# Why does my oil light flicker on only when I idle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 25, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524 "2006-12-25T13:51:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/21 "2006-12-26T15:26:02Z")
Christ on a fuckin’ crutch! _Reads OP again, once again carefully noting all factors the OP has stated_ _Repeats previous statement from post #5, above_ > [@me](#): > > These things make a low engine idle speed the most likely explanation. That’s the easiest and cheapest problem to solve, so I’d start there. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/22 "2006-12-26T18:05:27Z")
Many cars will have a flickering oil light at idle if the engine idle speed is low. Usually there is not a mechanical problem with the oil pressure. However, the only way to be certain is to test the oil pressure with a mechanical test gauge. The V6 engines used in Sebring Convertibles don’t have a stellar reputation for durability. For that reason it may be wise to test the oil pressure. Having some engine shake at idle suggests the possibility of a performance problem causing both the shake (known) and a low idle (suspected). Properly used, the term **sensor** refers to a device giving input to the vehicle computer (e.g. oxygen sensor, throttle position sensor, camshaft sensor). **Sending unit** (= sender) refers to a device giving input to a gauge or warning light (e.g. oil pressure sender, temperature sending unit, fuel tank sending unit). Unfortunately, the terms are often used improperly. To further cloud the issue, some vehicles send gauge info to the computer, and on some the jobs previously done by separate sending units and sensors are combined, e.g. doing away with a temp sender and using a temperature sensor to both instruct the computer and run the gauge. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/23 "2006-12-26T18:12:14Z")
[QUOTE=John Carter of Mars] Christ on a fuckin’ crutch! _Reads OP again, once again carefully noting all factors the OP has stated_ _Repeats previous statement from post #5, above_ [/QUOTE=me] 😃 Hell dude, you can do better than that, read post # **4** > [@](#): > > The shaking would tend to indicate a low idle speed when in drive, which can also cause low oil pressure… Check and adjust the idle speed as necessary ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/24 "2006-12-27T03:49:01Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] 😃 Hell dude, you can do better than that, read post # **4** [/QUOTE] Well **Rick** , I did read post #4. I always read an entire thread before posting. You do, indeed, touch on low idle speed. You also included a number of other things such as: _Well the first step would be to accurately check the oil level. On many engines low oil level = low pressure._ and _Also oil that has not been changed in a long time can have a lower pressure at idle._ just to list a couple. Then you come back with this in post #6: > [@Rick](#): > > I still think adding 2 quarts of oil would be cheaper. Would you have him dump two quarts of oil into an already full crankcase? The OP clearly indicates that these things are not the problem. I sought to simplify for the guy with the problem, by not mentioning things that he had already eliminated. Not that his problem **must** be low idle speed. It’s only about, say, 99% probable that the problem is low idle speed. Note my closing sentence: “That’s the easiest and cheapest problem to solve, so I’d start there.” Do you disagree? If you wouldn’t adjust the idle first, where would you start, given that the oil is fresh, the filter is new, and the oil level is not low? In the meantime, we got lengthy discussions on everything from sensors to sand. Why, when a quick idle adjustment will in all likelihood solve his problem? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/25 "2006-12-27T04:07:22Z")
As I mentioned in post #8 I was working on 3 hours sleep and I missed that he had checked the oil. Next a rough idle is not always caused by a low idle speed. Bad motor mounts, a misfire, among other things can cause a rough but not low idle. Since on many new cars idle speed is not adjustable, I do not agree that re-adjusting the idle is always the easiest thing to do. If you are going to fault trace this in a systematic manner, you will work your way though all the possibilities starting with the most common and working to the truly weird. Checking the oil level and condition would be first. Especially since the OP stated he smelled what could be leaking oil on something hot. That would be followed by idle speed check and adjustment\*, and then verification of the actual oil pressure with an external gauge. \*In the case of a non adjustable idle or misfire this would entail a repair not an adjustment. Repair could be cleaning of the throttle plate, or a parts replacement. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/26 "2006-12-27T05:26:37Z")
I’d say that rough idle+flickering oil light in “D” + no flicker in “P” =low idle RPM. That’s where I’d start. I don’t want to have three hours sleep, so g’day, Mate! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/27 "2006-12-28T05:14:53Z")
It looks like my car doesn’t have an idle adjustment screw and I have to take it to the shop to get it adjusted. Go figure. Why are Sebrings so screwed up under the hood? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/28 "2006-12-28T05:21:30Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] \*In the case of a non adjustable idle or misfire this would entail a repair not an adjustment. Repair could be cleaning of the throttle plate, or a parts replacement. [/QUOTE] I guess I overlooked that statement when I posted my last comment. It looks like another trip to the mechanic. Thanks everyone for the input. I found out that if I put my car in park when I’m at a stop light instead of idling in drive I never get the bad smell. I don’t know how the two(oil light and smell) could be directly related but it seems like they are. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/29 "2006-12-28T07:27:34Z")
[QUOTE=I\_Know\_Nothing] It looks like my car doesn’t have an idle adjustment screw and I have to take it to the shop to get it adjusted. Go figure. Why are Sebrings so screwed up under the hood? [/QUOTE] AFAIK, idle adjustment screws went out with carbs and fuel injected engines don’t have them. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/30 "2006-12-28T18:25:12Z")
**OP** , is the Yellow check engine light on? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/31 "2006-12-28T19:14:47Z")
[QUOTE=Uncommon Sense] **OP** , is the Yellow check engine light on? [/QUOTE] No. It’s the red oil light. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/32 "2006-12-28T19:41:15Z")
