I love my car (04 996TT cab). If I could procreate with it I would. But just like all relationships, today I had a scary "we need to talk" moment with it.

I checked my oil level today with the OBC as I sat at a drive thru. The oil level was exactly perfect, as always. About 20 minutes later, however....

Driving along at about 35 mph, when all of a sudden I get an error message from my OBC that says "Failure Indicator" along with the oilcan sign. At the same time, my oil pressure gauge dropped to zero. The oil pressure warning light did not illuminate though.

As my heart fibrillated wildy I immediately pulled across 3 lanes of traffic to the shoulder to shut the car down. Before I turned the key off, the oil gauge returned to it's normal position. I jumped out of the car to see if there was any oil leaking under the car or under the engine cover - nada. Dry as the desert all around.

I pulled into a parking lot and shut the car off. About 20 minutes later I turned it back on, and the message was gone, the gauge was functioning normally, and the car sounded perfect. The OBC oil test showed the correct amount of oil. The car ran perfectly on the way home. No oil leaks anywhere, no loss of performance, no funny noises, no smoke, no kablooey explosions, no more curse words from me.

What gives? Any idea on what could cause this temporary hiccup? Is it possible the oil filler cap wiggled a bit loose and sent the error, and it was coincidentally 15 minutes after I checked the oil level?

These cars are awesome, but there is never a spare moment when I'm not completely paranoid that the whole shebang is about to go kaput.

Thanks!

Todd

 

Oil sender is a common failure...search around...others have had their pants soiled also..

 

Do a search on oil indicator failure. This seems to be a fairly common malady & probably is nothing more than either the oil sensor unit sensor. I had the same exact thing happen in my 2003 TT over the summer. Scared the livin' bejesus out of me. My P-tech found a loose fitting in the motor around the oil sending unit. (can't tell you exactly where). Haven't had a problem since. Good luck.

 

Thanks guys - 1008 posts and I forget to use the search. Doh!

Found plenty of other people who needed to clean off their leather seat after having this happen. Since I don't have a motor stand and have no idea how to get back there, I'll have it checked at my next service.

Thanks - this site still rocks!

 

Before you go through a ton of work take a look at the sensor to the back left of your oil filter. It's some what common for the connectors to break or come off, so you want to check that first. Mine did the same thing and it was a bad female spade connector.

 

Yuppp, I with you on having my stomach drop when indications were no oil pressure and a failure light. Mine happened on the way home from buying the car, no less. Pressure indicator wound up being replaced, and haven't had a problem since.
Who needs Halloween to be scared?

 

LOL - I still have paper plates on mine too. On the plus side, I no longer need to take my acai berry cleanse tablets.