Why oil pressure matters so much
Every moving part inside your engine — the crankshaft, camshafts, bearings and, on wet belt engines, the belt itself — depends on a constant supply of pressurised oil to stay lubricated and protected from metal-on-metal contact. Oil pressure this low means that protection is compromised, and continuing to run the engine risks rapid, severe internal damage that can happen within seconds to minutes, not hours.
Common causes
- Low oil level, from a leak or simply being overdue a top-up or service
- A failing oil pump
- A blocked oil pickup, often from wet belt debris on affected engines
- Excessive bearing wear, allowing pressure to bleed away faster than the pump can maintain it
What to do if it comes on
Stop the vehicle as soon as it's safe to do so and turn off the engine. Don't try to drive it to us or anywhere else — have it recovered instead. We'll investigate the cause properly and give you a fixed quote before any work begins.