Bing-bing-bing. "YOUR. CAR. IS. F**KED." Bing-bing-bing.

January 22, 2007 12:34 PM

Can I drive my car to the shop if the oil warning light has come on?

Someone screwed up at Volkswagen, and my car is starting to auto-destruct right before the 4-year warranty runs out 1 March. Last night, the oil light came on with a bing-bing-bing alarm sound just as I got home. I parked with a quickness. Today, I called the dealership. They told me to start the car, and if the oil light doesn't stay on, I can drive it over there (~5 mi).

Is that right?
I am pretty ignorant about cars, but I had imbibed the idea that the oil light was apocalyptic.
Is this advice irresponsible?
Is this advice so irresponsible that I should find another dealership?

posted by Methylviolet to travel & transportation (33 comments total)

Check the oil level with the dipstick. If empty, put a quart in. If not, call for a tow.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 12:41 PM on January 22, 2007 [1 favorite]

Document their advice and get the name of the mechanic that told you to do this.

Practically, I would check the oil level on the dipstick and look to see if you see any obvious leaks. If theres no oil on the dipstick you might add enough so it shows at a safe level and then start the engine and see if the light remains off with the engine on for a few minutes. Then let it sit and check the level again. If it still shows ok I would drive it over (if it were me).

Often a low oil level will show with a oil warning light especially when stopping (like coming off an off ramp to a stop, or stopping hard at a light). Checking the level is a good way to tell if you haven't already. Did they change it recently? Maybe they didnt add to full or the filter isnt on tightly - if you can see the filter, check leaks around it and leaks around seals on the engine.

If the light wont go out in 10-15 seconds I'd shut it down.
posted by clanger at 12:46 PM on January 22, 2007

The oil warning light is only supposed to tell you that the pressure in the engine is a little off. It's called "the oil light" because, if the pressure in the engine is wrong, it's usually because there's not enough (or there's too much) oil in there. It isn't a "the world is going to end" light or a "the engine is about to die a horrible, heaving death" light. It's just an oil light.

Saucy Intruder has the advice you want.

By the way: do you have the oil checked/changed regularly?
posted by koeselitz at 12:50 PM on January 22, 2007

I don't know about VWs, but my Lincoln Town Car had two oil warning lights. One was a "low oil level" warning, the other a "low oil pressure" warning. I would have no concerns about driving a few miles with a low oil level light, but low oil pressure can be catastrophic.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:58 PM on January 22, 2007

To expand slightly on SaucyIntruder: Check the dipstick BEFORE you start the car.

Just do it. If it's low and you add oil, you'll get to the dealer just fine. If you add oil and then it running out from under your car and down your driveway... call a tow truck. And also your local environmental agency.
posted by dw at 1:06 PM on January 22, 2007

The dipstick may well show the oil level to be just fine, but a failed pump or other issue may cause pressure issues which can lead to catastrophic failure.

To be absolutely safe, tow it. If the level is fine and the motor starts/runs without the oil light coming on, you MIGHT be okay to drive it to the dealer.

Listen for loud metallic clattering noises which would indicate that oil is not be pumped sufficiently through the engine.
posted by daveleck at 1:13 PM on January 22, 2007

It is the low oil pressure light, according to my car book.

I get the car serviced according to schedule at the dealership. They change the oil, and do whatever else it says in the car book, every 5K miles. I have never put oil in the car since I bought it, nor have I ever checked the oil. Maybe this makes me a moron, but I thought the dealership had all that handled.

I last had the oil changed about 2K miles ago (October). Two weeks ago they replaced the fan, water pump, and thermostat, if that is relevant.

It isn't that big a deal to have the car towed, just to be on the safe side, though I get the feeling you guys think the dealership is giving me plausible advice?
posted by Methylviolet at 1:14 PM on January 22, 2007

Loud metallic clattering noises!
Holy crap!
I'm going to tow it.
posted by Methylviolet at 1:15 PM on January 22, 2007

I knew someone with a VW (a Jetta) whose car gulped down oil. No smoke or burning oil smell, it just disappeared like crazy. She was constantly putting oil into the engine. (Sidenote: Everyone I know who has owned a Jetta had nothing but problems with it. Everyone.)

