Hello,

I had the red oil light come up on my dash today a couple of times. The car has 122 K on it. From what I just researched this means its oil sludge or bad oil pump? Is that accurate? Manual said to check oil level. Where should it be ( I am not at all mechanically inclined) at the 2nd or first orange tick from the bottom of the dipstick? Mines at that lower one - could that be the problem????

Thanks so much for the help.

 

Add oil to the upper mark on the dipstick. With the oil replenishment cap off feel with a finger under the valve cover for sludge. Hopefully this is none.

 

oil mark in the middle on the dipstick markers is best the lower one will put the light on

 

sludging was eradicated by the use of synthetic oil "man made" which is not petrol/gas based so didn't evaporate under heat and kept its composition through the heat range "tested and predictable"

 

I went through the same thing. Try not to drive the car otherwise if the pumpscreen is clogged or the pump is failing it will starve the engine of oil causing internal damage.

If you are mechanically inclined drop the oil pan and check for sludge. If not take it to a shop that does AUTO RX engine flushes and get one done. Buy a new oil pump/screen and get them to install it.

 

at the 2nd or first orange tick from the bottom of the dipstick? Mines at that lower one there's the problem its at the lower mark

 

actually had my mechanic check it out - oil level was fine. He was guessing that it was probably sensor that was bad since he saw it leaking i guess. He's gonna replace it tomorrow, as the engine was too hot to do it today. Does that sound reasonable for a 122K car? Or do you guys think its more serious than that?

 

also a common problem is the sensor failing and giving false information, leaking sensor is a dead give away 122k has just been run in

 

It would be hard for anyone to say for sure with that many miles.. But Replacing the sensor is the cheapest way to start diagnosing.. The fact that its leaking should give you some confidence that its not sludge or anything real major, but dont get your hopes up that its the problem... Be prepared for the worst and be happy if its not.

 

totally agree