Sterling McCall Toyota invites you to find out what caused your Toyota oil light to turn on.
It can be nerve-wracking when the oil warning light comes on in your dash. Oil is the lifeblood of a car’s engine, and a lack of it can have destructive consequences. Before you get too worried, determine which oil light is on, do a few simple checks to see why the light is on, and then figure out your next steps. However, if the light comes on and you hear a ticking sound, then you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so. An oil light combined with a ticking engine means that it’s likely damaging itself, and continuing to drive it could ruin your engine.
The first step in figuring out the oil light is to make sure it’s not just a scheduled maintenance reminder. Depending on your car, a maintenance reminder might have the same sound and warning light. If you have put off your last oil change, it may even say ‘Change Oil Now’ and can look quite ominous. It’s not as bad as the oil light but ought to be corrected, so let us do it to avoid any further problems.
The oil light can be set off if the engine is leaking oil. Some common reasons for leaking oil are:
Even if you are not a service tech, you can open the hood and look for signs of oil leaks. The engine is going to be dirty, but you can spot a potential oil leak if you see wet, oily spots in the engine bay. Adding oil between oil changes can be a quick fix, but it could eventually cause low oil pressure if it’s not fixed properly and lead to damage.
Engines with low oil pressure will not fully lubricate all components. Unlubricated engine parts can be damaged and cause complete failure if left unchecked. If the engine has the right oil levels, then the oil warning light could be anything from a sensor, the oil pump, or even low oil pressure alone. Your vehicle needs to be immediately checked out by our technicians in these kinds of situations. As mentioned earlier, running an engine on low oil can cause permanent damage.
Sterling McCall Toyota is one of the best places to get an oil change in the Houston area. We proudly service all makes and models of vehicles. Visit our location online or in person to schedule service and repair for your car or truck. Our friendly technicians are ready to serve you.