Causes of Toyota Corolla Oil Light Flickering Issues (oil light on and off fix)

Last updated on May 25th, 2022 at 11:35 am

The first sign that your Toyota Corolla has low oil pressure is the flickering oil light on the dashboard.

In this post, we are going to talk about the causes of oil light flickering when braking, why you might notice an oil light on and off fluctuations and what causes oil light flickers when the engine is hot.

The moment you notice this light, you need to find a solution as fast as possible. Ignoring the oil pressure light can cause a problem to other components in the car.

It can affect the hydraulic filters or vehicle’s valves and lead to severe noises coming from under the hood. If you still continue using it, you will end up with a damaged engine.

There are various things that could trigger the oil light of your Corolla. You might have a damaged oil pump, a faulty sensor, low oil, or a clogged filter.

Whatever the problem might be, you need to stop driving your vehicle immediately and take the car in for a complete diagnosis to bring your vehicle in good condition.

Causes Of Toyota Corolla Oil Light Flickering Issues (Oil Light On And Off Fix)

How to identify an oil light flickering

The oil light indicator is on the dashboard. If it comes on, you will be able to identify the bright orange light.

A flickering dashboard light is not one that can easily be ignored. Once you identify that the oil light pressure indicator is on, you need to get it fixed as soon as possible.

The light indicates that there is low oil pressure in the vehicle. It can also indicate that the level of oil pressure is too high than recommended.

know the exact recommendation of oil light in your car, you need to check your manuals for details.

Causes of oil light flickering when braking

If you have a car, then you probably know what it feels like for the oil light to start flickering the moment you touch the brake. The orange light comes on the dashboard and starts flickering.

The only way to know what the reason why the oil light is flickering while braking is to run a complete diagnosis on the car. However, the light might be triggered by any of these:

Bad oil pump: The oil pump is responsible for carrying the oil into the engine. The pump will not be able to produce the required pressure if the oil is leaking. When this happens, the light on the dashboard will start flickering. You can solve this by replacing the oil pump immediately.

Faulty oil pressure sensor: Another reason why the oil light might be flickering while braking is if the pressure sensor is damaged. The sensor is the component that tracks the pressure of oil in the vehicle. It then sends the information back to the instrumental panel.

So, if the information being sent back is far from the acceptable range, the light begins to flicker. This is a minor problem but it needs to be fixed as fast as possible.

Oil Leaks: Oil leak is yet another common reason why your sensor light might come on and keep making that flicking sign. If the oil in the vehicle is leaking, the amount of oil needed for the full function of the vehicle will lesser.

This means other components which it needs to lubricate will not get the needed oil. This will lead to friction among those components and then trigger the indicator light.

What causes Toyota corolla oil light flickering

The main reason why the oil light of your Toyota Corolla is flickering is mostly that you have low oil pressure.

The engine oil serves as a lubricant to components of the vehicle’s engine. If the oil is low, it will lead to overheating and cause friction between these components and the way vehicle notify of the issue is by flicking the oil light on your car dashboard.

There are so many things that could cause a low oil pressure in your vehicle and you need to identify the problem first before anything. Here are some what causes low oil pressure on diesel engines and engines generally..

Inadequate oil

An obvious reason for flickering of light is that the oil is not at its expected level. This is a minor issue and what you have to do is to refill it.

This happens when you do not perform your regular maintenance or if there are leaks. You need to check all the oil supply lines to check for leaks.

You can try checking underneath your vehicle after parking it for some time. Once you have discovered the problem, you need to seal the leak and then top the oil.

Contaminated oil filter

This is also another thing that could cause low oil pressure and trigger the flickering of light in your Toyota Corolla.

The filter is like a channel that the oil passes through before making its way to the bearings and oil galleys. It removes any dirt and contaminants from the oil and it might get clogged as time goes on.

Once it gets clogged, the passage of oil will be difficult and it will restrict the flow. The only solution to this problem is to replace the filter.

Oil Viscosity

If you use an oil that is a higher viscosity than the one recommended by the manufacturer, then it might also be the cause of the flickering oil light. You will need to use the appropriate oil.

How to resolve an oil light flickering issue

Before resolving an oil light flickering issue, you need to first identify the problem. You need to check every component that could be a trigger to the light.

If you cannot identify the problem, then you need to seek out the services of a professional. The professional will then detect what the cause of the problem might be. Once the problem had been discovered, the issue will be fixed.

If the oil is leaking, the leaks will be discovered and then sealed. If any component like the oil pump, sensor, or filter is faulty, an urgent replacement will be required.

Once this has been done, the light will automatically go off after you restart your car.

It is important to try to fix whatever might be triggering the oil light of your vehicle. This is because postponing the issue will lead to engine damage which will cost much more.

Conclusion

Low oil pressure is one of the serious issues that could affect your Toyota Corolla and it is also what leads to oil light flickering when braking most times.

If you notice that the oil light is flickering, it is important to find a solution to it as soon as possible. Driving with low pressure can damage the engine.

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Jeffery Ekweghi

Hi dear, my name is Jeffery Ekweghi, and I am a certified mechanic and autobody parts technician. I created this site to share my expertise and experience with car lovers looking to resolve their car-related issues. I am certified in private cars and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. I have worked as a mechanic since 2015 and have experience in vehicle brands like Subaru, Jeep, Toyota, TATA, BMW, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Kia, TVs, and Others; however, I primarily specialize in Toyota vehicles.