Checking the oil level is easy. Look in the manual for the dipstick and how to read it. If it's low, add a quart . . . or two and drive it to the dealership for service. Five miles is no biggie if the oil level is OK.
posted by cyclopticgaze at 1:19 PM on January 22, 2007

There's always the possibility that the oil is low *and* the oil pump has failed -- don't assume that just because the oil was low that was the only reason you lost oil pressure. And it goes without saying that if the oil level is fine and the light still comes on that you don't drive it.

(Then again, a five mile tow isn't going to cost much compared to an engine. Were it my car and I wasn't completely strapped for cash, I'd take the tow.)
posted by mendel at 1:21 PM on January 22, 2007

The clattering noises are a worst case scenario. If the oil pump had failed and no oil was getting pumped throughout the engine, you'll know it. An engine operating without oil will make some bad noises.

If the oil pressure is just a little bit low, you probably won't hear anything, but then the oil temperature might go higher than usual.

Nine times out of ten (on newer cars like yours), the issue with the dash light coming on is normally just a failed oil pressure sensor reporting a false reading.
posted by daveleck at 1:23 PM on January 22, 2007

This has happened to my VW a few times, it just needs a quart of oil.

Recent VW engines tend to burn more oil than older models, I've heard they loosened up some of the engine tolerances so that less running-in is needed when the car is new but with the side effect they start to lose oil after about 25K miles.
Older VW's would go 150K miles and not lose a drop.

I would just get a lift to the nearest petrol station to pick up some oil - cheaper than getting a tow.
posted by Lanark at 1:30 PM on January 22, 2007

(Sidenote: Everyone I know who has owned a Jetta had nothing but problems with it. Everyone.)

I had a Jetta for 12 years that was, by far, the best car I've ever owned. It was dependable, got amazing gas mileage, and was fun to drive. YMMV
posted by bshort at 1:30 PM on January 22, 2007

Ditto on the Volkswagens. Had a catastrophic oil pump failure on a relatively new Jetta. Beware.
posted by toastchee at 1:32 PM on January 22, 2007

"... I have never put oil in the car since I bought it, nor have I ever checked the oil. Maybe this makes me a moron, but I thought the dealership had all that handled. ..."

You should check your oil level, and your tire pressure, at least every time you gas up. Checking your oil level, and tire pressure in all 4 tires takes, literally, 5 minutes, and can prevent 2 of the most common causes of roadside breakdown.

These are required pre-flight checks on every flight, for every aircraft, as well; they are that important.

In the absence of definitive knowledge of the state of the engine lubrication (probably low oil, but could be a bad oil pump, failed rear main seal, or other mechanical problem) towing is the right course of action.
posted by paulsc at 1:38 PM on January 22, 2007

I was under the impression that VW included tow coverage with their warr service. Pulling the info on the vw.com website:


4 years, 24-hour Roadside Assistance Program provided by Road America.

That's included in the bug if you buy one today. Dunno what it was when you bought.
posted by phearlez at 1:55 PM on January 22, 2007

Yeah, I'd say that if you're nervous, and you have a tow service you can use, go for it.

As they say, "sooner or later, you'll break down and call AAA."
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 2:06 PM on January 22, 2007

Don't drive with the oil light on. You're probably alright, but if you're not, you might be buying a new engine.
posted by Nahum Tate at 3:05 PM on January 22, 2007

Thanks so much for all your advice. I don't know who to best-answer.

Phearlez and Sprout are both right: I have free towing through VW and through the Auto Club. And the car is parked near my house, so none of this is problematic. Daveleck's clattering noises have decided me on the towing.

(Come to think of it, I have heard those noises. Some years ago I was driving down the freeway in my Hyundai when the car suddenly went out of gear, made loud clattering noises, and then a piston shot out of the side of the engine and went rattling down the road behind me. After that, the car did not run well at all. So I have bad associations with the clattering noises.)

