Oil light & buzzer

Honest John Back Room » The Back Room Archive
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Fri 6 Apr 2001 20:20
Oil light & buzzer - Nick Randle
I have a 1993 VW Golf 1.8 CL Auto and whilst driving on the motorway the engine oil light and warning buzzer came on.The car has had a recent oil service and the oil level is normal. The oil light goes off when starting.
Any suggestions!

Thanks
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 6 Apr 2001 23:07
Re: Oil light & buzzer - Ian M
Nick

If it is the same as my '94 GTi 1800 Mk 2 the buzzer and red light signify low oil pressure. I went through a period where mine kept coming on and going off after a few seconds, switching the engine off and on always cleared it. As it came on infrequently and only for a few seconds at a time I thought (and hoped!) it was spurious. I eventually took the instrument panel out and resoldered some of the joints on the rear of the panel and this cured it.

Probably best to assume it a genuine problem though and get the oil pump checked out/replaced and maybe the pressure transducer.

Ian
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Apr 2001 08:38
Re: Oil light & buzzer - Adam Going (Tune-Up Ltd)
Nick,
On an earlier Golf I once had a similar problem, even after replacing the two pressure sensors (one for low pressure, one for high). Fault turned out to be that the 'double male' union which screws into the top of the oil filter housing, and onto which you screw the oil filter itself, was loose in the housing, allowing pressure to escape. Can't remember the spanner size, but there is a BIG hexagon section which you use to tighten it back into the housing - think I may have used adjustable grips ! Need to remove the filter first, of course. Worth checking before more expensive investigations commence. Good Luck.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 7 Apr 2001 09:31
Re: Oil light & buzzer - honest john
Very simloistic answer here. But if you have any doubt at all about adequate oil pressure, then get the engine properly checked. I don't need to tell you that even if there is plenty of oil in the sump, lack of oil pressure can lead to a seized engine.

HJ
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 8 Apr 2001 21:27
Re: Oil light & buzzer - John Slaughter
Nick

HJ's right-the vital thing here is to get a pressure gauge on the engine and check the oil pressure. It may need to be run temporarily into the cabin to prove/disprove the warnings.

Regards

John
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide