2003 ford Taurus

[bookkeeper447]

Less then 25,000 miles oil light flickers , had new seal and oil change done , on the way home from mechanic the light comes on again?

[mwt47]

did they put 5w/20 in it

Mike

[shorod]

Welcome to the forum!

Which engine does your Taurus have? Have you checked the oil level to make sure it's full, and verify you don't have a puddle of oil underneath the engine?

-Rod

[tripletdaddy]

And you made it home? Hey guys, should I tell him the bad news or will you?

Ok, ok, I'll be quiet.

[tripletdaddy]

Ok, more seriously, to allay any fears here, if your engine is toast, your mechanic is responsible. Ok? Is that better?

All right, I be quiet until I have something more meaningful than my blubbering comic relief.

[bookkeeper447]

First off this car has the 3L dohc engine, this problem has been since feb 2007. third time in the shop for same thing. both times oil pan was dropped ,oil replaced . second time was told seal was leaking .had them replace that hence another oil change. no oil on the ground , the car runs fine. wouldnt checking the pressure gaudge and sensor be the first step,since i told the mechanic its a continueous problem?

[bookkeeper447]

the engine is the 3L doch . i just picked up the car from ford it had a oil flush, new seal,oil and filter put in it. no puddle under the car? this is the second oil change since feb. less then 1000 miles of driving

[bookkeeper447]

that dang oil light flickers i drove the car after the first oil change in feb.2006 until now, dont think theres anything wrong except the sensor light, here again a second oil change in less then 1000 miles car runs fine . its just that flicker at an idle?

[bookkeeper447]

right after the first oil change that flicker started . i parked the car had triple A tow it the guys sees nothing wrong with the car?
now here again second oil change, plus oil flush and new seal,pan and oil 5 miles away light flickers again. The car runs fine.

[bookkeeper447]

actully the first guy put in 5w30. I told him only 5w20 Duh!!!! but hey im a woman what do i know.

[mwt47]

I run 10w/30 in my duratec.

Ford uses the 5w/20 to help them achieve their cafe standards.

Mike
:smoking:

[shorod]

I guess I still didn't hear if anyone checked the level to make sure the oil level is full. Just because there's no puddle, doesn't mean the oil isn't being burned or going into the cooling system. Probably not the case, but low oil level will set the light too.

I would hope that somewhere along the line, the Ford dealership checked the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge, but we don't have that information. Yes, that is something that should be done if it hasn't already. If the mechanical guage shows the pressure is good in all conditions, then why not change out the switch. The switch will probably cost less than $50 installed. With the cost of oil changes as frequently as you're getting, that $50 would be paid off (if it fixes the issue) in just a few thousand miles.

As for running 10W30, mwt47, I disagree. I know you're not a newbie and do have a lot of experience, but 5W20 is not just to meet the emissions standards. Modern engines are built to much tighter tolerances than in the past. Yes, the 5W20 does help fuel economy and emissions, but it also is able to flow into tighter spaces more readily than 10W30 will. Ford and other manufacturers are not going to specify a thinner oil at the risk of more warranty repairs and a worse reputation.

To each his own, but I'll stick with the oil recommended by the manufacturer. I would not recommend to others they deviate from what's printed in the manual for critical engine lubrication viscosity.

-Rod

[bookkeeper447]

i just drove the car home from the dealer after he did this full scale oil change, wouldnt you think the dealer filled the oil to the right level?

[bookkeeper447]

I feel after i explained in full detail to the dealer prior to him checking the car that i had already gone through a oil change and the light still flickered , that he would check into the matter . I get a call the cars fixed and i pick it up and guess what the light still flickers. So i call the dealer and tell them , they say have the car towed back here. I dont think thats very good business sense. they were paid to fix this and didnt not. Am i wrong?

[shorod]

Originally Posted by bookkeeper447

I feel after i explained in full detail to the dealer prior to him checking the car that i had already gone through a oil change and the light still flickered , that he would check into the matter . I get a call the cars fixed and i pick it up and guess what the light still flickers. So i call the dealer and tell them , they say have the car towed back here. I dont think thats very good business sense. they were paid to fix this and didnt not. Am i wrong?

Not necessarily wrong, but you also wouldn't want them to replace a bunch of parts that COULD be the problem and charge you for them, either. What your really want is for them to diagnose the issue and replace parts that are definitely bad, or that are giving intermittant results. Of course, time to properly diagnose a car isn't inexpensive either. It could take half an hour to properly troubleshoot an oil pressure switch. Half an hour at dealer rates is probably like $50. The part may cost $12, with 10 minutes to install. A pressure switch could certainly cause the light to come on. Do you want to pay $50 for the diagnosis, $30 for a new part, or $80 for the diagnosis along with a new part installed? How do you think most people would answer this question? What does the invoice say they did to attempt to fix the problem?

If what you want is the light to stay out and you don't care how much it costs or how long it takes, let the dealer know that you want them to properly diagnose the issue and you're willing to pay for the diagnosis. To be safe, ask them to call you if the bill is going to exceed $300 (or whatever value you're comfortable with). If you don't trust their ability to troubleshoot this, then take it to another shop, or maybe an automotive electrical specialist.

Also, I've heard stories of places forgetting to put in oil after an oil change, that would cause the light to go on, and the dipstick would certainly show that the level is not correct. It's pretty simple to check the oil level, takes less time to do than to type up a post here.

-Rod