Why Oil Light Comes On When Braking – And How To Fix It

It is a lovely day outside, you are driving down the highway with the window pulled down, and then all of a sudden, one of the warning lights on the dashboard suddenly glows. This is a sensation that the majority of people who own a vehicle are familiar with. During this particular instance, the oil light begins to flash orange just as you use the brakes to slow down in preparation for a stop sign.

When the vehicle is braking, why does the oil light come on? Although it is impossible to tell for definite why the oil light in your car illuminates when you use the brakes without first doing a comprehensive check of your vehicle, it is probably being triggered by one of the following three scenarios:

• An oil pressure sensor that is not functioning properly
• A malfunctioning oil pump
• Somewhere in the engine, there is a leak.

It is not a good idea to disregard an illuminated oil light, even though the severity of these problems might vary and may not suggest any immediate risk to your car. It is in your best interest to keep your car off the road while the oil light is on until you have determined the source of the problem. The majority of companies that sell auto components can do a simple diagnostic test on your car and will inform you of the severity of the problem.

What Causes the Oil Light to Indicate When Braking

An oil can is generally the form of an oil pressure light, which is mounted on the dashboard of the vehicle. Should this not be the case, some automobiles may merely display a warning that reads “Check oil level.” When you use the brakes, your oil light may illuminate for various reasons, some of which are difficult to identify.

• Your first order of business should be to check and make certain that you have not missed the opportunity to have your oil changed. There is a possibility that degraded oil may lose its capacity to support pressure. Therefore, the oil warning light may turn on as a straightforward method of communicating that it is time to replace the oil in the vehicle.
• Changing the oil every 3,000 miles is something that the majority of car manufacturers suggest doing for a good reason. As oil ages, it loses its capacity to lubricate and create a protective coating for engine components. This is because the engine is constantly heating and cooling it, which causes the oil to break down and lose its performance.

On the other hand, assuming that you are adhering to all of the rules specified by the manufacturer and that you are not overdue for an oil change, three situations comprise the majority of oil light instances, which may help explain why it glows when you are using the brakes. Below, we will examine each one in more depth than we do above.

An Overly Unreliable Oil Pressure Sensor

A malfunctioning oil pressure sensor is the most probable cause of your oil light coming on when you use the brakes, and thankfully, it is also the least troublesome cause of this occurrence.

The oil pressure sensor is responsible for monitoring the oil pressure inside the vehicle and relaying this information to the combination meter or instrument panel. Its primary duties include monitoring the oil pressure. The warning light for the oil pressure will illuminate if a calculation does not fall within the allowed range.

This is a significant function because:

• Inadequate oil circulation through the engine might be the result of low oil pressure, which in turn could lead to inadequate lubrication, which in turn could cause the engine to grind and freeze up.
• An excessive amount of oil pressure may indicate that the oil bay has been overfilled. This means that the high force may have caused a gasket to rupture, which would then result in a significant leak.

The revolutions per minute (RPM) of a vehicle will cause the oil pressure in the vehicle to vary. It is possible to raise the oil pressure by applying more pressure to the gas pedal and revving the engine. When you use the brakes and reduce the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the vehicle, the oil pressure will fall.

There is a possibility that the combination meter or control panel will not get the information promptly if an oil pressure sensor starts to malfunction, which is something that will happen over time. Because of this, a reduction in oil pressure that occurs while the vehicle is applying the brakes may be wrongly read as falling outside of the allowed range, even though it is completely normal for the oil pressure to decrease as the RPMs decrease.

What to Do if You Have Reasons to Believe the Oil Pressure Sensor Is Not Working Properly

The following is a list of actions that you will want to do to determine the source of the oil pressure light if you are not located near an auto parts store:

1. Put your vehicle in a position where it can rest on a flat surface, and then switch off the engine.
2. Allow the engine to rest for a few minutes and allow the oil to find equilibrium.
3. If you have been waiting for a few minutes, you should next remove the hood and look for the oil dipstick. This should be positioned close to the front, and there should be a yellow ring at the top of it. You should slide your finger through it and pull it.
4. Remove the dipstick for the oil.
5. Make sure that the dipstick is completely free of oil by using a paper towel or another kind of light cloth. Make sure that the oil on your fabric is a light brown hue and not one that is extremely dark or creamy.
6. Put the dipstick back into the oil bay, then take it out again.
7. To determine whether or not the oil has settled into an appropriate range, check the area toward the bottom of the oil dipstick. There should be a visible marking on the dipstick that indicates the typical range.

Assuming that the oil levels in your vehicle are at a satisfactory level after this first inspection, you may most likely be certain that the issue is associated with the oil pressure sensor.

On the other hand, there is still the possibility that the oil pump is not adequately circulating oil; thus, you will need to do more tests to be certain. If you want to further investigate the reason why the oil light comes on when you brake, you should do the following steps:

• Bring your vehicle’s hood up to its top.
• Put the engine into gear.
• Take a moment to listen to the sound of the engine. If the oil levels in your car are normal but you hear grinding, ticking, or other unusual sounds coming from the engine, then it is likely an indication of a malfunctioning oil pump. Your oil pressure sensor is merely doing its job and letting you know that insufficient oil is being pumped into the engine. If you hear any of these noises, then it is probable that your oil pump is not functioning properly.

Once you have completed this additional test, if the oil levels are within the usual range and the engine is operating smoothly, then it is very probable that the oil pressure sensor is the source of your mechanical issues. The process of driving your vehicle to an auto parts shop and having them connect your vehicle to a computer to determine whether or not your oil pressure sensor is, in fact, defective should be considered a safe option.