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Oil light

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Old 12-23-2008, 07:13 AM
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Oil light

I know the car uses oil alot. But I wondered if it was normal for the oil light to come on every month. Its usually every 27 to 30 days my light comes on and I need to top off the oil. Is that normal, or am do I possibly have a problem?
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Old 12-23-2008, 07:15 AM
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Lucky you have a light, otherwise you'd drive it till all the oil was gone.

Pitiful.

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Old 12-23-2008, 07:25 AM
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Suppose it would help if we knew how many miles you drive every month, the ambient temperatures where you live, how hard you push the engine when you drive, etc.

My "low fuel" light only comes on once a month, but there's a reason for that. With no other information, one could assume anything.
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Old 12-23-2008, 08:31 AM
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Also need to know "how much oil do you add?" Do you just put a little in or do you check the dipstick? Where on the dipstick is the oil level when the light comes on. This could give you more information about how often you need to change it.
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Old 12-23-2008, 08:37 AM
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No disrespect, but you need to be checking the oil like every 3 fill ups. If you're waiting till the light comes on to check the oil you could be damaging something. And when you do add oil...top that bad boy off (to the line on the oil dip stick)
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Old 12-23-2008, 08:48 AM
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It all depends on how many miles you put on it and what type of driving. City driving you will probably have to add oil every 750 miles or so. Also if you park on a hill or any angle you may set it off. I did in the test car they gave me, my apartment parking spot I used to live at was at a incline and it set off the oil light, I back up and it cleared. Its a rotary, it burns oil, unless you have a leak your not aware of.
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Old 12-23-2008, 09:02 AM
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i check it every other gas fillup... this car is meant to burn the oil to keep the rotors probably lubricated... rotary n00b
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Old 12-23-2008, 09:03 AM
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Originally Posted by ATL-GP
No disrespect, but you need to be checking the oil like every 3 fill ups. If you're waiting till the light comes on to check the oil you could be damaging something. And when you do add oil...top that bad boy off (to the line on the oil dip stick)
not always true... cold versus warm fillups/additions to oil will make a difference when refering to "topping it off"
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Old 12-23-2008, 09:27 AM
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simple solution...check your oil level instead of waiting till you've run it down so low the idiot light turns on
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Old 12-23-2008, 09:29 AM
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We're not talking some fine point about hot versus cold top-offs here - we're talking idiots and their lights.

S
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Old 12-23-2008, 10:12 AM
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^^ Kinda harsh?
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Old 12-23-2008, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Sushi
I know the car uses oil alot. But I wondered if it was normal for the oil light to come on every month. Its usually every 27 to 30 days my light comes on and I need to top off the oil. Is that normal, or am do I possibly have a problem?
Ill answer you're question, it depends on the miles. You're supposed to check your oil every other fill up, mine typically goes through a half to a full quart between my 3000 mile oil changes. My light would come on if I didnt top off for 1500-2000 miles.

Seeing the light isnt a great thing, you should be topping off more often if you see your light a lot, or check under where the car is parked for oil spots.
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Old 12-23-2008, 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Renesis07
Ill answer you're question, it depends on the miles. You're supposed to check your oil every other fill up, mine typically goes through a half to a full quart between my 3000 mile oil changes. My light would come on if I didnt top off for 1500-2000 miles.

Seeing the light isnt a great thing, you should be topping off more often if you see your light a lot, or check under where the car is parked for oil spots.
that's great advice!
the car CAN burn through quite a bit of oil in a month if you're putting a lot of miles on it.
Do you do your own oil changes or the dealership? Maybe it wasn't filled up properly to begin with
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Old 12-23-2008, 11:37 AM
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^...........what they ALL said!
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Old 12-23-2008, 11:49 AM
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^ what they DIDNT say is FAIL.
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Old 12-23-2008, 12:01 PM
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Well said Al

NEVER let your rotary get low on oil.
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Old 12-23-2008, 12:06 PM
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I am honestly surprised the car is still running. You really should check your oil at least every other saturday.
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Old 12-23-2008, 12:11 PM
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After the latest ECU map, mine goes through a quart every 1,200 miles or so, with mixed city/highway driving. For me, that's a quart every 4th to 5th fillup, give or take.

So that's about a quart every 3-4 weeks. No biggie.
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Old 12-23-2008, 12:26 PM
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Funnily enough, I've only had to fill up once since I've owned this car. I guess I don't push it as hard as I'd like to
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Old 12-23-2008, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by alz0rz
^ what they DIDNT say is FAIL.
Originally Posted by tubingchamp
Well said Al

NEVER let your rotary get low on oil.
Originally Posted by bose
I am honestly surprised the car is still running. You really should check your oil at least every other saturday.
Although its not the healthiest thing in the world, its not going to kill your car to see the low oil light. Its quite easy to happen between long hours, work weeks, and busy lives while driving a lot of miles. Ive lost track before and forgot to top off and had the light come on, probably 3-4 times over the last 70,000 miles. Thats why the light is there, to let people who blow it off know thier car needs oil.

The car is doing its job, its not failing.

Its just a matter of how long the light stays on.
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Old 12-23-2008, 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by CyberPitz
Funnily enough, I've only had to fill up once since I've owned this car. I guess I don't push it as hard as I'd like to
funnily? Is that even a word
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Old 12-23-2008, 01:20 PM
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If I take a couple hard corners I can get the oil light to come on when the level is half way between the full and low points on the dipstick... which isn't low enough to damage anything. Even though it will go back off after a few minutes I'll usually take it as a reminder to top it off. I've never let it get so low that I needed to add a full quart of oil... usually 1/2 to 3/4 to fill it up.
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Old 12-23-2008, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Renesis07
Although its not the healthiest thing in the world, its not going to kill your car to see the low oil light. Its quite easy to happen between long hours, work weeks, and busy lives while driving a lot of miles. Ive lost track before and forgot to top off and had the light come on, probably 3-4 times over the last 70,000 miles. Thats why the light is there, to let people who blow it off know thier car needs oil.

The car is doing its job, its not failing.

Its just a matter of how long the light stays on.

Thanks glad to see atleat one member here knows how to act like an adult and knows how to read. Shame even the moderator sounds like douche bag wannabe know it all, who cant seem to read.

Anyways thanks this awnseres my question. I have my dealership do my oil for 2 years because it is free, I know the oil light coming on isnt going to kill it. Some how all these idiots got the impression I just let it go ever time till I see it without bothering to read.

Anyways, I do alot of driving during the week to work and home, so that was my question was if the car really burns through THAT much oil. I usually have my oil topped off every 3 and half weeks to make sure I dont run it to low. But from your info, sounds like I should maybe do it every 2 weeks, due to my heavy driving. That was why I was asking because this is my first rotary so I only have V8's to compare to. Just wanted to make sure I didnt potentially have a problem, or leakage. I didnt see any signs of leakage, but thought I'd check.

Didint expect to see such immaturity from a bunch of kids on this forum. Its a shame, this community used to be alot better.

Anyways, thanks again for the info from those mature enough to read.

Last edited by Sushi; 12-23-2008 at 01:51 PM.
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Old 12-23-2008, 02:10 PM
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Douchebag perhaps, but I top off my oil, so that light never comes on.....

If you own a 2004/5 some had defective lights that would come on at 80mph, no matter how much oil you had, then go off when you slowed down - is that possibly your issue? There is a recall.

S
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Old 12-23-2008, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Renesis07
funnily? Is that even a word
It is now!
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