my oil recently got low and the check oil light came on. I immediately added a quart of oil to my 125,000 mile Toyota Camry but the check oil light has stayed on. I did have some local guys at one of those quick- oil-change-places change the oil. the light has stayed on and they couldn’t figure out why. thanks.
Are you absolutely sure that this light is called a “Check Oil Light”?
Some cars have a warning light indicating a low oil level. I suppose that this could be called a “check oil light”.
Some cars have a light to tell that it is time to change the oil. This needs to be reset, using a specific procedure, after an oil change.
ALL cars have a light to warn you of low oil pressure.
Please read the appropriate text in your Owner’s Manual in order to determine exactly what this light is supposed to indicate, and then come back to this thread to update us. Until we know for sure exactly what the light does, you will not get a helpful answer.
Today’s cars have more warning lights than a Christmas Tree. You need to be more specific…If it indicates “Oil Pressure” then the oil pressure sender is the prime suspect…
“my oil recently got low and the check oil light came on. I immediately added a quart of oil to my 125,000 mile Toyota Camry but the check oil light has stayed on.”
How low was it?? More than the single quart you added? Was there oil on the dip-stick?
Are you sure it was an oil light? Could it be the CEL (Check Engine Light)?
“quick- oil-change-places” If it has been serviced by a quick oil change place anything is possible. Read through the messages here and you will see time after time people have had problems with the quick oil change places. They should not be trusted to even give directions to the freeway.
I suspect it is a CEL and it means it has stored a code to help figure out why it came on. Many autopart stores will read the code for free. It will be in the form of P1234 The letter P followed by four numbers. They likely will also list a problem. The problem is why the light came on, but likely the reason that problem was recorded is a different but related problem. Bring that code or codes back here and let us go from there.
You don’t say the year of the car, but based on the mileage I’ll assume it’s between five and ten years old. Neither will have a low oil level light. For service reminders lights Toyota uses a “service engine soon” light. Which leaves the oil pressure warning light. That almost HAS to be what you’re seeing.
Do not drive this engine until you get this resolved. Start by checking the level of the oil using the dipstick. Simply adding a quart of oil does not mean you’ve brough the level to where it needs to be for the engine to develop oil pressure. It’s possible that these quickie lube guys did not properly torque the drain plug, or the filter, or even that they installed the filter improperly, and you have a serious path for oil loss. Quickie lubes are famous for making these mistakes.
If your oil level is full (using the dipstick) then you need to get the car towed to a garage to have an actual oil pressure check done using a seperate gage to ensure that you actually have pressure. With luck, there’ll be pressure and it’ll just be the (pressure signal) sending unit.
But I emphasize, do not start this engine until you get the problem resolved. Driving without oil pressure will destroy an engine faster than anything else you can do to it.
And find a good independently owned and operated shop to do your future maintenance. These quickie lube places are staffed by young folks with limited training and extremely limited time to do the work.
Are you sure this isn’t an oil pressure light? If it is, that means two things. First, you need to stop driving the car immediately because you could easily be doing engine damage. Second, you need to read your owner’s manual more carefully and not just guess at what the light means.
“you need to read your owner’s manual more carefully and not just guess at what the light means.”
Aren’t you being unrealistic?
Doing what you suggest means reaching a-a-a-a-l-l-l-l the way over to the glove compartment, opening the compartment, and actually opening the manual. Isn’t it preferable to just assume that one knows what warning lights mean, rather than actually educating one’s self? After all, what’s the worst that could happen–other than a blown engine?
;-))
I’m sorry. The Devil made me say that.
I’m just getting frustrated with people who never seem to use the materials that were provided by the car’s manufacturer.
VDC, you are being “Snarky” and your post is subject to removal as soon as some PC reader clicks on the red flag…People’s feelings can be hurt QUICKLY here these days…
The Devil works in strange ways. He made me say it.
As we know, nobody is responsible for his/her own actions anymore, so I am blaming this gaffe on The Devil.
See what you made me do?
Anyway, I’ll assume that this is one of the infamous sludge/light issues that have plagued many a Toyota. I would recommend you checking out Auto-Rx (google it). Many have found redemption with this product.
MB, with GM “service engine soon” meant the same thing as “check engine” (as in an OBD1 or 2 failure)In fact we called the check engine light the SES light. I ask are you sure Toyota changes the meaning of service engine soon so drasticaly from what is used by another major manufacture (and one they even teamed up with)?