Low Oil Pressure?

P

ProspectiveBuyer

Member
I just had my car serviced this week at the Honda Dealer where I got my car and today I got a message saying "Low Oil Pressure." Does anyone know what that means or why I would get a message so soon after having the car serviced? Since today is Sunday, the service department is closed. Wondering if it's safe to drive. The message just flashed briefly but then went away. But there was a little chirp to alert my attention to the message.
 
You should be able to check the oil like on any car (there's a dip stick under the hood). I would check it. If they failed to put the nut that holds the oil in that's actually a big deal and perhaps would warrant not driving until the trip to the dealer. i.e. use all-electric driving to get to the dealer, with special care not to start the gas engine.

Now if the oil is present and just a little low, less of a big deal. You could either add oil or return to dealer. Hope this helps.
 
ProspectiveBuyer said:
I just had my car serviced this week at the Honda Dealer where I got my car and today I got a message saying "Low Oil Pressure." Does anyone know what that means or why I would get a message so soon after having the car serviced? Since today is Sunday, the service department is closed. Wondering if it's safe to drive. The message just flashed briefly but then went away. But there was a little chirp to alert my attention to the message.
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Lots of possibilities, but the most important is to rule out actually low oil levels. How is the oil level on dipstick, if that is known? If not able to determine I’d take to any service station and have them check.


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I would definitely NOT drive it until I had checked the dipstick and verified the proper level of oil since you have no absolute control on the ICE starting up. It’s probably nothing but this is a case of better safe than sorry.

Edit: If the warning came on at the first start of the ICE after the oil change, then it could be due to the dry filter needing just a moment to fill with oil. In any event, check the oil level immediately.
 
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I just checked the oil, but it was so faint, it seemed like there was no oil. How do you tell if it's just super clear or there's no oil? When I tried to open the thing where the oil goes, it was on so tight I couldn't even turn it.
 
Good plan. That dealer is panicking right now for fear of them being liable for ruining an engine. If it happens they have garage insurance which buys you a new engine.

Usually this sort of thing is caused by an oops on the mechanic's part. Forgetting to put in or tighten the oil plug, or forgetting to add the oil, or the filter, or not tightening oil filter enough. I handled MANY of these claims for repair shops. Happens more often than many realize.

Hopefully for you none of the above, and being a Clarity there's a good chance the software on board sensed low oil pressure and immediately shut the engine down to save it, allowing you to still drive on battery power, which is really cool and not something a normal car can safely do...possibly another little-utilized benefit to owning a PHEV.

But in any event you and dealer are doing the right thing. Get it on a tow truck and don't run the engine, let them assess it and report back as to why the problem occurred.
 
Is there anything I should be aware of that could've damaged the engine? Is there anything I should have the dealership check when they tow it in tomorrow? And is there any assurance I should request considering this might have damaged the car due to their negligence?
 
I bought a brand new Subaru Outback in 2002 (it was a 2003 model). within a year after purchase took it to a lube it usa for an oil change. The person doing the work didn't replace the plug or didn't tighten. I went over the pass between Eugene and Bend OR when I saw white smoke behind me. I knew what it was and killed the engine as quick as I could. Was towed to Bend, had a new plug and oil replaced. Drove back to Eugene. The lube it manager paid me for my cost of towing and a motel night stay (the dealer in Bend wasn't open when I arrived). When I asked about long term life of my engine, he said I'd need to sue them to get anything more.

At about year 12 the Subaru was burning oil. I paid to have the head gasket replaced. A few years later year 16 with about 170,000 miles, the head gasket failed again. I replaced the car.

My wife and I were the only drivers of the car and it was very well maintained. One wonders if the death of the vehicle was premature and if so due to driving it without oil earlier in its life. So yeah these problems are kind of crapy because they may impact service life of the vehicle and would be very difficult to prove that was the reason.

And yes, if the dealer is sending a tow truck, absolutely do it that way (as others have said). And yes, it's possible the gas engine has already been damaged if it was operating, and operating without oil. I would do my best to determine exactly what happened if this was my car. Minimally getting as much documentation as you can should related problems come along.

-Dan
 
ProspectiveBuyer said:
Is there anything I should be aware of that could've damaged the engine? Is there anything I should have the dealership check when they tow it in tomorrow? And is there any assurance I should request considering this might have damaged the car due to their negligence?
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Cart before horse...

Get a diagnosis first. My post was speculation. You might just have a warranty problem like a bad oil pressure sensor or something.
 
Dan Albrich said:
I bought a brand new Subaru Outback in 2002 (it was a 2003 model). within a year after purchase took it to a lube it usa for an oil change. The person doing the work didn't replace the plug or didn't tighten. I went over the pass between Eugene and Bend OR when I saw white smoke behind me. I knew what it was and killed the engine as quick as I could. Was towed to Bend, had a new plug and oil replaced. Drove back to Eugene. The lube it manager paid me for my cost of towing and a motel night stay (the dealer in Bend wasn't open when I arrived). When I asked about long term life of my engine, he said I'd need to sue them to get anything more.

At about year 12 the Subaru was burning oil. I paid to have the head gasket replaced. A few years later year 16 with about 170,000 miles, the head gasket failed again. I replaced the car.

My wife and I were the only drivers of the car and it was very well maintained. One wonders if the death of the vehicle was premature and if so due to driving it without oil earlier in its life. So yeah these problems are kind of crapy because they may impact service life of the vehicle and would be very difficult to prove that was the reason.

And yes, if the dealer is sending a tow truck, absolutely do it that way (as others have said). And yes, it's possible the gas engine has already been damaged if it was operating, and operating without oil. I would do my best to determine exactly what happened if this was my car. Minimally getting as much documentation as you can should related problems come along.

-Dan
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Subarus of that vintage were notorious for head gasket failures. Doubt the no oil situation was the cause.
 
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