2003 Toyota Sienna - Oil light

My son has been driving my minivan for awhile. Two days ago he said that as he was driving the oil light came on. He added one quart of oil. The next morning the oil light came back on. He was going to recheck oil when he got to work. On the way he said he heard a “thump thump thump” then the car started to shake. He turned around and took it home. That night when he got home from work, he turned it on and heard thump again. Today I turned it on and heard no thump, felt no shaking, but did notice a large oil leak on driveway when car was on. What should I check?

I think the first thing you should check is your bank account, as you may be receiving some very costly news shortly. The fact that your son drove it after the oil pressure light came on and it started thumping (even one block) and then simply put in a quart of oil without apparently checking the dipstick to see what the oil level was, compounded by your driving the car afterwards has probably ruined the engine. Do NOT try to start this van again. Have it towed to a mechanic and tell him what happened.

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