Oil pressure warning light

The oil pressure light looks like an old-fashioned oil can, sometimes with a drip. When it shows red while the engine is running, it is one of the few warnings that means stop now. Oil is what keeps the metal parts inside your engine from grinding against each other. Without enough pressure, they wear fast and can seize. AAA puts it bluntly: driving with low oil pressure can destroy the engine quickly.

It is normal for the light to come on for a moment when you switch on the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

What to do right now

1. Pull over as soon as it is safe and switch off the engine. Do not wait for the next exit if you can stop safely sooner.
2. Wait at least 10 minutes for the oil to drain back into the sump, with the car on level ground.
3. Check the oil level with the dipstick, or the oil level display if your car has no dipstick. Your owner's manual shows where it is.
4. If the level is low, top up with the oil grade your owner's manual specifies, then restart. If the light goes out and stays out, drive gently to a garage to find out why the oil was low.
5. If the level is fine, or the light stays on after topping up, do not drive. Call your breakdown service and have the car recovered.

If you do not have oil with you, do not drive to a shop to buy some. Call for help.

Likely causes, most common first

1. Low oil level

   A common cause, and the easiest to fix. Engines use some oil between services and older ones can burn or leak more. If there is not enough in the sump, the pump cannot keep the pressure up.

   Read the fix guide →

2. Faulty oil pressure sensor or switch

   The sensor can fail and send a false warning. A garage can check the real pressure with a gauge. You cannot tell a false warning from a real one at the roadside, so stop anyway.

3. Blocked oil filter or pickup

   Sludge from overdue oil changes can clog the filter or the pickup screen in the sump, starving the pump.

4. Wrong oil grade

   Oil that is too thin for your engine can lead to low pressure, especially when hot. Use the grade in your owner's manual.

5. Failing oil pump or worn engine

   Less common but serious. A worn pump, or worn bearings inside a high-mileage engine, cannot hold the pressure. This is the expensive end of the scale.

What it costs to fix

The bill depends entirely on the cause:

• Low oil: the price of a bottle of the right oil, plus finding and fixing any leak.
• Oil pressure sensor: RepairPal's model-by-model estimates range from about $94–$537≈ £73–£420≈ €85–€480≈ A$140–A$810 including labor, depending on how easy the sensor is to reach.
• Oil pump: a big job, because the pump is usually inside the engine.

DIY or garage?

How to prevent it

• Check the oil level every few weeks and before long trips, with the engine off and the car on level ground.
• Change the oil and filter at the interval in your owner's manual, or sooner if you do lots of short trips. See how often to change oil.
• Use the oil grade your manual specifies.
• Fix oil leaks early; drips under the car are a warning.
• If an amber oil level warning comes on, top up promptly before it turns into a red pressure warning.