OIL LOW LIGHT ON CELICA 2.0GT 1998 MODEL

Hi All

I've got a problem on my Toyota Celica 2.0GT 1998

The oil low light came on about 2 weeks before my 54K service was due, stopped and checked the dipstick and it was about 1/5 full, so fair enough it was getting low.

I did a few short journeys until the next evening when I added a small amount of oil, to bring the level upto about 1/3 full - but the oil low light still came for about 5-10 seconds within a mile or so of driving, and flashed literally for a second 3 or 4 times on the way home (18 mile journey)

I booked it in for the service and mentioned the oil light low problem, and they looked at it 2 days later as they weren't busy - but until they looked at it, for the entire time every journey the oil light low came on very briefly for a second or two, occasionally for 5-10 seconds 3 or 4 times for those 2 days.

Anyway Toyota couldn't find any fault what-so-ever, the car is still under warranty for about another 6 weeks so I was keen to get it fixed.

And guess what? After the service and about a mile into the journey home, the oil light low comes on loads of times (I had explained the problem in detail of course to the dealership!) I told them 18 miles gives 3 or 4 faults etc

Any ideas, they are suggesting now I take the technician on a test drive with me and show them the fault! I mean is this usual (taking the technician on a drive) doesn't the car record internal errors, couldn't they just check the log?

Far enough its intermittent, and these are hard faults to fix, but I'm really annoyed and told them this, and its going back this Wednesday - surely they should be able to fix this - is this a common fault on Celica's? The car was driving perfect before and still is after the service, no oil is leaking externally and 9K miles between services leaves me with 1/5 full (thats consistent with the last 2 services)

Any comments welcome, other than this its been perfect and its driven very hard, its had a tought life, but until now its never let me down... Generally I don't top up the oil as it doesn't move from max to min within each 9K service, should I be topping it up every month to keep it near full?

Sorry about the waffle, I'm just sick to death of main dealerships not being able to fix the simple faults.

Cheers

Reply to
ToyotaMan
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It could be the oil sensor failing which can be tested with a voltage meter, the dealers diag equipment should be able to read what the sensor is reading

Reply to
A C

"ToyotaMan" wrote

To be honest, I think you should be grateful that they are prepared to get so involved in sorting out your problem. A far more common complaint is that a dealer refuses to send a technician out on a drive when this would be the surest way of identifying what the problem is.

As to your problem, I don't know the answer, but ECUs do not necessarily record all faults unfailingly. I would take them up on their offer IIWY

Reply to
Knight Of The Road

OK thanks.

I might get a friend to sit in the passenger seat with a camera and take a few pictures when the warning light comes on.

I think they didn't believe me, if they only ran it around the car park, that wouldn't have been long enough to spot the problem, and I told them this.

Could it be the bulb in the dashboard? I assume they would check that?

Oh what fun!

Reply to
ToyotaMan

i often go out with people roadtesting their vehicles with them sitting beside me,so i understand the problem(or no fault found)1st hand , reading your post,does the fault occur with the oil leval on max? all engines burn oil internally, i would recommend a oil control test just to see how much oil it burns and compare this with the spec' of the vehicle the dianogistic only tests electiclal components that are connected via the PCM/ECU, the oil pressure switch goes to the instrument cluster and not the PCM P.S do not slag off a main dealer cos you should check the oil leval every week - as you may tell i work in a main dealer!

Reply to
ford_technical_

I didn't think I slagged them off! Even though they stamped the A part of the service book when it was a B service...

I haven't actually looked yet, I'm going to assume its on FULL now, but yes its still doing it, car was serviced yesterday @ £340 so I don't think fixing a sensor is asking much.

Fair enough though I'm sure the warning light will come on when I show the technician, but if for any reason it doesn't I'll buy him a couple of cans of drink if its still hot - because I'm a nice guy.

If your a Ford Technician, your never be out of work :)

Cheers

Reply to
ToyotaMan

ford_technical_ ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No, there's FAR better reasons to slag off main stealers.

Perhaps it's your literacy skills that give us the main clue?

Reply to
Adrian

here we go again..

you stick to your job i'll do mine, sod this im off to the bar..... bye

Reply to
ford_technical_

ok, then you(you them)need to remove the oil pressure switch and check the oil pressure using a gauge, if the pressure is ok-by the spec- then i suspect it needs a switch but the switch could be doing its job and detecting low presure- it could be the pump not delivering the pressure it needs

good luck

Reply to
ford_technical_

"Adrian" wrote

The bloke is obviously a skilled and experienced motor technician, and he is here sharing his knowledge and experience for nothing, and all you can do is to pick him up on a spelling mistake which does not alter the meaning of what he wrote in any way.

You really are a prick, aren't you?

Reply to
Knight Of The Road

ford_technical_ ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I've never really had too high an opinion of main dealers ever since a Cit dealer filled the hydraulic system on my mother's Xant with brake fluid.

Then there's all the "dealer serviced" cars I've seen with bits that are on the schedule yet don't seem to have been touched since the car left the factory.

And for this, they charge £75/hour...

Reply to
Adrian

Knight Of The Road ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Sorry - thought he worked for a Ford dealer?

Reply to
Adrian

Is the pressure warning light related to the low oil warning light?

The pressure warning light has NEVER come on since I've owned the car.

So I'm not sure what exactly you mean?

Reply to
ToyotaMan

I'll have to wait until Wednesday, and see how I get on, maybe I should have said the fault needs fixing, then do the service...

Reply to
ToyotaMan

Not sufficient. THe technician will be looking at what situation it occurs in, whether there's any accompanying noises etc.

Reply to
Conor

I thought thats why I told them the light comes on about 1 mile after starting the car... for 5-10 seconds

Then flashes 3 or 4 times in 18 miles.

The picture would be more to show that I'm not wasting their time, I think that's the issue for them.

Is this a hard part to change over or something?

Cheers

Reply to
ToyotaMan

I trend to drive to work and home a different way every time, as I get bored otherwise - and once its come on for the first time after about 1 mile or so for 5-10 seconds it seems completely random, and I've turned the radio off to listen for any noises myself.

I'm not great with cars but I always try to cover the basics common-sense, if it was unpowered or making a knocking noise etc, I'd have told them straight away

I'd never do any work on the car myself.

I mean I thought it could have been a blocked pipe, dirty sensor, cable not plugged, wrong oil, short fuse, bare wire touching etc etc, this I kind of assumed they would have checked, but they might not have done anything but taken it for a much too short drive and decided there was no fault.

The car is driving perfect, I've had several of this type of Celica before, I know the car well.

I'll update on Wednesday.

Reply to
ToyotaMan

The message from "ToyotaMan" contains these words:

Is it "oil level low" or "low oil pressure"?

Reply to
Guy King

It's what could be the cause that is the issue. It could be something as trivial as a faulty sensor or it could be something as serious as the oil pump failing or the bottom end of the engine being on its last legs.

Reply to
Conor

ooww slag me off when im at the bar... dunno why i reply to you, you prick,but if you must know, the foremans been off this week so ive been doing his job, i work at a main dealer with over 16 years with ford.... and you?

just left school i guess..

Reply to
ford_technical_

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