Car started to slow down and then the check engine light, battery, and engine oil light came on. What could cause this?
I was driving home from work started to go up a hill and started to slow down. Went to step on the gas and nothing was happening. Was able to pull over parked the car and saw the Check engine light came on. Turned the car off to check. checked the oil, tried to start the car and it wouldn't turn over. Then along with the check engine light the battery light and motor oil light came on as well. What could cause this?
My car's transmission is unknown to me.
My car's transmission is unknown to me.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. It is possible that the battery cable came loose or the wires to the oil pressure sensor has came loose or failed. Check the battery cables and make sure that the terminals are tight and clean. Check the wires to the oil pressure sensor and make sure that they are connected and not broken. If everything looks good, then the oil pressure sensor may have failed. Plus, check the computer for codes and see what is stored. This will lead you to the part that could have failed. I recommend replacing the oil pressure sensor then checking to see if the lights will go out. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your vehicle, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you with the warning lights that came on.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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If the alternator is not charging the battery properly, this would explain the battery light and check engine light as many vehicles will set a check engine light in the event of a charging system failure. The oil light may be related as well but it would be difficult to tell without replacing the alternator first.
If the oil level and condition are okay, the engine is running normally, but the oil light is still on, the likely culprit is a worn-out oil pressure sensor. In this case, you can safely drive, but you will want to get the car checked out and the sensor replaced by a qualified mechanic as soon as possible.
When the oil warning light comes on, it is a sign that the engine oil pressure has dropped to a low level, which is dangerous. An engine running with low oil pressure can quickly destroy the engine.
Insufficient oil pressure can trigger the oil light to blink. This can occur due to a variety of factors, including a leak, worn-out oil pump, or a clogged oil filter.
Check Engine Light comes on
If the oil level sensor is working correctly, it will trigger the oil light to come on your car, truck or SUV when the oil level is low. It`s also common for it to trigger the check engine light if the sensor is damaged or faulty in any way.
When the engine stalls or stops oil pressure falls, so the oil pressure warning light illuminates. The alternator/battery light is the same situation, the indicator is there to warn you that the alternator is no longer outputting current to run the vehicle`s systems.
Why won`t my car start but I have power? If you attempt to start up your car but the engine won`t turn over and the dashboard lights up, then you most likely have an issue with your battery. You could have a damaged or corroded battery terminal, which is stopping the engine from starting up when you fully turn the key.
Decreased Engine Power
As engine oil ages, it also congeals and becomes more of a sludge than a liquid. This change in the oil can gum up your engine`s moving parts, which may then result in sluggishness and eventual decrease in engine power.
When engine oil pressure drops, friction between different parts increases. This results in a steep decline in engine performance. Watch out for common signs of decreased engine performance such as a reduction in fuel economy, loss of power, and engine stalling. Warning light on the instrument panel turns on.
“If the [battery`s] voltage is low, replace with a new battery or charge the battery to the recommended 14.2 to 14.7 volts,” he says. “Then try to run the vehicle and see if the voltage after is outside of that range. If it is, that`s a sign of a bad alternator.”
Why does a car die while driving and the battery light comes on? Because your battery is not charging. Either the alternator is not working, the belt driving the alternator has broken or a lead from the alternator to the battery has become disconnected.
If your oil light comes on, you should try to have your vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic as soon as possible. Note, though, that driving around a bit more won`t destroy anything. Generally speaking, you have about 2 weeks or 500 miles of driving before a flashing oil light turns into a legitimate problem.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Car started to slow down and then the check engine light, battery, and engine oil light came on. What could cause this?
ANSWER : Hi there. It is possible that the battery cable came loose or the wires to the oil pressure sensor has came loose or failed. Check the battery cables and make sure that the terminals are tight and clean. Check the wires to the oil pressure sensor and make sure that they are connected and not broken. If everything looks good, then the oil pressure sensor may have failed. Plus, check the computer for codes and see what is stored. This will lead you to the part that could have failed. I recommend replacing the oil pressure sensor then checking to see if the lights will go out. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your vehicle, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you with the warning lights that came on.
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
Car wont start–check engine, oil pressure, and battery light all on
ANSWER : Hi There,
If your oil pressure falls below a specific level, the ECM (car’s computer) will automatically shut the engine down to avoid further damage to the engine. This is done as a safety precaution. Typically, the oil pressure light will come on when you are in fact low on oil, the oil pump is not pumping oil properly or in some cases when the oil pressure sensor is faulty providing a false reading. In any case, this should be looked at as soon as possible by a qualified mechanic. I would suggest having one of our experts here at YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
If your oil pressure falls below a specific level, the ECM (car’s computer) will automatically shut the engine down to avoid further damage to the engine. This is done as a safety precaution. Typically, the oil pressure light will come on when you are in fact low on oil, the oil pump is not pumping oil properly or in some cases when the oil pressure sensor is faulty providing a false reading. In any case, this should be looked at as soon as possible by a qualified mechanic. I would suggest having one of our experts here at YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle.
