Yesterday was brutally cold (-21C) and I had the low-oil light come on. I'm pretty religious about oil and sure enough, i checked it and it was full - exactly where I left it the week before.

This is the first time the car has done this. I don't think it was the cold temps, since I've left it at the airport for a whole week with way colder temperatures and had no issues. I've had similar issues with our 3 series, but that was the oil sensor going bad. Are oil sensors something to look out for in this car?

2009 R3, owned it since new - 9500kms.

 

Not really.
Sorry, that's all I got.
Is it still on after driving it?
Maybe it won't come back?????


There's an OLD TSB, but wouldn't apply to you.

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...13-04-1341.pdf

You're still under warranty aren't you? Take it in if so.

 

Extreme cold temps can cause all kinds of weird things. The oil sensor has never been an issue but the RX8 was never meant to be in those temps either.

 

Nah, it went off about 10 seconds later and it hasn't come back, even though it's was colder today. Weird.

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

I found S2's oil level sensor is very sensitive. I was about half a quart low and it would come up under hard braking.

 

?? I've had a 04 and now a 09 and live in Quebec, ( -10 to -35 oC from november to march) and never had any issues. I dont see why It woulnd be apropriate to have a rx8 my weather, I even kinda like it in the snow, the lack of torque helps not to lose it when its icy.

anyway, the issue could or could not be temp related, unless it happens again under the same circumstance we wont know for sure.

Id call the dealer and ask them if they recommend to have it checked, if the sensor for any reason is sending bad signals, you would have stored codes in the lease.

 

Hey 9k .... just asking
Why do you think this? Do you have a link or something speaking to this topic?
I'm interested in seeing/participating in it.

 

I should have clarified, what I meant was that I doubt Mazda did extensive testing of the 8 in such extreme cold temps. So it's likely strange issues will arise from time to time in that type of extreme environment. I would assumes certain components just don't operate well in such cold environments.

I wouldn't think that people who live in these areas would typically drive vehicles like the RX8 but what the hell do I know, I live in south Texas But I do know there are members here who live in such environments without too much trouble but then again over the years I have seen electrical issues that surfaced only in the cold.

 

true that, Ive had some glitches here and there, mazda never heard of them before, checking with there tech line and tsb showed nothing, It all started when I "almost" stalled it, the pcm, radio and heater turned off and on, after that it happened once or twice intermitently out of the blue, my HID lights would flicker, seems when traction control would kick in more but intermitently as well, when I give gaz at idle, when needle comes back down, the blower motor slows down then goes back. alot of little things. it might also be related from the begening of the winter, I wanted to put the tcs off, but I was a bit late and had already started to spin off, as I pressed the button, all the tcs light came on and abs as well . turned the car off then was ok.

Joys of winter

 

The car companies (at least the domestic ones) do a fair bit of cold weather testing, even with the sports cars (eg, Corvette). -40f cold starts after a full night soak exposed in a parking lot in Alaska. And the northern islands in japan get pretty cold, so they have domestic access to such environments.

Let's just say I'm glad my job isn't to be the ECU engineer who has to debug -40f cold start issues.