{"id":85668,"date":"2023-06-26T00:10:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T07:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=85668"},"modified":"2023-10-03T19:44:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T02:44:45","slug":"what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-1 kadence-column_3b8e3e-7c qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-59ebdd  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-903999\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_f0f7ec-91\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>There are two kinds of oil light: the oil pressure light that illuminates when the engine has low oil pressure or the variation that lights up when there&rsquo;s insufficient oil.<\/li><li>Low oil pressure, a faulty oil pump, an oil leak, contaminated oil, and a faulty oil pressure sensor may trigger the oil light.<\/li><li>It&rsquo;s possible to drive with the oil light on, as long as the engine doesn&rsquo;t run into major issues. However, it&rsquo;s better to stop driving and check your oil level as well as look for leaks to avoid serious engine damage.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Vehicles can be equipped with two kinds of oil lights. One is the oil pressure light that lights up when the engine has low oil pressure. The other light is the low engine oil level light when there&rsquo;s insufficient oil. However, most vehicles are equipped with low oil pressure lights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The oil light is typically located on the dashboard and is usually red. Low oil pressure can be a sign of a wide range of issues, most notably low oil levels, and can result in insufficient lubrication, cooling, and cleaning of your engine. These can lead to major issues and permanent engine damage. You should always check for the oil light on your dashboard, as the early warning can save your vehicle&rsquo;s engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>There are two different oil lights on a car. Most vehicles only have an low oil pressure light, but some have low engine oil level light.<\/p><cite>&ndash;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/anthonyharlin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\">Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Is My Oil Light On?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An illuminated oil light can be caused by several possible issues, such as the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Low Oil Pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Oil doesn&rsquo;t just passively circulate inside the engine. An oil pump pushes the lubricant through the engine&rsquo;s various passageways and channels. The presence of pressure ensures all the engine&rsquo;s parts are properly lubricated. Without enough oil pressure, oil wouldn&rsquo;t be able to keep all engine surfaces lubricated, which can significantly accelerate engine wear. One of the main causes of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/low-oil-pressure-symptoms-and-faq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"low oil pressure\">low oil pressure<\/a> is low oil levels. If this is the case, then you might be able to fix your illuminated oil light by topping up your engine&rsquo;s oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, an illuminated low oil pressure means oil levels have already reached dangerously low levels. For example, a 4-cylinder Honda holds four quarts of oil, but the Honda&rsquo;s oil light will only illuminate if there&rsquo;s half a quart of oil left. If oil light is illuminated, there&rsquo;s a likelihood that your engine has potentially already sustained some damage or wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"image of a dashboard with an illuminated oil light\" class=\"wp-image-85982\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dashboard-with-illuminated-oil-light.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>Most vehicles are equipped with an oil light that lights up when the engine has low oil pressure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faulty Oil Pump<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Vehicles are fitted with oil pumps that maintain an oil pressure of around 25 to 65 PSI. However, a malfunctioning oil pump can also cause low oil pressure, which might then activate the oil light. Overheating and a whining noise from the oil pump are some of the signs that your oil pump might be going bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oil Leak<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the issues that can cause oil pressure to drop is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/why-is-my-car-leaking-oil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"oil leak\">oil leak<\/a>. One quick way to know your vehicle has an oil leak is the presence of oil accumulating on the pavement underneath. You could also check your oil levels by inspecting the dipstick. Periodic oil refills can be normal, but if you regularly need to refill engine oil, then there&rsquo;s likely a problem. Oil leaks can also be internal, which means oil might be leaking into the combustion chambers and being burned. If this is the case, your vehicle might emit blue exhaust smoke and create a burning oil smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dirty Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Oil also plays a critical role in keeping your engine clean by picking up dirt, dust, and small debris from inside the engine. Eventually, this gunk can accumulate and cause blockages in your oil system. When this happens, your vehicle&rsquo;s oil pressure sensor can detect anomalies. Check the dipstick to determine if your engine&rsquo;s oil is dirty. If the oil is dark, smelly, and has a viscous texture, then it probably <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-change-your-oil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"needs to be replaced\">needs to be replaced<\/a>. Oil naturally becomes dark and dirty over time. However, it should be replaced as soon as it reaches the end of its intended lifespan or when it becomes too dirty, whichever comes first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/oil-pressure-sensor-1024x770.jpg\" alt=\"oil pressure sensor image\" class=\"wp-image-85984\" width=\"1024\" height=\"770\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/oil-pressure-sensor-1024x770.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/oil-pressure-sensor-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/oil-pressure-sensor-768x578.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/oil-pressure-sensor-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/oil-pressure-sensor.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>If your oil pressure sensor develops issues, then the oil light can illuminate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faulty Oil Pressure Sensor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The oil pressure sensor plugs into the side of your engine and monitors oil pressure. When this sensor develops issues, then the oil light can illuminate. If you&rsquo;ve checked your engine&rsquo;s oil levels and oil quality and have determined they&rsquo;re not to blame, then the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/the-top-3-signs-of-a-bad-oil-pressure-sensor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"oil pressure sensor could be at fault\">oil pressure sensor could be at fault<\/a>. Without an oil pressure sensor, you also won&rsquo;t be warned when your engine is running low on oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Long Can You Drive With an Oil Light That&rsquo;s Turned On?