Q: Low oil pressure light stop engine

asked by on November 21, 2016

The light came on and heard knocking sounds

My car has 79000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Oil Pressure Sensor Replacement $104.83 - $442.63 Get a Quote
Oil Pressure Light is on Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

This light will usually come on when one of two things are happening. Either the motor is in fact low on oil or the oil pressure sending unit is not working properly and may be producing a faulty reading. In your case, it sounds like your engine may be dangerously low on oil if there is a knocking sound coming from the engine area when this light is on. When this happens due to a lack of proper oil pressure, the result is usually damaged bearings and other internal engine components that often times require the engine to be rebuilt. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle to determine what may be causing your low oil pressure light to come on.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Serpentine belt came off
This vehicle is equipped with an automatic belt tensioner. So, if the belt slid off while driving, either the tensioner is weak or the pulleys are out of alignment. Also, there could be oil leaking down onto the belt, or...
Want to replace the second row bench seat in my van with captain's chairs
Hi there. The same mounting areas are there on both vans. The carpet is different so it will not look right with the captains chairs unless you replace the carpet, too. Other than that, as long as you get the...
Car revved & lurched over curb while foot was on brake
Hey there, hopefully everyone was safe after this experience. My suggestion would be to have the vehicle towed to the nearest dealer to have the vehicle checked. There has been many possible complaints for this problem with other owners and...
Ths car stalls sporadically when the engine warms up - 2000 Toyota Echo
I wish you had told me which red light illuminates. I am going to take a shot at it and guess its the battery light (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/battery-light-is-on-inspection). You may have an alternator related problem. It could be a loose belt, the...
Overheating - 2007 Nissan Altima
Hi there. A stuck (closed) thermostat (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/thermostat-replacement) will overheat very quickly, in a matter of a few minutes. If a water pump has a broken shaft, so that the impeller is not turning, the failure will look the same, very...
My car runs hot, then cools down, and then heats up again
Hello. Your attention should be turned toward the fact you are going through a lot of coolant. If you can not visibly see a leak spraying or any evidence of a leak on the ground, then your engine is consuming...
Water leaking down from by behind the timing belt cover
Hello. Thank you for writing in. Without knowing the make and model of the vehicle it is difficult to say what the issue may be. With that said, it is assumed that the leak is coming from the water pump...
Spark Plugs Replacement cause P0170 and P0173?
Hello, thank you for using our service and writing in. The fuel trim codes you are pulling are more likely to pertain to the ignition coil than the spark plugs. However these codes are also associated with the mass airflow...
1995 Honda Accord - Failed emissions due to having 1500 of 900 NOx ppm. Is there an easy fix here? They are saying it will cost me
If you are producing too much NOX this means your combustion is running too hot. This is usually caused by the engine running too lean or the EGR system is not flowing enough to cool the combustion. You should remove...

Related articles

What Does It Mean When an Engine "Knocks"?
If your engine is making a knocking noise it means there's a problem. The wrong fuel octane, carbon buildup, and bad spark plugs can cause knocking.
The Best Used Cars to Buy If You're a Gardener or Landscape Architect
Gardeners Gardeners and landscape architects need to haul around quite a bit of gear. As a gardener, chances are you will need to transport a variety of mowing equipment, along with smaller implements. You may also need to move shrubs,...
Top Automotive News & Stories: October 1-7
BMW i5 images leak, an ultra-lux Jeep, hydrogen-fueled Colorado ZH2, Fisker's electric future, record plug-in sales, NHTSA Road to Zero, and more.