Low Engine Oil Warning

[PQuist]

I was 30 seconds away driving home lastnight when the low Engine oil level warning light came on. I parked and left the car overnight and this morning, to my horror and supprise, there was not a drop of oile in the car.

I have only done 6K miles since the last service at Lexus Reading in June last yr.

Question is should this happen?

Could there be a leak?

This also happened last two services and nothing was found unusual. Car has 46K on the clock and 05 model. Should a car of this mileage be loosing oil?

Regards

[coneybiller]

No is the honest answer to that!

If you've told lexus about it during a service before and they have said there's nothing obvious, then I would suggest its burning it. Surely they would have seen an oil leak of that magnitude while carrying out the service!

Do you have oil stains where you park the car overnight?

Or does it smoke whilst driving or on start-up?

Is the coolant nice and clean and not thick and emulsified?

I would take it back to them and say that you've looked at it 3 times now and yet its still doing it! To loose that amount of oil in 6k is definitely not right!

Cheers

Ben

[donmar]

I was 30 seconds away driving home lastnight when the low Engine oil level warning light came on. I parked and left the car overnight and this morning, to my horror and supprise, there was not a drop of oile in the car.

I have only done 6K miles since the last service at Lexus Reading in June last yr.

Question is should this happen?

Could there be a leak?

This also happened last two services and nothing was found unusual. Car has 46K on the clock and 05 model. Should a car of this mileage be loosing oil?

Regards

well mine is very good, if it as happened to the last few services you must have a leak?

question is if it as happened the last few services ? why dont you check it regular once a week or month it only takes a few min, and as far as the oil light its waist of time cus it only comes on when you are very very low so dont wait for light to come on to say you need oil, running without oil or low oil you can age your engine before it time.

can you see any leaks cus if your using that much you must have a leak, check around filter/drain plug/ sump gasket/ check splash sheild under engine is there any oil on that, check rad and header tank to see if it whiteish in colour, or are you burning it, how was your tempiture reading ?.

Anyway get it checked out as you shouldnt use that much oil

sorry to be so blunt

[PQuist]

The only explanation that I have is that Lexus Reading did not put enough oil in.

The engine is fine, no smoke at all and I have checked where I park and no sign of leakage.

I have the car booked in on 19th Mar for the recall work to be carried out and have mentioned it to them.

[wendle]

So that’s why the cost of a barrel of oil is so high, you’re using it all.

On a serious note there is no way your car should be using that much oil, ive had 4 GS 300’s and although I only cover 5k miles a year I have never put any oil in any of them. It could be burning it, you don’t get plumes of smoke these day’s, not with this modern oil. If you think of it logically it must be, burning it, dripping it, or its going into your water through the head gasket, it cant go anywhere else, can it?

[dave1]

I was 30 seconds away driving home lastnight when the low Engine oil level warning light came on. I parked and left the car overnight and this morning, to my horror and supprise, there was not a drop of oile in the car.

I have only done 6K miles since the last service at Lexus Reading in June last yr.

Question is should this happen?

Could there be a leak?

This also happened last two services and nothing was found unusual. Car has 46K on the clock and 05 model. Should a car of this mileage be loosing oil?

Regards

You say that it happened on the last two services also? How long after the services did you notice the lack of oil? If your last service was in June (8 or 9 months ago ) then it would be unfair to say that it had now happened following the last three services.

[dave1]

The only explanation that I have is that Lexus Reading did not put enough oil in.

And it has only just come to your notice after 8 or 9 months? It might be worth checking your oil level on a regular basis. I just cannot believe that the dealer has not put enough oil in (possibly on 3 occasions?) and the car has taken all this time to warn you.

[PQuist]

In all honesty, I never have never checked oil or fluid levels nearly 6 yrs owning the car.

I have always serviced the car at Lexus Croydon without any problems.

I found Lexus Reading a lot cheaper than Lexus Croydon adn therfore decided to use thm in my last two sercices only to my horror to find low oil leve.

There is no sign of leakage or smoke coming from either of the twin exhaust pipes except for steam on cold mornings.

I guess I will have to do weekly checks of fluid levels going forward

[dave1]

It might be an idea to check the oil level when you collect the car following the recall work.

[PQuist]

Thanks for all your replies.

I purchased a disposable table cloth and placed it underneath the engine and there was no drop of oil. I have double checked the coolant to determine if it is murky and it looks as pinkish as it was from day 1. I started the beast and placed white tissues over the twin pipes to see if there will be any decolouration and this was as clean.

So where is the missing oil?

Only conclusion is not enough was put in!

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Surely if oil was leaking from the engine it would go onto the undertray, have you removed this?

[dave1]

Thanks for all your replies.

I purchased a disposable table cloth and placed it underneath the engine and there was no drop of oil. I have double checked the coolant to determine if it is murky and it looks as pinkish as it was from day 1. I started the beast and placed white tissues over the twin pipes to see if there will be any decolouration and this was as clean.

So where is the missing oil?

Only conclusion is not enough was put in!

I still can't believe that Lexus Reading have, on 3 different sevices, failed to put sufficient oil in your engine. If they do underfill then I am sure other owners would have noticed and complaints made. Simple answer is to check your oil level every time you collect it from servicing or, indeed, any engine work.

Don't forget too that all engines USE oil. This is different from burning oil or leaking oil.