark said:
How many cars display oil temperature?
Have any of you actually experienced a low oil pressure warning?
BMWs have a oil temperature gauge in preference to a water temperature gauge (at least my '15 MY does). Have any of you actually experienced a low oil pressure warning?
Suffered low oil pressure warning many years ago, but not on a motorway.
In reply to the OP. I'd get to the near side lane asap and ease off, coasting if I could to keep the load on the engine low.
I had this situation 10 years ago on the M1. Overtaking in outside lane, oil pressure light came on.
I eased off, moved over to L1. 2 miles to junction, so i dropped down to 50 with my hazards on. As I got closer to the junction I could feel the engine hesitating, needing more throttle to maintain speed. Came off the junction, pulled over, as soon as I dipped the clutch it stalled and seized, never to run again....
I eased off, moved over to L1. 2 miles to junction, so i dropped down to 50 with my hazards on. As I got closer to the junction I could feel the engine hesitating, needing more throttle to maintain speed. Came off the junction, pulled over, as soon as I dipped the clutch it stalled and seized, never to run again....
Dixy said:
Hypothetical question.
You are travelling at 70 mph in lane 3 of a 4 lane smart motorway when your oil pressure warning light comes on.
What are you going to do.
Make sure your foot is over the clutch!You are travelling at 70 mph in lane 3 of a 4 lane smart motorway when your oil pressure warning light comes on.
What are you going to do.
Many cars will keep the oil light off just by pumping a bit of oily air.
By the time the light comes on. you may be best wondering what car you want next.
Priority is to get to left lane if at all possible and if needs be exit via left door and hop over the armco.
An interesting question, and a useful thought experiment.
Here’s what I’d do:
Here’s what I’d do:
- Clutch down immediately in a manual. If the engine seizes whilst the clutch and gearbox are still engaged, you’ll be stopping very rapidly indeed, which would not be A Good Thing. In an auto, I guess I’d go into neutral.
- Indicate left immediately, then check mirrors and over left shoulder, hoping for a positive response from other traffic. Try not to be fixated on traffic behind - if traffic in front slows unexpectedly you don’t want to rear-end them.
- Get over to Lane 1 as quickly as reasonably possible.
- Once in Lane 1, hazards on and kill the engine. Bear in mind the steering may become very heavy.
- Assuming no refuge in range, continue to coast to a gradual halt, perhaps with the lightest possible touch of brake to light up the brake lights.
- Once stopped, I don’t think I’d fancy trying to get out on a live carriageway. I think I’d stay put with my seatbelt on, at least until the traffic has slowed considerably. Consider clambering across to exit on the nearside.
hellorent said:
Why do people put their hazard lights on if the car is moving, why not just indicate til you come to a stop, the is nothing worse than being behind a vehicle
who suddenly puts it's hazards on and carries on moving, FFS I don't know where you are going/what you are going to do.
So if a car puts its hazards on at 50mph of lane 1 of a motorway, and you don't know why, what would you do? Give it more space maybe? Or overtake it briskly rather than dawdling past? Or maybe just be more alert? Maybe, if the oil light has come on, the driver doesn't know if they are going to make it to the exit up ahead, and would rather not having someone right behind them in case the engine seizes? who suddenly puts it's hazards on and carries on moving, FFS I don't know where you are going/what you are going to do.
waremark said:
Have any of you actually experienced a low oil pressure warning?
Yes Audi A4 1.8 T. The car has a ridiculously small oil capacity, and previous owners not changing the oil regularly enough causes the engine to sludge up. This sludge then blocks up the oil pickup pipe in the sump and triggers the flashing red oil symbol.Mine was intermittent, it would go off after a few seconds so I drove home carefully, dropped the sump and replaced the pickup.
I have had the coolant light come on on the motorway and pulled over to the hard shoulder immediately. I had a bottle of coolant in the car as it was leaking, so I filled it up only to watch it gush all over the road due to a cracked thermostat housing.
A lot of people will just carry on driving as "I had to get to my destination". I used to work with a woman who got a puncture on the motorway but just kept driving as she didn't want to stop. The flailing tyre caused all sorts of damage to the bodywork and suspension.
Joey Deacon said:
Yes Audi A4 1.8 T. The car has a ridiculously small oil capacity, and previous owners not changing the oil regularly enough causes the engine to sludge up. This sludge then blocks up the oil pickup pipe in the sump and triggers the flashing red oil symbol.
Coincidentally, mine was an A6 with the same engine...Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff