Low Oil Light

[phewop118]

When I turned my car on this evening to go to the gas station, the low oil light was on. I've never had this happen before. I'm running Mobil 1 5w-30 synthetic and it's only been in there for a few thousand miles. I didn't think the engine would burn enough to set off the light. Anyway, I got to the gas station and filled her up while waiting for the oil to drain to into the oil pan. I checked the level and it is right at the full mark. Could the light be an error? Or might I actually be low on oil. It hasn't come on since and I've driven my car twice since the light came on. What's up with it?

[phewop118]

Well, this morning, the light was on again. Later on, when I started it while leaving school, the light was back off. After I got home, I let it set for 20 min and checked the oil level. The dipstick is rather hard to read, especially w/synthetic oil. I pulled the dipstick many times and it apeared to have oil all the way up to the full mark and oil came off from up to there when I wiped it. But, it appears the thickest at the add line. Should I put oil in it? How dangerous is it to run with not quite enough oil? I have a bottle of mobil 1 in the trunk, but if it's at the add mark, how much should I add?

[MT-2500]

Well with all of the modern engineering it looks like they would come up with a good dipstick.
But just be glad you have one. some trans do not anymore.
It should not be triping the oil level light with just a qt low.
It is better to let it sit a while and the pull dip stick and check your stick on the first pull.
The low level light on is usually a bad oil level sensor in the oil pan.
Look at it and check wiring and make sure it is plugged in good. If so I would replace it and go from there.
MT