Your Oil Light Means Business
Sunday May 27, 2007
With a little luck, you'll never actually see your oil light when your engine is running. If you used up all of your good luck at the dog track and that red light is glaring at you, pull over! There's probably no faster way to rack up a huge repair bill outside of an accident. The oil light comes on when your engine sees a drop in oil pressure. Without oil pressure, your engine can't lubricate itself, and without lubrication ... well, let's just say it's rough.
Driving even a mile with no oil pressure can cause serious damage. There's just no reason to chance it. You should shut the engine down as soon as it's safely possible and start taking care of the problem. An engine rebuild or replacement is no way to start your summer.
Photo CC licensed by Saaby.
Comments
Dip stick checks, weekly, or at least monthly is be smart car ownership & maintenance plan. Using superior motor oil protects the engine from those times when the quality and quantity of motor lubricant needs attention. Oil monitoring technology in today’s cars makes this type of under the hood chore redundant but it’s a good back-up habit.