Open Today! Sales: 9 AM-8 PM
Open Today! Sales: 9am-8pmService: 7am-6pm
Come to Beck & Masten Buick GMC Coastal Bend to learn what it means when your Buick GMC oil light symbol is on.
It can be a little scary when the oil warning light illuminates in your dashboard. Oil is the lifeblood of a car’s engine, and a lack of oil can have disastrous consequences. Before you get too alarmed, determine which oil light is illuminated, do a few simple checks to see why it is on, and then figure out your next steps. However, if you hear a ticking sound when the oil light turns on, then you need to pull over as soon as it is safe to do so. An oil light combined with an engine that is ticking likely means that it is likely damaging itself, and driving it in this condition could ruin your engine.
The oil warning light can be set off if the engine is leaking oil. Some of the more common reasons for leaking oil are:
You can pop the hood and look for signs of oil leaks, even if you are not a service tech. The engine will be covered in dirt, but you can spot a probable oil leak if you see greasy, wet spots around the engine. Adding oil between oil changes can be a band-aid fix, but it can still eventually lead to low oil pressure if it is not fixed and cause damage.
Making sure it’s not just a maintenance reminder is your first step to understanding your oil light. A maintenance reminder could have the same sound and warning light, depending on your car. If you’re past due on your last oil change, it might even say ‘Change Oil Now’ and can look quite ominous. It’s not quite as bad as the oil light but needs to be taken care of, so let us do it.
Having low oil pressure means internal components of the engine are not being fully lubricated. An engine that’s not properly lubricated can get damaged and can eventually cause total failure. If the engine has the right amount of oil, then the oil warning light could be from a sensor, the oil pump, or even just low oil pressure alone. Your vehicle needs to be immediately inspected by our technicians in these situations. As said earlier, running an engine on low oil will likely cause engine failure.
Beck & Masten Buick GMC Coastal Bend is your ideal destination for all your auto service needs near Corpus Christi. Our friendly staff is ready to get you and your vehicle back on the road safely, no matter its make or model. Schedule your next auto service with us in person or online.