Low oil pressure light comes on when idle. Check engine light is on as well. Both came on after getting an oil change 3 days ago.
ANSWER : It is possible that they put in the wrong viscosity oil. In rare instances, a defective filter will also cause low pressure. If there is too much oil, it will aerate and cause low pressure. Be sure the oil level is really not above "max". The P2187 code will appear if the oil fill cap is not tight but it will also appear due to a myriad of causes because that code only "generally" identifies a lean running condition. Consequently, numerous parts would have to be tested including the O2 sensor, gas cap seal, manifold air leaks, any vacuum leak anywhere including PCV and EVAP systems, exhaust leaks, and fuel system faults such as failing fuel pump, clogged filter and more. Since the car has relatively low mileage, you would not expect a failed oil pump, although the pressure sensor (or switch) could be bad. However, the occurrence of the oil pressure warning light is quite coincidental to the oil change, thus I would suggest bringing the car back and asking them to redo with a new filter and double check the viscosity of the new oil that they use. If the problem persists after that, you will have to test actual operating oil pressure (at idle for instance) as well as the oil pressure switch. Finally, if the oil pressure warning light comes on continuously, unless the warning circuit itself is malfunctioning, that means the oil pressure is too low to operate the engine without damaging it. Anytime the light comes on for more than literally an instant, you should shut down the car and thus an issue like this obviously has to be repaired.
If you’d like, a YourMechanic certified mechanic can come to your home or place of business to inspect the vehicle and perform an oil pressure light is on inspection to diagnose the vehicle and suggest potential repairs.
Was driving on the expressway and my car started shaking, check engine light turned on, oil light turned on and off
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. Shaking and vibrating typically comes from a misfire, or poor engine performance. A lack of oil will absolutely contribute to these symptoms and amplify them, if not cause them to begin with. You want to turn your attention to the cause of the oil leak. If external (you can see the leaking oil), then you will want to trace the leak to the component which has failed. If the leak is internal (or the engine is consuming oil), the leak will be harder to find. It will also explain the poor engine performance due to excess oil in the combustion chamber. A head gasket is one of the main components that will fail and cause these issues. It is however not common for a vehicle this age to have these kinds of problems. You will also want to scan the computer, and see what codes are triggering your check engine light. These diagnostic tools will help you determine what system(s) is to blame for the malfunction. For more diagnostic help, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
My car won’t crank and the check engine light, battery light and oil change light came on all at the same time.
ANSWER : Hi there. Quite often when a mechanical problem is discovered in the transmission or other critical parts of the vehicle, an error code will be created and stored in the ECU of the vehicle. This in turn illuminates your check engine light and in some case will activate a fail safe or "limp mode". This will restrict the speed to below 40 mph in most cases and is designed to allow car owners to safely drive to a dealership or auto repair center to have the code downloaded by a professional mechanic; which allows them to determine what caused the fault in the first place. It’s possible that what ever it was that caused the initial problem has broken and caused the car to not start now. The best way to start the diagnostic process is to have one of our mobile mechanics come to your location and complete a check engine light inspection. This will permit them to download the code that initially triggered the check engine light and determine why your car is not starting now.
Check engine light refuses to go off after engine replaced
ANSWER : Hello there, you have a long series of issues going on with your 2013 Hyundai Sonata. If you keep getting a repeating oil light on than there is likely a fault in that system.
Since this fault has lasted after the engine was replaced it could be a oil pressure sensor, wiring harness fault, ECU fault, oil pump, oil strainer clogged, or low oil pressure.
To diagnose this issue properly you need a complete vehicle inspection to start from square one and identify the root cause of all this.
2005 Chrysler 300C changed battery and alternator. Car started, ran, and then battery light came on. Shut car off and wouldn’t start.
ANSWER : Hi. There is a couple of things that could be wrong here. The battery or alternator that was just installed could be defective. Theses parts need to be tested for proper operation. There also could be a fuse, fusible link, or wiring for the battery or charging system that is blown or broken causing the battery light to come on.
The codes that you have will cause the car to shut down, run rough, or not start at all. The crankshaft sensor and camshaft sensor should be replaced. I suggest having a certified technician from YourMechanic come diagnose the charging system and check engine codes to help you proceed with correct repairs.
