Why is My Mini Cooper Oil Light On?

There are many warning lights present on the dashboard of a Mini Cooper. These warning lights get turned on by monitoring the performance of a specific component. For example, check engine light shows the status of engine performance and health. Similarly there are many warning lights. In this article, I’m gonna discuss about oil warning light.

Oil light and its significance

Warning lights in a Mini Cooper follow the system of traffic light colors. If the light is glowing green then you are using that system currently and it is working normally. If the light is yellow, then there can be some acute issue in the system, better it you take your car for checkup. If the light is glowing red, then there is a serious issue which can be very dangerous if you do not take your car to fix the issue immediately.

An oil warning light shows all the problems regarding oil like-

Oil level is very low

Oil pressure has become low

Oil has become much older

Oil is contaminated

Oil temperature has become very high

As oil is a very important component of engine, so it becomes bad, then it can cause serious damage to the car. So you have to take care of the oil. Regular checking the oil level and changing it regularly will make the engine to remain clean and last longer. Do not neglect to check your oil whenever you see yellow oil light is on. If the oil quality is good as well as at correct level, then ask a trusted car technician on why the oil light is turned on.

Is it possible to drive when the oil light is on?

It is possible to drive, but whenever you find the oil light is on and then takes your car to the side of the road to stop and check the oil level and oil leakage under the car. Even if the oil level is perfect, you have to take the car to a nearby car garage for checkup, call a trusted technician or your dealer and tell him about the oil light is on. You will surely get suggestions.

What makes the oil light to turn on?

Bad oil pump

The work of the oil pump is to make the oil circulate throughout the engine to lubricate all its components. If the oil pump becomes bad, then it will not pump the oil to make it circulate perfectly which will lead to engine noise and overheating. Oil pressure sensor monitors the oil pressure, due to bad fuel; there will be no much pressure, so the pressure sensor sends a signal to computer to turn on the oil light.

Contaminated oil

If the oil is contaminated, then it will damage the engine. Oil gets dirty gradually while running through the engine.

Seals are worn off

If the seals or gaskets wear and tear due to ageing, it can cause leakage from it and oil levels will go down.

Loose oil filter cap

If the oil filter of the car is not replaced tightly after oil change, then there can be leakage from the loosely fitted filter cap.

Bad oil pressure sensor

The role of oil pressure sensor is to monitor the pressure of the oil. If oil pressure is bad, then it would not monitor the correct pressure properly and hence sends wrong information to the computer which turns on the oil light.

What to do?

If the oil light gets on, then take your car to a roadside and turn off the engine. Then check the oil level by a dipstick. Take a dipstick and clean it with a cloth. Check how much portion of the dipstick has oil on it. If maximum portion is dry, then the oil level is low and you have to fill oil.

A leakage can bring down the oil level to low. Check for oil leakage; check the underside of the car or under the hood. If there is a black greasy fluid coming out, then there must be an oil leakage. Check the gaskets properly and the filter cap.

If there is no leakage then there must be very low oil pressure. The culprit behind this issue can be a faulty oil pump or oil pressure sensor. This oil pump and oil pressure sensor is then taken out of engine and tested well. The faulty ones are then replaced with good quality parts.

Oil should be changed regularly in Mini Coopers. It is recommended to change the oil once in every 12000 miles in Mini Coopers. While changing oil, always refer to the user manual and use the recommended oil by manufacturer. Engine oil is black and gritty inspection cost is $95. The cost of oil change ranges between $150-$190.

Conclusion

Engine oil related issues have become common in Mini Coopers. So the owners should remain more careful and do the car maintenance regularly. Regular engine service minimizes the risk of oil leakage, dirty oil, low pressure of oil, etc. Like check engine light, oil warning light should also not to be taken lightly. If it is ignored, then it can cause a breakdown in engine and completely destroy it.