Oil Level Sensor Diagnostics?

[Audiobull]

Usually my mrs knows to check the oil when the light comes on (its the school run car). she goes around a corner and it beeps. However she has now reported it came on, beeped 3 times and stayed on. no corners involved.
I have now had it for 2 days. Check oil constantly and have had vcds on it.
I honestly cannot figure it out.

Looking at other threads they have a warning when the sensor has died. but there speedo looks "newer" then my one so all i get is the oil can flashing constantly.

Is there a way to check the sensor is at fault as there is nothing on vcds, it is an old y reg 1.4 petrol with 150K.

just to throw a spanner in the works. every morning it has stayed off for at least 10 miles, yet once on, comes on every time you start the engine throughout the day.

 

[hotstuff]

If you've had VCDS and carried out a scan, did you get any faults codes?
Best way is to scan, erase all fault codes, use the vehicle for a few days and re-scan again. This will present the most recent issues and you can begin to trace the error. As a precaution, you might want to monitor the oil level closely whilst you try to determine the fault.

Do that, come back to us and we can try to help you further.

blue skies
tony

 

[Audiobull]

quick update. i erased fault codes night before posting. mil light has come on but i think its going to be egr valve which was on just before i erased (new one ordered ;-) and is the 2nd in 1 1/2 years!) so i will check again tomorrow and see if any new codes are up. I have been checking every 20-30 mins of driving as its been a good excuse for a ciggy. I have now noticed since its got a little lower in level (down one mark from top) if i accelerate it beeps and flashes. when i brake sharply it goes off completely. yet corners make no difference and the level is still perfect. The mrs has always depended on this method as its a slight fill up every 2 days.
I and the mrs still love the a2, its so quirky. i serviced it a few months ago, spark plugs were well past gone, then wouldnt start, it finally started and ran rough so switched it off, tried again it wouldnt start. mrs tried and it started 1st time and was running perfectly. it does not like men i think! I cant get over how much i can get in the back, the work van contents fitted into the a2 with the seats out.
anyway nattering on i shall update tomorrow. if no faults regarding oil is there another way to check the sensor or shall i just replace it hoping it is the fault? If the oil pump was to fail would a fault code come up?
trying to figure out what does and doesnt show on vcds regarding oil problems as i have not found a problem like this on my model on google and this forum.

 

[spike]

There are 3 oil warning symbols, the yellow oil can with a wavy line underneath is for low level, same again but with the word 'sensor' next to the wavy line is for a faulty level sensor and finally the red flashing oil can is for low pressure. Which do you have ?

Cheers Spike

 

[Audiobull]

hi spike thanks but I guess you did not read all the first post. as mentioned it seems everyone has a speedo that looks similar to these below



however mine looks like this below without a full size lcd so would mine show the yellow oil can which says sensor?




I have a red oil can with drops coming from it. if it had said sensor i would not be here asking for your help ;-)

 

[spike]

OK now we have now established you have a serious low oil pressure warning issue. I'd recommend you get the pressures checked by someone who can do this with a master pressure gauge and would not use the car until the diagnosis is complete. High mileage petrol engines can have problems with the oil pump and a couple of owners have wrecked engines because they did not catch it in time.
For reference the standard display shows the same warning symbols as the full (optional extra) DIS display so you would see the oil can and 'sensor' symbol if the warning was related to the oil level sensor. This is all covered in the owners handbook - page 89 in my 2001 copy

Cheers Spike

 

[Audiobull]

Hi Spike and big thanks. Am i best off changing the sensor first thing in the morning testing it then just changing the oil pump if that does not solve it?
I know i should buy a hand book from fleebay but i cant justify the £25 odd. i do hate previous owners sometimes.

I will update tomorrow. thanks again.

 

[Audiobull]

i thought i would update this thread. turns out the pressure sender... luckily.
as soon as i pulled the connector off oil came out so there was definitely a problem with it. new coil pack, leads and oil change complete while i was there.i have had no lights on the dash since. thanks everyone