# B7 Passat 2.5 Oil Light Flashing Question



## Screamscape (Jul 20, 2015)

Hey everyone,

Quick question. Have a 2012 Passat 2.5L. Just reached 100k. I park on a hill at nighttime. 

The weather here is in the 20's. It currently has 5w-30 Full Synthetic in it. I know I need to switch back to 0w-40

Anyways, when I start it, I don't get any sensor lights, but within the first few minutes of driving the oil pressure light will come on, beep three times, then shut right back off. And not do it again all day. This is only during the first drive of the day. Checked the oil level, it's at Max (not above). Don't see any visible leaks (keep the engine completely clean for such an occasion). Oil doesn't have a fuel smell to it.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any help would be appreciated!


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## ps2375 (Aug 13, 2003)

What does the Owners Manual have to say about it?


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## Quadraphobic (Aug 24, 2015)

I'm having the same issues so I figure I'll share my experience so far. When the temperature drops below about 10-15 degrees (F), my car (2012 Passat 2.5) will start just fine, warm up normally, then a few minutes down the road that annoying beeping "low oil pressure" light pops on. It beeps three times then shuts up and all is apparently good as it won't do it again until the next morning when we repeat the whole song and dance.

Owners manual (and most of the internet from what I've found) is all hell fire and brimstone about this message. Sure, it might be low oil or a bad pump or a just a sensor and those things should probably be checked out. I'm no mechanic so I check the easy stuff. Oil might be a bit low so I put a quart in. Doesn't help. Not trusting myself with something so complex as checking the level, I get an oil changed just in case (5w-10). No fix. Still yells at me that the world is ending on my morning drive to work. It's winter in MN, this isn't going to change any time soon.

In fact, it gets worse. Right now were sitting at ~-10F for the past few days and I can't turn on my car without it telling me the pressure is low and I need to turn off the car immediately. For science (and because I need to go to work. I don't really have a choice) I go ahead and ignore the warning. It continues to scream bloody automotive murder at me until it's 100% completely warmed up. Then it's completely fine (from what I can tell). Not another peep. Everything feels good and it drives like normal.

So, all this leads me to believe that the sensor is probably indicating a real problem. Because it's cold, it seems that the oil pressure has trouble building and the car believe there's a problem until everything is nice and warm and the engine is properly lubed up. So what's a Minnesotan without a garage to do? It's a bit of a catch-22: The car indicates a problem and needs to be shut off until it's warm, but it won't get warm without running.

I'll be taking it into the dealer sometime in the near-ish future just to make sure there isn't a sensor or pump problem just to make sure. I still have the certified pre-owned warranty so should hopefully fall under that and be inexpensive to check out and fix if there is a mechanical problem. 

It may turn out that it's just winter and it's just cold and patiently letting it warm up and dealing with the warning is the answer. In said case I may look into an engine block and or oil pan heater to make my mornings less miserable.

Like OP, I would love some advice on this. It's getting pretty tedious.


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