I guess my main concern was whether the cutie on the phone at the dealership gave me such wacky advice that I shouldn't go to that dealership anymore. But apparently not, so OK.

And I will now start checking my oil. And the bus schedule.
posted by Methylviolet at 3:17 PM on January 22, 2007

Just to add ... my 2002 Jetta has been nothing but problems. And I have been lied to by the VW dealer when the coil packs went at 9,000 miles. I wouldn't even buy a lawnmower from VW at this point.

Good luck Methylviolet. And make sure you get all your complaints down on paper with the dealer before the warranty runs out.
posted by R. Mutt at 6:49 PM on January 22, 2007

It isn't a "the world is going to end" light or a "the engine is about to die a horrible, heaving death" light. It's just an oil light.

That's not necessarily true.

Many automobile manufacturers have cut corners with regard to proper gauges. These days, the "Oil Pressure" gauge with the real needle and real markings is more likely than not just a glorified idiot light saying, in effect, "Yes, Virginia, there is some pressure."

If the idiot "light" (/gauge) isn't registering anything, either the gauge is broken or, more likely, you're really not getting any oil pressure, which is very, very bad (particularly if you're stupid enough to go driving in said sad state.)
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:23 PM on January 22, 2007

Once this happened to my mom and I. I (and I don't know why she trusted my judgment on this) said that it would be fine. The engine completely and hopelessly seized up before the 15-minute trip home.

I still feel guilty about that one.

Also, I've heard nothing but bad things about Jettas.
posted by dirigibleman at 9:39 PM on January 22, 2007

Consumer Reports shows modern Jettas have poor reliability on the electrical and the body, but the rest is pretty average. Worse than the average Japanese car, better than the average American car.

Of course it's fun to piss on cars with anecdotal evidence, so I fully expect people to keep doing so.

As for your car, be careful, and document everything. If something broke prior to warranty, it will likely be difficult to get the coverage you deserve.

Good luck with everything.
posted by PEAK OIL at 10:50 PM on January 22, 2007

Of course it's fun to piss on cars with anecdotal evidence, so I fully expect people to keep doing so.

Or it's more fun to warn others from buying into the $*(%& that is a Jetta. Informed consumers and all that. Search the green for other VW horror stories.
posted by toastchee at 5:25 AM on January 23, 2007

The oil light will show when the oil pressure is low. This can happen when you start an older car on a cold day, but should resolve quickly.

Check oil. If full, start car. Oil light should come on when you start (if it does not, it is burned out. Stop car, get tow. The light comes on as a check.)

If it does come on, count to twenty. If it hasn't shut off, call for a tow. If it does shut off, put in gear.

The simplest problem, of course, is a failed pressure sensor, but you need that fixed, because that's the sensor that keeps you from killing the engine.

If it flickers on and off at idle, but is off when the engine is moving, it's a pumping problem. You can drive to the dealer, but you need to get it fixed. Older engines are infamous for this, many have driven many miles with a flickering light. Modern engines have better tolerances and better sensors, flickering light are not acceptable, but you can get to the dealer.

If you are driving at speed and the oil light comes on, pull over as quickly as you can without harm, and shut down the engine. Every second it spins under load increases the chance of engine death -- but dying to save your engine is stupid. Get over, then shut down, then get a tow. There is *no* circumstance that you can easily test for at roadside that will explain an oil light at speed in a warm car. So, that's a "tow me now, period" light.
posted by eriko at 6:03 AM on January 23, 2007

Methylviolet, if you're this concerned and unsure of what to do (I would probably be reacting in very much the same way), you should really get a membership with AAA. It's something like $100 a year, and I believe they would tow your car the 5 miles for free (I think you get 20 free towing miles per incident with a basic membership).

We have a membership with them, and it's been really really nice to have it.

Also, be sure to put their phone number in your cell phone's speed dial.

