QuestionI had a question. Last night I was driving home when my engine oil light started flashing and beeping. A few minutes later the car just turned off. I thought it needed oil so I bought a quart and filled it. The car started and I make it home but the light kept coming on. I let it cool down til 730 this morning. I checked the oil before work and it was full. But on the way the light was still there and then the car started smoking. Any idea what this may be?? I know not a thing about cars and really need help. Also the car jerks often mostly while were at a stop like it wants to shut off even when theres no sensor lights on.
AnswerHi Priscilla,
The oil light will flash (and likely the beeping is simply an audible warning to you as well) when the oil pressure is dropping below the minimum safe level but then quickly rising above that level so the light goes off, only to repeat that cycling once again. Most likely if this is only happening when you are stopped at a light or coasting to a stop such that the rpm of the engine is very low, and if the idle is not constant but "jerks" as you described and comes close to dying then of course that causes the oil pump to also slow down and thus the oil pressure drops below that set point where the warning light goes 'on'. The issue would be then, why is the engine idle rpm not steady and around 700 rpm or so?
The best way to start to solve this is to turn the ignition key: "on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then observe the odometer window of the speedometer to notice the mileage reading to be replaced by a 4-digit number preceded by a P. That would be a code number that tells what the engine control computer has observed to be the reason for the poor idling. Tell me the number(s) and we'll go from there as to what is next to do.
If the oil warning light comes on however when the engine rpm is greater than idle speed, say more than 1,000 rpm, then that is serious as that is too low a pressure to be driving at that or higher rpm and so you should stop and shut off the engine and check the oil level.
When you say the car started 'smoking', where was the smoke coming from (the engine compartment or the tail pipe) and was it white (like steaming water), blue (like burning oil), or black (like too rich a mixture of fuel and air). Did you check the level of coolant in the engine coolant filler bottle since the last time you saw smoke?
So let me know what you find, and the answers to my questions. Also, notice what the engine size is in Liters (L) which is probably etched on the top of the engine cover on one side of the other.
Please read the PS below and respond to it.
Thanks,
Roland
