[Patrick187]

Ok, firstly I am absolutely kicking myself for being so thick. Secondly I’m not at all mechanically minded so go easy on me please guys.

About 6 or 7 weeks ago I noticed the red oil pressure light on whilst cornering pretty hard on my ‘10 plate R57.

As the message disappeared after 30 secs or so and was not remaining as an error I didn’t think much about the issue.

Then the following day when over a particularly nasty speed bump the message came on again and has been intermittently coming on a few times on corners, bumps over the course of my 12 mile daily commute every day.

Stupidly I thought that as I checked the oil about 3months ago and as I have not seen a drop of oil on the drive it must be a faulty sensor or perhaps slightly low level of oil. Thought I would mention to garage when going in a few weeks for an AC repair. Also I’ve been used to driving other cars which would sense the oil level and warn before you need to top up. In fact I think in 20 yrs of committing I can only remember topping up one car with oil once so I am not used to checking oil levels on a weekly (?) basis. Hence my ignorant lack of concern.

So last night on a 50 mile round trip the car started to sound a bit off and perhaps power marginally down as well as the warning coming on a few times.

After I got home I finally looked at the dipstick and realised it was at the top of the lower triangle bit, ie probably what I imagine is ‘dangerously low’ (will check manual tonight).

Not pleasant reading when I finally looked online ! Basically I understand I may have knackered the engine.

Am now borrowing the wife’s car until I can put oil in the mini tomorrow . Given the car appears to have miraculously survived my recklessness do you think I should just put the oil in tomorrow and see how I go or do I go as drastic as forking out for the car to be towed to my garage 15 miles away?

Thanks , and yes I expect comments about being a dipstick.

 

[Patrick187]

Thanks for taking the time to reply guys. I really appreciate it.

I will let you know how I get on tomorrow when I fill it up with oil.

 

[Patrick187]

After adding 1.5 litres I drove the car for a few miles. Went pretty easy for first mile or so. Engine sounded ‘normal’ so I upped the pace a little and went round a roundabout fairly quickly and no warning message which would have definitely come on previously. So far so good but obviously I accept I may have damaged the engine and it might not come to light until some time later.

 

[Patrick187]

Thanks Mike. I will check the dipstick tomorrow and top up to the max and from now on check much more regularly than I have been previously.

 

[Patrick187]

Ps. Didn’t know whether to post a separate post or whether the oil thing could be relevant, but also the stop start function stopped working around 8 months ago and had not worked since. Possibly started around same time I was also getting low battery charge warning messages which disappeared with the spring when I assume I was not draining the battery as fast (less use of lights than in winter, not using heated seats etc).