Best of luck.
posted by Alt F4 at 8:47 AM on January 23, 2007

Incidentally:

You should check your oil level, and your tire pressure, at least every time you gas up.

Tire pressure needs to be read cold, so it's best to get in the habit of checking this every Monday morning before you leave for work or something similar. Oil level at the gas station works fine but be sure to do it absolutely last, to give the oil a chance to drain back into the crankcase.
posted by mendel at 10:51 AM on January 23, 2007

i am helping my girlfriend deal with oil issues on her 2000 jetta. interestingly enough, she just called me about her shop experience just a couple hours ago, so i have spent some time reading up on the issue.

if you have a 2.0 liter engine in a jetta, i would keep a CLOSE eye on my oil levels. apparently the asshats at VW seem to think that a modern, relatively new engine burning 1 qt of oil every 1K miles is normal. for example, my acura hasnt had an oil change in 2 years, i run it hard as hell (frequently hit 7-8k RPM) and my car hasnt burned a quart yet.

in any event, it looks like piston rings are defective (or were installed upside down in the factory) and they leak oil into the combustion chamber, where it burns up. not good for your engine at all. if youre burning more than a quart of oil every 1k miles, VW MIGHT fix the problem. this is not a fun situation, even if they will fix it for free, because it requires basically an engine overhaul. they have to take pretty much the whole damn thing apart. costs 5,000 bucks or so if they wont pay for it. also, even if they will pay for it you have to convince them of it, and that requires visiting them every 1,000 miles and having them check the oil levels.

but don't take my word for it.

check out this thread: http://www.myvwlemon.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002190.html
which also includes this PDF file put out by VW.
http://www.postamatik.com/infobox/automotive/vw-oilcheck.pdf

also check your oil every time you gas up and you should be pretty safe. might as well do it while youre standing there anyway.

IAAFM (i am a former mechanic)
posted by kneelconqueso at 11:50 AM on January 23, 2007

Should anyone be curious...

I had my Beetle towed to the dealership on Monday -- and they put a new battery in it, washed it, and gave it back to me today. They couldn't make the light come on, nor could they find any fault in the car-computer. The oil was still full, there were no leaks, and the sensor supposedly worked fine. (But they thought the battery was bad, so they just did that.) So I don't know.

I guess this is good news. The car's fine! Hooray!

Thanks again for all your help.
posted by Methylviolet at 9:52 PM on January 24, 2007

Boy, that sounds awfully suspicious... Even my ancient Jeep Cherokee will store fault codes for 50 on-off cycles.

Being that dealers do all sorts of shady tricks, there's a chance that they just topped-off the oil level and/or poured in some "stop leak" or other additive to quiet the clattering, knowing full well that your engine is on its way to self-destruction with only a few months left on that warranty.

Keep your receipt(s), and get some written documentation acknowledging that you complained about a oil pressure problem that "could not be reproduced". I'd also consider getting in touch with VW of America, if for nothing else, to voice some concern about the engine and the manner in which the dealer "solved" the problem.
posted by bhayes82 at 9:31 PM on January 25, 2007

Hey, there's an idea! I do need to make sure I can still get this fixed if it recurs the day after my warranty runs out, and calling VW would certainly ensure that. Thanks Bhayes.
posted by Methylviolet at 10:47 PM on January 25, 2007

Or it's more fun to warn others from buying into the $*(%& that is a Jetta. Informed consumers and all that. Search the green for other VW horror stories.

Toastchee: Thank you. i would have been disappointed if somebody hadn't offered more anecdotal evidence in place of data.
posted by PEAK OIL at 10:10 AM on February 28, 2007

Being that dealers do all sorts of shady tricks, there's a chance that they just topped-off the oil level and/or poured in some "stop leak" or other additive to quiet the clattering, knowing full well that your engine is on its way to self-destruction with only a few months left on that warranty.

Given that VW pays the dealers for the work done, what would this accomplish? You're suggesting that they would run a scam to make $50 instead of $500. That seems... unlikely.
posted by PEAK OIL at 10:11 AM on February 28, 2007