I had the oil light (red oil can on the LCD display) come on for the first time ever while exiting the highway today. I let it sit a couple minutes and checked the oil level. It was just below the "full" line, where it should be. It's been only 1,500 miles or so since my last oil and filter change. I use Mobile 1 5w-30, and change it every 3-5K miles.
The car has a little over 181,000 miles on it. It's a 2000 1.8T, ATW engine code.
I'll check for leaks, cracked oil pan, etc when it cools off, but I don't think there are any oil leaks at all.
Could this be a faulty oil pressure or oil level sensor? Has this happened to anyone else? I've searched a bit here, but didn't find any threads related to this problem.
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks.

 

the oil light usually indicates low oil pressure not level. if oil level is normal (and since your a timing belt 1.8t driver) it may be a clogged oil pick up tube. but like you said it can also be a ad oil level sensor or bad oil pressure sensor. i would put some seafoam in the crankcase and let it run for another 500 or so miles and change the oil. during which time i would see if the light comes back on the oil change is cheaper than the sensors they usually need to be pulled with the oil drained so id start there.

 

Thanks SAudi.
I've never done a seafoam treatment before, but seen a lot of threads where people have. I think Sine even made a DIY video for it way back when. Don't the oil pickup tubes only get clogged if you use a non-synthetic oil and just about never change it?

Any idea on where the oil pressure and oil level sensors are in case I have to replace them?

I'm going out to check the level again, now that it's been off for almost an hour.
If it's still good, I'll ride up to the auto parts store, pull the codes, and try the seafoam just in case the oil pickups are clogged. This engine really runs great, so I'd hate to have the seafoam screw anything up on me.

 

Oil level was perfectly full when I checked it.
Went less than 2 miles to Advance Auto, and the oil light came on again just as I was getting there.
I scanned it, but no codes came up.l
I added half a can of seafoam to the engine crankcase and drove it home. The light and the beeping was coming on again almost the whole way home.
I'm going to try to replace just the oil filter tonight after my engine cools down a bit - maybe it got clogged somehow and it's restricting oil flow.
And I checked my maintenance records - it's been exactly 3,000 miles now since the last oil change, and I haven't burned off or leaked any oil.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
Thanks again.

 

I replaced the oil filter, just in case it was clogged and causing a blockage.
I took it for a 3 minute drive, and the oil light came on again, so it's not the filter.
It has oil to the full mark.
It is now down to either an oil pressure switch, oil level indicator switch, or sending unit?
What could, if anything, possibly go wrong with an oil pump causing it not to pump? It is driven off the timing belt. As long as the timing belt spins it, it will pump oil, correct?

 

the mechanical oil pumps rarely fail. you have an internal oil pump (no IM shaft) so it is driven off a gear on the crank i believe, not from the timing belt. if you are good about chaning the oil regularly with synthetic, its probably a dead oil pressure sender, which is located around the oil cooler (which the oil filter screws onto). or it could possibly be some sludge buildup. it still happens even when using the right oil and everything. heres how to test/replace the switch.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/oiltest2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/oiltest3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/oiltest4.jpg

 

The dash light is definitely the low oil pressure light, not the oil sensor defective light or the check engine oil level light.
I'm thinking of doing this procedure tomorrow:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105429
It ain't going to be pretty though.

 

Thanks for the diagram and the how to on checking the oil pressure switch Ghost6303. However, I don't have a VAG-COM. What's involved with replacing the oil sender, or would you try the deisel engine flush first?
I'm in CT too by the way, pretty close to Valenti, so it's good if i need expensive parts.

 

you can substitute that VAG tool with a multimeter to check it. just put it on OHMs and where they say to watch the light to turn on or off, watch to see if you get continuity or not. (zero or low ohms = light turns on;good continuity // high or infinite ohm reading = light turns off; no continuity)

if the seafoam didnt do much, i would try replacing the sensor. i wouldnt imagine it would be more then 20-40 bucks. all you should need is a wrench.

is that the valenti in mystic or watertown? im pretty much in the middle of both of those lol.

 

Right up by Watertown, yes.
I didn't drive more than 3-5 miles with a cup of seafoam in the crankcase so far.
With the low oil pressure, I don't think it's wise to drive around at all, right?

Ok, so if it's the sensor, I replace that and the light never comes back on.
If it comes back on, it's really a low pressure problem, either sludge or the oil sender.
The deisel would treat the whole engine for sludge, not just clean out the oil sender.
I'm still not clear on what's involved with the oil sender (how it works, why it needs to get replaced,...) and whether the deisel or ATF treatment would clean the oil sender out and fix it, or if it would still need to be replaced regardless.