Low oil pressure...

External Since: Jul 09, 2005 Posts: 3

We just bought a 2004 Taurus SES about a week ago. We we initially took it
for a test ride, the console showed Low Oil Pressure on the little screen
thing, but went off and never came back on. I asked the salesman about this
and was told that it was because the car was sitting on a hill, with the
front of the car positioned the highest. Three days later, my wife tells me
it happened again sitting in our level driveway. I checked the oil and found
it actually overfilled.

I'm going to drain the oil tomorrow and refill it to the proper level, but
would having too much oil in the engine (3.0) cause low oil pressure? I've
always heard having too much oil was as bad as not having enough oil. Is
this true?

The car is still under warrenty and will be going to the shop for a couple
of other minor issues as well... I just want to hear an unbias opinion.
Thanks!

External Since: Aug 21, 2004 Posts: 33

A salesman once told me that the fuel injected car I was buying needed its
choke cleaned... The people who know something about cars work in the
service department; those who can sweet-talk a customer work in sales.

Not familiar with your vehicle and its 'little screen'. Are you sure it was
'low pressure', not 'low oil level' alert? Low pressure warning is typically
a big red light, saying 'Engine' or something like that, not a barely
noticeable message on a little screen.

If it's under warranty and going for service, I would advise you:
a) If you are positive about the 'low pressure' warning, not to drive the
car and call the dealer for instructions.
b) Not to do anything (including draining oil) before you bring it in
b) Insist on a service guy, not a salesman explaining what the problem was
and how they fixed it. If it was indeed low pressure warning, I would like
to see readings from a mechanical gauge (warm engine), even if they
diagnosed it as a bad sender.

"Charles B. Summers, QOF." <hidingmyreal.TakeThisOut@ddress.phacue> wrote in message
news:yP6dncEsVvh0an_fRVn-rQ@comcast.com...
> We just bought a 2004 Taurus SES about a week ago. We we initially took it
> for a test ride, the console showed Low Oil Pressure on the little screen
> thing, but went off and never came back on. I asked the salesman about
this
> and was told that it was because the car was sitting on a hill, with the
> front of the car positioned the highest. Three days later, my wife tells
me
> it happened again sitting in our level driveway. I checked the oil and
found
> it actually overfilled.
>
> I'm going to drain the oil tomorrow and refill it to the proper level, but
> would having too much oil in the engine (3.0) cause low oil pressure? I've
> always heard having too much oil was as bad as not having enough oil. Is
> this true?
>
> The car is still under warrenty and will be going to the shop for a couple
> of other minor issues as well... I just want to hear an unbias opinion.
> Thanks!
>
>
>