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Theoretically, an engine can continue to run as long as it doesn&rsquo;t run into major issues. However, this is very unlikely. How long your vehicle can continue to run will depend on the issue you have and how much stress you&rsquo;re putting on your engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the oil light in your car is on, the best course of action would be to stop driving and check your vehicle&rsquo;s oil level immediately. You should also inspect if your vehicle is leaking oil. If it doesn&rsquo;t have enough oil, then you run the risk of severely damaging the engine if you continue to drive. If you ignore the oil light and continue running with low oil levels or low oil pressure, then it will only be a matter of time before the engine runs into major issues and stops working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find the main cause of the illuminated oil light, your vehicle needs to undergo a proper diagnosis. If it&rsquo;s exhibiting any of the previously mentioned symptoms, it would be best to immediately go to a reputable mechanic who can thoroughly inspect components and use a scan tool to check for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/search-obd2-codes-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"stored trouble codes\">stored trouble codes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Vehicles can be equipped with two kinds of oil lights. One is the oil pressure light that lights up when&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":85981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3751],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607,3742],"class_list":{"0":"post-85668","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-diy","8":"category-warning-lights","9":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On? - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The oil light signifies that your engine has insufficient oil pressure. Learn what causes the oil light to illuminate in this article.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On? - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The oil light signifies that your engine has insufficient oil pressure. Learn what causes the oil light to illuminate in this article.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-06-26T07:10:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-04T02:44:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/thecpteam\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom, https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/CarPartscom, https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"Anthony Harlin\",\"jobTitle\":\"ASE Master Automobile Technician\",\"description\":\"Tony Harlin is a Master Gas and Diesel Diagnostic Technician with over 18 years of experience. He works full-time at a large independent automotive shop as a driveability and repair technician working on all types of vehicles with a focus on diesels. ASE certifications include A1-A9, L1 and L2, as well as X1.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/anthonyharlin\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/youtube.com\\\/c\\\/nutsboltswithtone, https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/nuts_n_bolts_with_tone\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/vm.tiktok.com\\\/ZMeESTrYT\\\/\"}],\"headline\":\"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On?\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-26T07:10:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-04T02:44:45+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1048,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"DIY\",\"Warning Lights\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/\",\"name\":\"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On? - In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-26T07:10:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-04T02:44:45+00:00\",\"description\":\"The oil light signifies that your engine has insufficient oil pressure. Learn what causes the oil light to illuminate in this article.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"illuminated oil light\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":398,\"caption\":\"CarParts.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On? - In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"The oil light signifies that your engine has insufficient oil pressure. Learn what causes the oil light to illuminate in this article.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On? - In The Garage with CarParts.com","og_description":"The oil light signifies that your engine has insufficient oil pressure. Learn what causes the oil light to illuminate in this article.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/","og_site_name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","article_published_time":"2023-06-26T07:10:48+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-10-04T02:44:45+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@carpartscom","twitter_site":"@carpartscom","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","$id":"4","name":"CarParts.com Research Team","jobTitle":"Expert Automotive Writer","description":"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom, https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/, https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom\/"},{"@type":"Person","$id":"4","name":"Anthony Harlin","jobTitle":"ASE Master Automobile Technician","description":"Tony Harlin is a Master Gas and Diesel Diagnostic Technician with over 18 years of experience. He works full-time at a large independent automotive shop as a driveability and repair technician working on all types of vehicles with a focus on diesels. ASE certifications include A1-A9, L1 and L2, as well as X1.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/anthonyharlin\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/c\/nutsboltswithtone, https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nuts_n_bolts_with_tone\/, https:\/\/vm.tiktok.com\/ZMeESTrYT\/"}],"headline":"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On?","datePublished":"2023-06-26T07:10:48+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-04T02:44:45+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/"},"wordCount":1048,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg","articleSection":["DIY","Warning Lights"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/","name":"What Does the Oil Light Mean And Can I Drive if it\u2019s On? - In The Garage with CarParts.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg","datePublished":"2023-06-26T07:10:48+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-04T02:44:45+00:00","description":"The oil light signifies that your engine has insufficient oil pressure. Learn what causes the oil light to illuminate in this article.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg","width":1500,"height":1000,"caption":"illuminated oil light"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"CarParts.com","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","width":2048,"height":398,"caption":"CarParts.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/x.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/illuminated-oil-light.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"","author_link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-the-oil-light-mean-and-can-i-drive-if-its-on\/"},"authors":[{"term_id":2607,"user_id":1651,"is_guest":0,"slug":"thecpteam","display_name":"CarParts.com Research Team","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""},{"term_id":3742,"user_id":1647,"is_guest":0,"slug":"anthonyharlin","display_name":"Anthony Harlin, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/anthony-harlin.png","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/anthony-harlin.png"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=85668"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85668\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/85981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=85668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=85668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=85668"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=85668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}