Low Oil Light Issue (1 Viewer)

[thirdparty]

2017 LC 200 here...

I was driving yesterday after just leaving my house 5 min earlier. Upon "hammering" down to get on the freeway for about 10-15 seconds (pretty much full throttle), I backed off and received a low oil light for about 3 seconds then it went off.

I pulled over within a minute at a gas station and checked the oil. It was only touching the very tip of the dipstick, just below the "low" dot indicator. I put two full quarts in and it was reading in the middle of the two dot indicators.

Questions:

1. If it was really that low, shouldn't the low light already be on?
2. Was the act of full throttle on a relatively cold engine the cause of the intermittent low oil light (colder oil pumped heavily around the engine drained the pan for just a few seconds???)?
3. Any other things I should be worried about?

The oil is at 8 months old with about 5500 miles on it.

Thanks in advance

 

[tbisaacs]

2. Was the act of full throttle on a relatively cold engine the cause of the intermittent low oil light (colder oil pumped heavily around the engine drained the pan for just a few seconds???)?

Yes, and don't do that anymore

 

[04UZJ100]

Yes, and don't do that anymore

Agree. Flooring a cold engine is a terrible idea.

Disagree it was the cause for the low oil light. Where did you have oil changed last? 2 quarts low is low.

 

[Mixelplix]

Do you change your own oil? If not, are you sure it wasn't low after the last change?

I'd be more worried about leaks or consumption than the light.

 

[TimCFJ40]

I'd bet it was underfilled when last changed. 2-3 quarts low would be filling with the typical 5 qt jug and not adding more.

My 08 uses/weeps about 1/2 quart between 5000 mile changes at 275k miles. There are a few damp spots (rear main seal mainly), but it never reaches the floor in the form of a drip. I'd be surprised if you are using 2+ quarts at 5500 miles, but that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility.


Who changed your oil last? Are you sure it was filled completely?

 

[gasman4u]

I'm not going to spank your peepee for mashing the skinny pedal on a cold engine as I think that lesson has been learned and that's not the typical nature of this forum.

I will agree that unless you've got a sizeable leak, your oil was likely NOT filled to capacity during its last change. Stay away from Jiffy lube and the like as they're infamous for screwing the pooch on their one job. Find a place you trust if you don't do it yourself. That way you can eliminate that as a possibility should something arise in the future of a similar nature. Good luck regardless and post an update.

 

[AZLX570]

Dear lord. Read up on how an engine works/warms up. I try not to take any of my cars above 3K RPM until I think the oil is up to temp. Which by the way is NOT coolant temperature (gauge on the dash).

I know that's conservative but being hard on a cold engine is probably one of the worst things I can think of to shorten your engine life.

 

[manofthewoods]

Yes, and don't do that anymore

I also think #2 is correct; and/or the G's from acceleration were enough to lower the level at the sending unit.

Either way, not only is it time to change oil, it's miles (IMO) to change the oil.
Especially if you love your engine.
Hard acceleration on a cold engine IS a sin.
Go say 3 hail Mobile1's (substitute any quality synthetic oil).
Go in peace

 

[TeCKis300]

I think he was just low on oil, as evidenced by him filling 2 qts to bring the oil level to the middle of the dipstick. No harm no foul, and the sensor did its job.

He's not hammering it on a completely cold engine as he said he left 5 minutes before. Maybe not fully warm, but probably not cold either.

Agreed with others that oil service intervals are as much to change oil, as it is to check oil and oil level.

Here's the FSM on checking oil level.

 

[tbisaacs]

Agree. Flooring a cold engine is a terrible idea.

Disagree it was the cause for the low oil light. Where did you have oil changed last? 2 quarts low is low.

I’ve had an oil light come on twice: once going up a spine on hells revenge and the other coming down red cone. In both cases dipstick on level ground read fine. If my man was sending it and Dino juices where not flowing it could possibly trigger a warning.

 

[TeCKis300]

We have two oil sensors, oil level and oil pressure.

Oil level is a good warning. If it were oil pressure, that would be something more important.

That said, I'm haven't experienced either warning to distinguish. Anyone know?

 

[tbisaacs]

In my case a “check oil level” warning came on in the MID-if that’s what your asking.

 

[TeCKis300]

In my case a “check oil level” warning came on in the MID-if that’s what your asking.

Gotcha.

I'm trying to distinguish between oil level and oil pressure. Looking up the manual, it doesn't suggest there is a discrete oil pressure warning light. Possibly because we have a oil pressure gauge.

I'm assuming the MID would say "check oil pressure"? Wonder if it would further trigger failsafe's and perhaps limp mode?

 

[thirdparty]

Thanks all for the feedback. Yes, that was not the best idea hammering on the throttle. That's probably the only time I've done that in the 60k miles I've had this truck, but when I got into it, traffic conditions dictated a full commitment.

I expect that it was not filled correctly last oil change. I hesitate on this as I just found a great shop to start doing changes for me. I guess I'll have to sit in the parking lot and run the engine, wait 5 minutes and check before I leave. Or just do it myself, like I've been doing on my 4 Runner since 2003 and now LC since 2017.