My oil light comes on when I stop but goes off when I’m driving. I check the oil level and it was fine. Any idea what would cause this? It’s a 2001 sebring 2.7L
That “oil light” is not necessarily telling you that your oil level is low.
That light is a warning that the oil pressure is low.
If you don’t believe me, then open your Owner’s Manual and see what it says regarding the oil pressure warning light.
Your crankcase can be full of oil, but if the oil pump is not sending the oil under full pressure to the engine’s bearings and friction surfaces, that oil can’t lubricate the engine properly, and the result is a trashed engine.
That being said, this warning light is more often the result of a faulty oil pressure switch in the engine, but you can’t afford to take a chance with this situation. You need to take the car to a competent mechanic (NOT a chain operation like Midas, Meineke, Monro, Sears, Pep Boys, AAMCO, etc), so that he can check to see what the output pressure of your oil pump actually is.
If the oil pressure is normal, then it will be a fairly cheap fix for him to simply replace the oil pressure switch.
If the oil pressure is low, then he needs to determine the cause of the low oil pressure.
In addition to a weak oil pump, other causes of low oil pressure can include excess wear in the engine as a result of going too long between oil changes. Oil sludge–the result of long oil change intervals–is also a major cause of low oil pressure.
How often is this engine’s oil changed?
It could be a bad sensor. But the 2.7L engine is prone to sludging, especially if the oil isn’t changed regularly. What you need to do is to have the car’s oil pressure checked with a mechanical gauge while the engine is warm. This will determine whether the sensor is bad or if your engine has worn bearings or sludge.
The oil pressure switch is around $10. Have it replaced and see if that cures it. If not then move on to plan 2 as VDC outlined…You did not mention the miles on the engine…
It doesn’t do it all the time. Thanks I will take your advice.
80,000 miles
You also did not tell us the typical oil change interval that you have used for this car.