Oil light, what does it mean?

[Michael J]

The other day after i turned my car off the oil ligh came on in the amber colour. (from what i understand this is the "low" oil light warning as aposed to when the symbol would be red as yto say "pull over now or you will kill the engine" warning light.

so i checked the oil level and it is sitting pretty much inbetween the low and high level notches.

the light has come come on a couple of times since but not consistantly. what could it mean? could it be a bad sensor? or warning for trans oil etc.??

[JimLev]

Have you added oil to bring it up to the full mark?
The oil level sensor could be bad.

[larrym3711]

I would add sufficient oil to bring it to the full mark and see if you still get the same oil light. If so, you may indeed have a bad sensor.

larrym3711
2001 540iA Sport

[SilberE39]

Check your oil level first via dipstick and then if you're good with that it could be the oil level sender that has gone bad. It's an electrical sensor that bolts underneath the oil pan. All it does is sense the oil level and acts as a warning indicator on your dash.

[Qsilver7]

Ditto the posts above...if you have NOT added any oil...and the car's dipstick registers below the FULL mark when you check....it could be that the light comes on when it senses that you are about 1.1 quarts low (that's when the oil light usually comes on):

When the oil light comes on (and is yellow) when the engine is turned off...it means you should check the level of your oil...(probably about a quart low)...see text in far right column:

[Michael J]

Thanks for the response, so far i havnt topped the oil back up to the absolute full mark, still reading halfway between the two, bugt the light isn't comming on anymore after i turn the engine off, it's due for an oil chage soon so i guess i might take the sensor out and replace it if cost isnt to crazy

[mahmoudh]

Thanks for the response, so far i havnt topped the oil back up to the absolute full mark, still reading halfway between the two, bugt the light isn't comming on anymore after i turn the engine off, it's due for an oil chage soon so i guess i might take the sensor out and replace it if cost isnt to crazy

Agree with what others said but do not advise changing sensor just yet without further monitoring and using dipstick as a double check
Could it be that you were parked on a non-level surface when the engine was shut off?