BruinsInSpace

Hello

I stated my car today and saw the "check oil level" message. I promptly added a quart and the message went away. How low does the oil level have to be before I get this warning? I'm concerned that I put a lot of extra wear and tear on the engine driving it with low oil before the sensor finally warned me about the problem.

TerryL

Did you check the oil level before adding a quart, or after?

BruinsInSpace

I saw the warning then added the quart of oil. Then the warning went away. I checked the dipstick after adding the quart and I was within the hatched band but at the lower end. I think I'll pick up another half a quart tomorrow and add it to be safe

TerryL

I would have checked the actual oil level before adding any. I would also have known what the DIC said was my oil life expectancy. Yours? Last oil and filter change? Full synth right? Correct weight? At least weekly I'll check all the info on the DIC. If you're down just a half quart and your oil life is near the end I wouldn't add any unless I was heading for the track or if I was driving a known oil user. I'm sure the engineers factored in the amount of oil needed before seizure and a half quart or even a quart and a half won't destroy the motor. I'm not sure how low the oil has to be to activate the sensor. Take advantage of what the car is able to tell you but do the actual checks yourself. Checking the oil level right after adding a quart won't give you an accurate reading. The end of the dipstick goes a long way down and the oil added wont all be in the pan immediately after adding a quart. Check it again before starting it up. Your level may be different than right after the oil was added.

Don-Vette

After seeing the light on. I can not comprehend why you didn't pull the dip stick to check the level before adding a quart.

MikeyTX

calemasters

The service manual states that the low oil level indicator comes on when the engine oil level drops "below a calibrated level". It is not specific. And nothing in the owners manual.

I think it is when the oil level is approximately 1.5 quarts low. I check my oil level at every fuel fill, so I have never had the low oil level indicator appear. My LS2 uses about 1 quart every 4,000 miles, which is about when I change the oil.

I NEVER rely on the engine oil level sensor. I always check the oil the old school way.

roscoe118

Always check the level before adding oil. These sensors are known to go bad. The message came up intermittantly on my wife's '08, but the level was full, as I checked it each time. I replaced the sensor the last time I changed the oil, and no more message.

heli-vette

Since the sensor indicated the level was good after adding a quart , I'm thinking its fine . The owners manual recommends over filling a quart for racing / competition driving . The only worry would be more breather oil being blown into the intake . I have mine a quart over now . California freeways are always competition driving .
If you were real low on oil level the idle pressure would drop in turns / lifter noise all the time .

BruinsInSpace

Oil life is at 50 percent using factory recommended synth Mobil 1. I did check the dipstick before adding and it was a little bit below hatch mark.

I waited a while after adding the quart and now in toward the bottom end of the hatch band on the dipstick. Should I add more? The car sometimes uses a bit of oil, especially if i floor it a lot

TLS_Addict

Its a warning to let you know to add it, you didnt hurt the engine. The only way is if you were 2.5+ quarts low and hammering on it.