I just finished answering a phone call from a friend whose oil light came on while he was traveling. Because he was in the middle of nowhere, he continued driving the car fearing for his safety. Now, the engine is having serious issues that will cost him a huge amount of money to fix.
After dropping the call, I had to put his experience into writing to let other drivers and car owners know how long they can drive once the oil light comes on and how safe it is to do so.
How Long Can You Drive With Oil Light On?
There’s no amount of time or miles you can drive your car once the oil light comes on. If the oil light comes on while driving, pull over as soon as possible and turn off the engine because continuing to drive with the light can lead to serious engine damage.
Don’t be like my friend who continued driving even when he knew he was doing the wrong thing. According to him, he had a good reason. He was in the middle of nowhere.
He had no place to buy oil and even if he decided to pull over and call a tow truck, his safety might have been jeopardized before the tow truck arrived, therefore, he continued driving the car until the engine started having issues.
Oil is very important to a car’s engine because it is responsible for lubricating the components of the engine and reducing friction and heat.
If the engine is not getting the adequate lubrication it needs, it can suffer from increased wear and tear, leading to overheating and mechanical failure.
Once the oil light comes on while you’re driving, don’t be like my friend. Stop asking how long you can drive with it and pull over to avoid putting your engine at risk.
Once you pull over, turn the engine off immediately and perform an oil top-up when the engine must have cooled down before continuing your journey.
If you don’t have a bottle of oil in your car, look for where to buy it, or call a tow truck to tow your car to a place where you can buy oil or to a mechanic shop.
You should always have a reserved bottle of oil in your car. For example, I always have at least 1 liter of engine oil in my boot.
Meanwhile, you need to ask yourself why the oil light came on in the first place. When was the last time you checked your oil level? When last did you top up? Or are you the type that follows the manufacturer’s claimed quotation of driving a car for 10,000 miles before doing an oil change? Asking these questions will help you find out why the oil light came on.
If you have the habit of checking your oil level or you checked the oil level that day before starting the journey. You would know that there might be a possible leak or issue with the oil pump that caused the light to come on.
Of course, my friend agreed to have done a routine check-up on the oil level and even performed a top-up considering the fact that he was going for a long-distance journey. But the unfortunate event caused him his engine.
Factors that Determine How Long You Can Continue Driving With the Oil Light On?
The time you can continue driving with the oil light on depends on several factors such as:
1. The Oil Level in the Engine
If the oil light is showing low oil pressure due to low oil in the engine, you may have a limited amount of time to drive because the oil is needed to lubricate the components of the engine and dissipate heat.
If you continue to drive the car or allow the engine to be running at a low oil level, it can lead to increased friction and heat, causing severe damage to the engine.
Well, this is an easy fix, all you have to do is to purchase an oil and perform a top-up. If you already have oil in your car like I always do, you can allow the engine to cool down and top up the engine so you can continue your journey.
2. The Oil Pressure in the Engine
Another factor that determines how long you can drive with the oil light on is the oil pressure. Even if you have enough oil in the engine, low oil pressure can still occur due to issues such as a failing oil pump, a clogged oil filter, or oil viscosity problems.
If this is your case, then you should avoid driving the car again because having a good oil pressure ensures that oil is properly distributed throughout the engine to lubricate moving parts.
So, if you continue to drive or let the engine, it all boils down to the same thing – engine damage. Driving with low oil pressure can quickly lead to engine wear and failure.
3. The Temperature of the Engine
You may decide to continue driving for some time if your car’s temperature is still at the recommended level. But if the temperature has skyrocketed and passed the normal level, then, it is not recommended to even let the engine run not to talk of driving the car.
This is because, higher engine temperatures increase the demands on the lubrication system and can accelerate wear on your engine components, increasing the risk of damage.
Therefore, if the oil light comes on when the engine is already hot, you should be more cautious and pull over immediately.
4. Your Driving Condition
If the oil light comes on while driving and you wish to continue driving the car, your driving condition should change. You should avoid driving recklessly, and avoid driving at high speed.
Considering that the oil light is on, if you continue to drive at higher speeds, decide to tow heavy loads, or drive uphill, it can increase the stress on the engine and its lubrication system, thereby amplifying the risk of damage to your engine.
5. The Condition of Your Engine
The condition of your engine also plays a role in how it responds to low oil pressure. If your car is old and still has a factory-fitted engine, chances are the engine might be old as well.
So, older engines or engines with existing issues may be more prone to damage from low oil pressure. However, a well-maintained engine might be able to tolerate low oil pressure for a short period, but it’s still risky.
6. The Type and Viscosity of Oil in the Engine
Finally, the type and viscosity of the oil in your engine play a role in how long you can continue to drive the car even when the light comes on by affecting how the engine behaves under low-pressure conditions.
Thicker oils may provide better protection at low pressures, but they can also increase resistance and reduce fuel efficiency. So, the type of oil you use matters here.
Be that as it may, these are the factors that determine how long you can safely drive with the oil light on your dashboard.
However, regardless of these factors, it’s always best to pull over and fix the issue that caused the light to come on as soon as possible to avoid serious engine damage because you might end up spending more on costly engine repairs or damaging your engine completely if you continue to drive with the oil light on. It’s a risk you should never take.
Is it Safe to Drive with the Oil Light On?
No, it is not safe to drive with the oil light on because it indicates low oil pressure, which can lead to engine damage, engine failure, loss of control, expensive repairs, and warranty issues.
Here’s why it’s not safe to drive with the oil light on:
- It May Damage Your Engine: If you continue to drive with an oil light on, you may end up damaging your engine because it is deprived of enough oil to properly lubricate its components.
- It Can Cause Wear and Tear to Your Engine: If the reason for the oil light is low oil or low oil pressure, the moving parts of the engine can suffer from increased friction and heat, leading to wear and tear. It may end up causing irreversible harm to your engine.
- Your Engine May Fail: If you continue to drive with the oil light on, it can increase the risk of engine failure by depriving the engine components such as bearings, pistons, and camshafts the consistent supply of oil they need for lubrication and cooling.
- It Can Lead to Expensive Repairs: Ignoring the oil light and continuing to drive the car with it can result in costly repairs because repairing or replacing a damaged engine can be far more expensive than fixing the issue that caused the oil light to come on in the first place.
- It Might Void Your Warranty: If your vehicle is under warranty, driving with the oil light on and causing engine damage due to negligence may void your warranty coverage.
Therefore, it’s much more better and economical to pull over, turn off the engine, and check the level of the oil and why the light came on in the first place, and never turn the engine on until the problem is fixed.
How Much Oil is Left When Oil Light Comes On?
There’s no way to identify the quantity of oil left when the oil light comes on because most cars don’t have a low oil quantity light, they have a low oil pressure light that comes on when the pressure drops down to about 10 PSI or less.
However, the amount of oil left in the engine when the oil light comes on varies depending on the size of the oil sump, the oil consumption rate of the engine, and the accuracy of the oil level sensor.
This means that the oil light comes on when the oil pressure drops below a safe level, rather than indicating the volume of oil remaining.
Conclusion
There’s no time or miles to drive once your engine oil light comes on on your dashboard. You should immediately pull over by the side of the road, turn off the engine, and inspect the cause of the warning light. If it is as minor as low oil level, perform a top-up and continue your journey.
As reiterated earlier, if you continue to drive the car with the oil light on, you might end up causing damage that will cost you a huge amount of money to fix.
If you’re not sure why the light came on, the severity of the problem, or how far you can safely drive the car, it’s best to call for roadside assistance or a towing company to tow the car to a mechanic to diagnose and hopefully fix the problem.
