Your BMW 320i oil pressure sensor primary function is to monitor the oil pressure in your vehicle and send this data to your instrument cluster on the dash. Oil pressure sustains the flow of oil in an internal combustion engine.
How Your BMW 320i Oil Pressure Sensor Works
Maintaining this pressure is crucial since rapidly moving metal parts in your engine create a lot of friction and heat that require lubrication. Lubrication helps prevent damage to the engine’s individual components.
Therefore, for your engine’s ECU to regulate the correct oil flow, your BMW 320i oil pressure sensor must work correctly. Your vehicle’s oil pressure sensor is usually directly connected to the gauge found on the instrument cluster.
When oil levels are low, the instrument cluster gauge indicates this. Right after that, the oil pressure warning light is triggered. Oil pressure sensor fault codes commonly accompany this.
Signs and Symptoms of a Faulty BMW 320i Oil Pressure Sensor
Like any other engine component, your BMW 320i oil pressure sensor will wear off after extensive use. When this happens, your car will emit a few signs to notify the driver of the impending problem.
Illuminated Oil Pressure Light
The oil pressure gauge inside your car gives an optimal indication of the oil levels in your engine. If the low light is illuminated, but upon checking the oil level, everything is fine, then your oil pressure sensor might be faulty.
Typically, when the BMW 320i oil pressure sensor is defective, it throws off inaccurate readings. Therefore, the earlier the oil pressure sensor is replaced, the less stress you will have continuously checking your oil levels due to false readings.
Blinking Oil Pressure Light
Sometimes, when the oil pressure sensor is faulty, the light will blink on and off. This can be very alarming to a car owner because low oil levels can damage an engine.
It’s very stressful to constantly pop your hood to check the oil level each time this light starts blinking. Therefore, rather than suffer the pain of pulling over and checking your oil continuously, getting an oil pressure sensor replacement service is a wise decision.
Inaccurate Reading on the Oil Pressure Gauge
Depending on your car’s make and model, you might have a mechanical gauge calculating your oil pressure. If you have optimal oil levels, but your gauge is pointed at zero, it could mean your oil pressure sensor is faulty and needs replacing.
It’s essential to note that sometimes the oil pressure doesn’t need to be replaced, and it might be a connection issue. Therefore, it is also vital to have your mechanic check the sensor’s wiring to ensure that it is not disconnected.
Check Engine Light Comes On
Sometimes, when the BMW 320i oil pressure sensor is faulty, it could trigger the check engine light. This is because the ECU also monitors the oil pressure sensor, and if it detects an issue, it might trigger the check engine light.
It is important to note that in most modern cars, anytime there is an irregularity that could damage the engine, your computer triggers the check engine light to come on.
High Engine Temperatures
Did you know that oil is also an engine cooling component? Therefore, oil pressure needs to be consistent to keep the engine running cool.
If you have a bad oil pressure sensor, your engine might fail to increase the oil pressure as required. Since the oil pressure is low, this will cause the engine’s temperatures to rise. If this continues, the temperature gauge on your dashboard will increase.
What To Do
You mustn’t drive with a bad oil pressure sensor. Otherwise, you won’t know your vehicle’s accurate oil level, which could be potentially hazardous for your engine.
If you experience any of the discussed symptoms, contact a professional mechanic and have them check out your vehicle.
