Very cold days sets off oil light

[traumapat]

Depends how you define quirk, strange that it only seems to cause problems in prolonged cold spells - we've had cold snaps before and it hasn't done it until now. I actually wonder whether some dielectic grease on the prong ends that go into the plug would be a better idea - it might be a loose contact / poor conductivity that causes it.

If it was just dirty prongs / limescaled then it should fail irrespective of the temperature outside. Maybe it's a thing with VW coolant that it looses the ability to conduct between the prongs during very cold weather?

In fact the more i think about it the more i'm convinced it's the contact between the prongs and the plug - you effectively scrape that when you pull it off to check it which would make scraping the prongs a red herring?

it would figure. cold starts id get surging until warm.. convienced it was arching inside the maf connection. displace the air with dielectric grease and issue gone.

cold making things contract and letting cold moist air around contacts?

 

[andycupra]

Depends how you define quirk, strange that it only seems to cause problems in prolonged cold spells - we've had cold snaps before and it hasn't done it until now. I actually wonder whether some dielectic grease on the prong ends that go into the plug would be a better idea - it might be a loose contact / poor conductivity that causes it.

If it was just dirty prongs / limescaled then it should fail irrespective of the temperature outside. Maybe it's a thing with VW coolant that it looses the ability to conduct between the prongs during very cold weather?

In fact the more i think about it the more i'm convinced it's the contact between the prongs and the plug - you effectively scrape that when you pull it off to check it which would make scraping the prongs a red herring?

i have to agree, when people scrape the prongs they move about a bit and perhaps a better contact is achieved.
Next time mines starts beeping i shall just give them a wiggle and see if it sorts its out. Like yours there didnt appear to be anything on prongs.
Im sure the cold weather means the plastic contracts and a contact somewhere is effected.
However its interesting that is my experience if you turn the ignition off and back on after only a few yards the light stays off...

 

[UncleFester]

There has to be a logical answer and i don't think scraping the pins in the tank is it - i reckon that's just coiincidence. If there isn't enough spring in the contacts in the plug and the metal pins in the tank contract faster than the metal on the plug then it's concievable you'd get no signal at all which would cause the fault light to come on?

 

[andycupra]

ive asked some an another thread to try taking the plug off and on or if that doesnt work wiggle the prongs and not scrape them
be interesting if anyone tries this.

 

[UncleFester]

I really didn't put much effort into scraping mine - i'll dig out the grease tonight and try that. We seem to get down to < -8 on a regular basis on the drive.

 

[daveyonthemove]

Mine only got a token scrape due to the fact they were clean, so i've no idea what the cause is, but as for the first reply i got

Coolant level is low

that is utter bollox otherwise it would be low on the warm days too and the same warnings would happen.

 

[jonjay]

When i got AMD to check the problem out when they were fitting my strut brace. They said that it is because the oil has conjuled (sorry for spelling)at the bottom and as it was so cold some moisture has got on the sensor.

 

[UncleFester]

Congealed - however this is the water sensor not the oil sensor ( muppet - (me)) was confwoosing himself with what dial was what I would be hoping there is no oil in my coolant and i would hope there is plenty of moisture

 

[Muttley]

As far as I know, both the oil and water idiot lights give warnings for both level and temperature. There's an oil level sensor in the sump.

I can't work out if the original poster had an oil problem or a coolant one?

 

[daveyonthemove]

As far as I know, both the oil and water idiot lights give warnings for both level and temperature. There's an oil level sensor in the sump.

I can't work out if the original poster had an oil problem or a coolant one?

Thats the thing, when this happened to me at Xmas time i topped up the oil and the light went out.
But this time it was coolant related and scraping the prongs did the trick
The general feeling is that the coolant is the route of the problem, but the question is "why?"
If scraping the prongs fixes the problem until i'm able to get it looked at by a dealer then i'm fine with that, but realisticaly i'd prefer a long term solution.

 

[UncleFester]

I wonder if temperature extremes change the resistance of the prongs in the coolant - either way i've greased the contacts so we'll see what happens in the morning.

 

[daveyonthemove]

i'll keep an eye on your post in the morning. i'll leave mine and see if todays scraping did the trick.

 

[adam_tdi]

have the same problem too, if i turn the engine off then back on it goes away

but the same as you only happens in the frost

 

[andycupra]

of course when its cold the coolant level will be slightly lower.... but only a bit.
Topping mine up a bit so it was in the 'range' but toward the top on my last leon got rid of the issue.. but not permanently.

I think the cold weather effects the efficiency of the sensors, as well as the contacts. Added to the lower level you get a warning.

 

[UncleFester]

Well it's as cold tonight as it was last night, no more fluid added so we'll see in the morning

 

[Timmyboy]

ive asked some an another thread to try taking the plug off and on or if that doesnt work wiggle the prongs and not scrape them
be interesting if anyone tries this.

I did the plug off and on thing - no effect (the scrape cured it, if you missed my earlier post). If it ever happens again I'll resort to some prong-wobbling rather than scraping to see what happens.

Is this getting sexual again?

 

[daveyonthemove]

Just been out to check mine. -5 on the driveway and all is fine.
No treble beep and warning light flashing.
Looks like the prong scraping has fixed it (may be short term) for now.

 

[UncleFester]

-8 and no beeps here either - i suspect it's one of those things and we'll not know the answer until next time.

 

[Mitchy]

Mine only got a token scrape due to the fact they were clean, so i've no idea what the cause is, but as for the first reply i got that is utter bollox otherwise it would be low on the warm days too and the same warnings would happen.

Are you having a laugh, what is utter bollocks

From the guy that thinks he has an oil temp gauge, im afraid pal you have no idea what you are talking about

This topic is brought up on a weekly basis and has been for the past 5 years or so since the leon was 1st released. There are thousands of threads on the subject.

I think you will find it is not utter bollocks, if your coolant level is low you will get a red flashing warning light. FACT!!!

It happens to me on a frequent basis as i have a small leak in the system somewhere.

I used to get an AMBER flashing light followed by 3 beeps on cold starts. This was rectified by changing the expansion tank. SOME OTHERS RECTIFY THE PROBLEM BY SCRAPING THE PRONGS!!!

I know what im talking about matey, have read enough of these related threads over the years.

I suggest you use the search facility in future to save yourself from future embarrassment

 

[Mitchy]

but realisticaly i'd prefer a long term solution.

A search would tell you to replace the expansion tank for a long term solution. The scraping the prongs method is a quick term solution but does not solve the problem. Will re-appear again within a year or so.

I changed my expansion tank in 2005 after early morning beebs and AMBER flashing light. It has never returned since.

I only get the red light which is indicating low level. Confirmed by the fact that when i go and check it, funnily enough it is below the min line