[QUOTE=I\_Know\_Nothing] No. It’s the red oil light. [/QUOTE] Right, the reason I asked if the check engine light was on is because it would indicate an emission control issue that could affect the idle (causing the oil light to show). You’d have to clear that up before the idle problem could be resolved. Was the check engine light on at some point and then stopped coming on? The reason I’m focused on the CE light is that if there was an idle issue or an emission issue it would normally show up on the computer and code out to send a signal to have the check engine light come on. How does the car shift from drive to reverse (should be quick and noiseless) and what’s the overall performance like? Shift and accellerate good? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/33 "2006-12-28T21:18:36Z")
You do understand that after you get this car repaired you are obligated to report the results here, right? After all this, we are gonna’ wanna’ know! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/34 "2006-12-28T22:13:22Z")
[QUOTE=John Carter of Mars] You do understand that after you get this car repaired you are obligated to report the results here, right? After all this, we are gonna’ wanna’ know! [/QUOTE] Of course. The repairs are going to have to wait until next week, but I’ll report what happens, assuming that the mechanic can figure it out in the first place. Most places I’ve been to aren’t that great at figuring out weird little quirks like this one. It does sound like a Car Talk question though. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/35 "2006-12-28T22:27:31Z")
[QUOTE=Uncommon Sense] Right, the reason I asked if the check engine light was on is because it would indicate an emission control issue that could affect the idle (causing the oil light to show). You’d have to clear that up before the idle problem could be resolved. Was the check engine light on at some point and then stopped coming on? The reason I’m focused on the CE light is that if there was an idle issue or an emission issue it would normally show up on the computer and code out to send a signal to have the check engine light come on. How does the car shift from drive to reverse (should be quick and noiseless) and what’s the overall performance like? Shift and accellerate good? [/QUOTE] The engine light was turning on and off before I got my car inspected(in Texas) a few weeks ago. It failed the emissions test and they replaced the throttle body and some other part, and now the check engine light doesn’t turn on anymore. I did read in the repair manual that a recently replaced throttle body can cause the idle to be off so hopefully thats the problem. But, when I first got the car about a year ago, someone at the oil change place told me I had a loose or bad(I can’t remember the exact word) motor mount. He said it wasn’t bad but I might need to get it fixed eventually. Since I never noticed any bad shaking, I never worried about it, especially since my car doesn’t noticable shake while I’m driving, only whene I idle, and even then, it’s doesnt’ shake all that much. As far a shifting, it works just great. It accellerates great also, though I try to be a little gentle because it has 140,000 miles on it. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/36 "2006-12-28T22:34:10Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] AFAIK, idle adjustment screws went out with carbs and fuel injected engines don’t have them. [/QUOTE] Shows you how much of an expert I am 😕, but a mechanic I was talking to at a bar once told me that the Sebring had the highest labor cost of just about any car on the road. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/37 "2006-12-29T06:43:04Z")
[QUOTE=I\_Know\_Nothing] Shows you how much of an expert I am 😕, but a mechanic I was talking to at a bar once told me that the Sebring had the highest labor cost of just about any car on the road. [/QUOTE] **Rick** would be the expert on the labor cost, though considering that a mechanic once told me to _never_ darken his door again with my 1988 Lincoln Continental, I’m skeptical that the Sebring’s higher. And if you had your oil changed at Iffy Lube, **Rick** will be more than happy to edumacate you on why that was probably a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Schuyler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Schuyler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schuyler)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/38 "2006-12-29T07:20:02Z")
[QUOTE=I\_Know\_Nothing] But, when I first got the car about a year ago, someone at the oil change place told me I had a loose or bad(I can’t remember the exact word) motor mount. He said it wasn’t bad but I might need to get it fixed eventually. Since I never noticed any bad shaking, I never worried about it, especially since my car doesn’t noticable shake while I’m driving, only whene I idle, and even then, it’s doesnt’ shake all that much. [/QUOTE] Just a WAG, but I wonder if there’s an oil leak that’s somehow getting onto the engine mount that was mentioned - motor oil will degrade the rubber in an engine mount. Could be something simple maybe, like a valve cover gasket. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/39 "2006-12-29T08:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] **Rick** and if you had your oil changed at Iffy Lube, **Rick** will be more than happy to edumacate you on why that was probably a bad idea. [/QUOTE] I don’t, and won’t ever, get my oil changed a Jiffy Lube or any other similar concept. I know they they have a habit of ruining peoples drain plug gaskets(not sure if thats the right term, but I refering to the gasket that prevents the oil drain plug from leaking). I’d rather change the oil myself. I go to a kind of mom and pop immigrant place and I feel pretty comfortable with them. They won’t smile at you all the time like when you go to Firestone, but I know I don’t walk in with dollar signs on my forehead either. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524/40 "2006-12-29T08:17:08Z")
[QUOTE=Schuyler] Just a WAG, but I wonder if there’s an oil leak that’s somehow getting onto the engine mount that was mentioned - motor oil will degrade the rubber in an engine mount. Could be something simple maybe, like a valve cover gasket. [/QUOTE] I have a very minor oil leak. I’m not sure if its really a leak or if I’m just burning it. I put in about a quart of oil between my 30,000 mile oil changes. I thought that might be where the smell was coming from, but since it only comes from my heater after I idle, and only after I idle in drive when the car is warm(basically when my oil light comes on), it doesn’t seem to me that that would be the problem. I never see oil on the ground where I park, and the parts of my engine I can see when I lift up the hood don’t show any obvious signs of a leak. It’s possible that it could be leaking more on towards the bottom, but judging from the small amount of oil I need to add(not to mention my completely ameature opinion) over a 30,000 mile period, I doesn’t seem like that’s where the smell is coming from. When I take my car in next week I’m going to get a diagnosis on my moter mount. Would that have anything to do with my oil light situation, or is that a completely separate issue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-oil-light-flicker-on-only-when-i-idle/385524.md?page=3)