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Sincerely, there’s no limit to what low oil pressure can cause on a vehicle. From affecting the car’s performance to damaging the engine, low oil pressure is one of the major things that cause serious damage to modern vehicles.
But will low oil pressure cause vehicle not to start? Definitely, it would. When your car engine is not getting enough lubrication as required, it could develop faults, which can lead to your car not starting.
As you may have heard, oil is the “blood” of every engine; hence, it is recommended by automakers that you change the oil in your every 5,000 – 7,500 miles.
What Causes Low Oil Pressure?
The main cause of low oil pressure is when the oil in your engine is no longer sufficient to lubricate the engine’s moving parts properly. Apparently, as you keep driving, the oil in your engine keeps reducing.
Once the oil in your engine reduces more than it should, the low oil pressure signal will display on your dashboard, or you’d start experiencing different unusual signs.
Low oil in the engine can cause overheating and loud noise due to increased friction between the moving parts.
More so, if you’ve got a leaky hose, the oil may be dripping off from the pores, which would constantly drain the oil in your engine, and thus leading to low oil pressure. A clogged oil filter can also lead to this problem because it’d restrict oil flow into the engine.
Will Low Oil Pressure Cause Vehicle Not To Start?
The simple answer is YES, and this is because modern cars are designed with loads of sensors and switches. Every car comes with an oil pressure switch that monitors the oil pressure created by the oil pump.
When the switch detects that the oil pump is not pushing sufficient oil into the signal, you’d get the low oil pressure signal. On older vehicles, what may activate on the dashboard would be the “Check Engine” icon.
Furthermore, in most modern cars, the low oil pressure monitor would signal its corresponding computer; hence, preventing the car from starting up. Yes, newer cars are highly computerized – and the computers are designed to stop/trigger various actions.
With that said, it’s clear that when your engine is low on oil, your car may never start. Well, the engine may try to crank, but it’d surely not start if the car works with a sensitive computer.
Notwithstanding, a faulty oil pressure switch can prevent your car from starting even when oil is full in the engine. This happens because the faulty switch would send wrong signals to the computer, which would cause your car not to start.
Detecting a faulty oil pressure can be tricky; however, the easiest way to do that is to ensure your oil level is at the recommended mark on the dipstick, and if the low oil pressure warning light is still on after refilling oil, it’s a sign that you’ve got a faulty switch.
Note: most drivers also refer to the oil pressure switch as “oil pressure gauge.”
Related Post: What are the Possible Engine Problems After Oil Change?
What To Do When The Low Oil Pressure Warning Light Comes On
Once you see the low oil pressure warning, it is advisable to stop driving and check your engine’s oil level. If the level is very low on the dipstick, then you should refill the oil before continuing with your trip.
Driving with low/no oil in the engine can cause fatal damage, which would send you to the market in search of a new engine. On this note, you should not skip your oil change intervals, and don’t wait too long before going for an oil change when due.