What Causes the Engine Oil Indicator Light to Illuminate?

[OMaggie]

The reasons for the engine oil indicator light illuminating are as follows: 1. Insufficient Engine Oil When the engine oil level is low, the circulation frequency per unit volume increases, leading to higher temperatures. The oil becomes thinner, viscosity deteriorates, and internal leakage in the oil pump worsens, resulting in decreased oil pressure and triggering the oil indicator light. If the oil consumption is too rapid, check for leaks in the oil circuit. 2. Engine Lubrication System Malfunction (1) The engine lubrication system is excessively dirty, containing gum deposits that clog oil passages, oil strainers, etc., causing excessively high oil pressure and illuminating the warning light. (2) Severe wear of crankshaft bearings, connecting rod bearings, or camshaft bearings prevents the lubrication system from maintaining proper oil pressure. (3) Internal clogging, excessive wear, or assembly issues in the oil pump prevent it from generating sufficient oil pressure. (4) Malfunction of the oil pressure switch (oil pressure sensor). (5) Faulty wiring between the oil pressure switch and the instrument panel. (6) If the main oil gallery relief valve spring fatigues, softens, or is improperly adjusted, or if the sealing surface between the valve seat and the steel ball wears or gets stuck by debris, the relief oil flow increases significantly, causing a drop in main oil gallery pressure. 3. Engine Overheating Excessive scale in the cooling system, poor heat dissipation, prolonged overload operation, or delayed fuel injection timing can cause engine overheating. This accelerates oil aging, degradation, and thinning, leading to leakage through gaps and reduced pressure, which triggers the oil indicator light. 4. Use of Low-Quality Engine Oil Using oil with a lower viscosity grade or one that does not match the vehicle's specifications can also result in insufficient oil pressure and trigger the warning light.