VW Golf E engine oil light problem

Hi,

Hope someone can help...

I bought a second hand VW Golf E 2001 model last summer. In the last year the engine oil warning light has come on every 1500 miles. The only way to get rid of the light is to fill the engine oil up (as the oil level keeps going down.)

I thought I had a leak but this isn't the case. A mechanic friend thinks the oil in the engine is burning off too quickly due to a potentially deep rooted problem.

Anyone heard of this before and can shed some light? Anyone have a solution out there?? Also if there is a major fault, is the car meant to be fixed by VW? Was there ever a UK recall on this problem?

Thanx!!

Reply to
brian
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It's not all that unusual to have to top up the oil every 1500 miles - especially on modern cars using thin oils..... however, you've probably made the situation worse. By the time the light comes on, it's too late and you've already done damage to the engine. I think you'll find that the periods of time between the light coming on will get shorter and shorter if you don't start to check the level and top it up more frequently.....

My first warning that I need to top up my oil, as it was with the VW I previously owned, was slight clattering of the tappets from a cold start. This usually signals the level is right on the minimum.

Reply to
SteveH

It would be helpful to the experts here to make a diagnosis if you could indicate the approximate mileage the engine might have covered, obviously as the car is S/H you will have no idea if the milometer reading is a genuine one, check for wear on driver's seat and pedal rubbers as confirmation

Reply to
Steptoe

When people asked about the mileage, they meant about the mileage of the car.

It could be a simple case of mixed grades of oil in there - I accidentally mixed oil grades once and it burned a hell of a lot - doing an oil change and making sure that I put the same stuff in there did wonders, and it consumed virtually no oil (different engine, granted - a 2000 model 1.8TD Fiesta, same principle though).

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Hi all,

Thanx for the replies. I've been told by several car owners/websites/supposed qualified mechanics, that the engine oil should only need topping up once a year (if that). Thats why I'm concerned with having to top it up several times.

Mileage done every year is approx 5000 miles. Car has been checked for leaks and there aren't any.

Now what?

Thanx again!!

Reply to
brian

Yes, that consumption is a lot more than I'd like, but I'm sure you'll fine it's not excessive according to the owners' manual.

Unless you've established that an engine has low oil consumption, check the level at each refuelling.

I've found that some of the newer thin high-lubricity oils burn considerably less than cheaper thicker oils. In the case of the Golf, look for oil to VW standard 502 00, and see how that goes.

John

Reply to
John Henderson

When I bought my car they serviced it and I asked what oil they used and they said its 10/40 semi synthetic oil and I have gone out and bought some a different brand as I dont know the specific oe they used but was told so long as it was 10/40 and semi synthetic is should be ok to top up using it?

What I was wondering is if you top up yourself do you need to change to the oil filter ?

Reply to
mocha

It'll certainly be OK, but probably better to use the same oil consistently. Just how much better depends on the different additive packages, and there's really no way of telling.

The filter gets changed when and only when you drain all the hot oil out for a complete refill. Don't exceed the car manufacturer's recommendations for the interval between changes. This is the most important preventive maintenance item there is.

John

Reply to
John Henderson

The message from "brian" contains these words:

Why do you let it get that far? You should check it more regularly and top it up before it reaches the minimum mark.

If you've driven it even briefly with the oil pressure warning light on then you've not done it any favours at all/

Reply to
Guy King

Nope, only if you change the oil yourself. Some enthusiastic owners, who change the oil very regularly, like every 5k, choose to only change the filter every other oil change (i.e. every 10k), and I can't see this doing much harm.

Reply to
AstraVanMan

brian ( snipped-for-privacy@cardrama.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

So why ON EARTH don't you check the level and top it up BEFORE it gets low enough to light the pressure light?

It's not a level warning light, it's a pressure warning light - and it only comes on when the pressure is SERIOUSLY, DANGEROUSLY low.

Reply to
Adrian

brian ( snipped-for-privacy@cardrama.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

The oil needs topping up whenever it's low. No more or less frequently.

Reply to
Adrian

John Henderson ( snipped-for-privacy@talk21.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Apart from making sure there's some oil in there.

Reply to
Adrian

Yes, And rereading that, I shouldn't have said "a complete refill" when I meant filling to the "high" mark.

John

Reply to
John Henderson

The message from John Henderson contains these words:

Unlike the woman in the car park next to my old workshop - who really had /filled/ her engine with oil.

Reply to
Guy King

My local AA guy told me that he went out to an oldish Polo with an engine seizure. It didn't have a drop of oil in it. The young lady who owned it had driven it for over a year. She genuinely thought that because it had an MOT, nothing further needed doing! She had never opened the bonnet or looked at the tyres in all the time she had driven it and was quite indignant when it was suggested to her that it was her responsibility.!

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

The message from Chris Whelan contains these words:

I parked next to a car in a public carpark and politely pointed out to the driver (owner?) that three of the four tyres had fabric showing and in one case the steel wires poking out. I got a mouthful of abuse. Purely by chance I just happened to come across a couple of police who happily waited round the corner and nicked the rude bastard when he drove out. I'd told 'em they wouldn't have long to wait 'cos the git had said "What the f*ck does it matter, I'm only going to post a letter".

Reply to
Guy King

In news: snipped-for-privacy@newspe.com, brian wrote something quite bizarre, possibly in an effort to confuddle the world. It went like so;

Er, it should be changed more often than that, never mind just checked.

If the car is only doing 5000 miles a year, I'd change the oil at least annually, and check the level at the very least once a month and before /every/ long journey.

Open the bonnet more often, check the oil more often, carry a litre or so of fresh oil of the correct type, add when necessary.

As others have stated, the oil light on the dash is the oil pressure light - not a low level light. Oil pressure in most modern engines is /at least/ 25 psi at tickover - the light tends to come on when the oil has dropped to around 6 psi - 6psi is not good.... 6psi is *bad*.

0 psi is worse, and if the light comes on when you're going round a corner there's a good chance that's how much lubrication you're giving the engine...

All for the sake of not checking the oil.

Reply to
Pete M

Brilliant!

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

You may find that the engine *might* have an oil level sensor, that lights up before you get to oil starvation.

Hopefully.

Pete.

Reply to
Pete Smith

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