What are the symptoms of low engine oil in a car?
2 Answers
Here are the symptoms of low engine oil in a car: 1. Poor lubrication in the splash lubrication areas inside the engine. 2. When the oil level drops to the point of causing low oil pressure, it leads to inadequate lubrication on the engine's friction surfaces, resulting in abnormal vibrations, reduced power, and in severe cases, engine "bearing seizure." Engine "bearing seizure" refers to the burning and erosion of the crankshaft bearings and bearing bushings due to poor lubrication, manifesting as abnormal engine vibrations until the engine stalls. After stalling, the engine will not restart. 3. It can cause the engine's variable timing solenoid valve to malfunction, leading to inaccurate control of the engine's intake and exhaust valves, resulting in operational abnormalities, reduced power, and increased fuel consumption.
When the engine oil is low, the car shows quite a few symptoms. Over the years of working on cars, the most common issue I've seen is increased engine noise—it sounds like an old cow panting, creaking and rattling, especially at idle. The oil light turning on is the most direct warning; that little oil can icon flashing on the dashboard is basically telling you to check the dipstick. Power also drops—the car feels sluggish when accelerating, lacking pep, and fuel consumption inexplicably rises. If it gets worse, the engine overheats, the temperature gauge shoots up, and that burning smell is awful. Ignoring these signs can lead to severe wear. Components like piston rings and bearings rely on oil for lubrication and protection. Running low on oil for too long can destroy the engine in no time. So before hitting the road, I always advise drivers to make it a habit to check the oil level with the dipstick at least every two weeks. If it’s low, top it up immediately—don’t wait for major problems to regret it. Replacing an engine isn’t cheap.
