Why does the low oil pressure light comes on when turning left or right

Tiny
TELLUMB
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 CADILLAC DEVILLE
  • 100 MILES
When iam turning left or right my low oil pressure light comes on but when im not turning it does not come on
Thursday, October 20th, 2011 AT 2:10 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,873 POSTS
First check the oil level when the engine is off. If it's low, the oil will run away from the pickup screen when you turn and the pump will suck up air. Air compresses and won't allow the pump to build pressure.

If the level is good, have a mechanic install a mechanical pressure gauge. If it also reads low, suspect worn engine bearings. You might overcome that for a while by using a thicker viscosity oil. If the actual pressure is okay, suspect the sending unit. When turning, the engine slows down slightly from the strain of running the power steering pump. That small speed reduction will cause a slight drop in oil pressure which could trigger a defective oil pressure sending unit.
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Wednesday, October 26th, 2011 AT 9:55 PM

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