Q: What's wrong with my car

The oil light will come on if the oil pressure drops too low for adequate lubrication of moving parts in the engine. If the light does come on, you should quickly shut off the engine, but only once you are safely out of traffic, otherwise you risk engine damage within seconds, a minute at the most. Oil pressure could be be low enough to activate the warning light because there is not enough oil in the oil pan to pump; the oil pump is weak; there is a blockage in an oil gallery; or the clearance in the engine bearings has become so large that oil sprays out too easily and consequently the pump cannot maintain the minimum required oil pressure. YourMechanic could measure your oil pressure using gauges and diagnose the cause of the low pressure. The remedies will vary depending on the cause.