Oil light flashing yellow

[martin150]

Hi i'm new on here only just bought an ibiza tdi sport that i'm having a little bit of trouble with.

As above my oil light flashes yellow, i don't know if it's related but at start-up when it's very cold (frosty) i sometimes hear i single beep. As for the light flashing it has done this a couple of times now, when the engine is idling but the oil has'nt warmed up, it flashes for about 5 seconds and then goes out on its own.

I have done a search on here and have found out that it maybe to do with the sensor in the water expansion tank, but i'm not too sure if this applies to what i am describing.

Checked oil and water and levels are fine.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[lil3520]

have you checked your handbook ?

 

[martin150]

The handbook says it's a dodgy sensor but i'm not too sure as another thing i've noticed is the oil takes forever to warm up enless i really give it some from cold. But thats something i don't want to be doing, as a guide after starting from cold the water takes about 2-3 miles to warm-up fully and i can go as much as 12 - 15 miles before the oil temp starts to move on the gauge!

 

[Torquemonster]

Hi i'm new on here only just bought an ibiza tdi sport that i'm having a little bit of trouble with.

As above my oil light flashes yellow, i don't know if it's related but at start-up when it's very cold (frosty) i sometimes hear i single beep. As for the light flashing it has done this a couple of times now, when the engine is idling but the oil has'nt warmed up, it flashes for about 5 seconds and then goes out on its own.

I have done a search on here and have found out that it maybe to do with the sensor in the water expansion tank, but i'm not too sure if this applies to what i am describing.

Checked oil and water and levels are fine.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Is your Sport a high miler?.My old Cavalier's oil warning light used to flash for about 5 secs after starting.The oil pressure wasn't 100%,but i was assured it wouldn't do any harm.As long as it went out,and didn't come on when i was driving.

As for the beep.Does it sound like the 'seatbelts on' warning bong on an aircraft?.That sounds once,when the temp is 4 or below.The temp then flashes on the display.

In my handbook it says.'If the warning lamp lights up or flashes red while driving an accoustic signal will sound 3 times at engine speeds above 1500rpm.

 

[martin150]

I think your right about the beep as the temp does flash at the same time.

I now think the oil light flashing has something to do with the battery not holding its charge/or charging. I drove home last night and the battery completly died on me, but this morning the car started which it would'nt do last night. The battery gauge only shows up as 10V now with the car running, and the battery's magic eye is black not green which i thought it should be.

If anyone can point me in the right direction for testing my alternator it will be much appriciated. Thanks

 

[Nath.]

For the moment I would ignore the volt Gage in the dash (they are only a guide really) and use a test meter, put it across the battery with the engine ticking over and you should see 14volts, switch off the engine and the battery voltage should take a min or 2 to drop down to 12volts.

If this checks out OK but the battery voltage is below 12volts again in the morning I would say your battery is no good.

If you don't get 14volts on tick over your alternator is not charging your battery.

 

[martin150]

For the moment I would ignore the volt Gage in the dash (they are only a guide really) and use a test meter, put it across the battery with the engine ticking over and you should see 14volts, switch off the engine and the battery voltage should take a min or 2 to drop down to 12volts.

If this checks out OK but the battery voltage is below 12volts again in the morning I would say your battery is no good.

If you don't get 14volts on tick over your alternator is not charging your battery.

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to buy a multimeter today and give it a try, i'll post up what i find when i test it. Cheers

 

[martin150]

Tested the battery before i put it on the car and it read 12.6V, after starting and engine idling it read 11.1V when reved upto 2.5k it went up by 0.01V.

The alternator is now off the car and going for repair tommorow, thanks for the help guys.

 

[Nath.]

Happy to help

 

[beezanick]

Glad you found the problem

 

[martin150]

Thought I found the problem but i took the alternator for repair and when they tested it, it was fine. Is there anything else that could cause this, i'm thinking dodgy earth or something like that.

 

[chris4500uk]

Maybe the belt for the alt was loose?

Is it any different now its back on the car?

 

[RUM4MO]

Thought I found the problem but i took the alternator for repair and when they tested it, it was fine. Is there anything else that could cause this, i'm thinking dodgy earth or something like that.

Right if you are now thinking about dodgy earths, maybe use the search function as I think that this question has been asked before - or at least the location of an earth or earths was given then. Maybe try the old broken yellow or other wire while searching for poor charging etc as well.