Glow plug & oil light. Help!

[tayles]

Hi,

My 2005 Accord has been running fine until a couple of days ago when the glow plug light started flashing and the car went into limp mode. I got home, checked out this forum and decided it was probably the fuel filter that needed changing. The following day the car was fine and the light had stopped flashing, but I decided to take the car into the garage on Monday to be looked at.

Then on the way to work today, the oil light came on and the engine started to sound a bit rough. I was just round the corner from a garage so I popped in and topped up the oil. When I pulled away, the light was still on and the engine definitely sounded rough. I kept the revs below 2000rpm and cruised into work, which was only two minutes away.

Are these two things related? Can a problem with the fuel filter make the oil light come on? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[RobB]

Was the oil level low? If below minimum mark on dip stick, you may have knackered your engine.

 

[Alan33]

I can't say for definite whether the glow plug and oil lights are somehow related on the Accord, but in general car terms they are not. Normally the glow plug light relates to the diesel pre-heating system or perhaps informs you of another electrical / engine management related problem.

The oil light normally only comes on if oil pressure is low, or if the oil pressure sending unit is faulty. As you have said that the engine also sounds rough then it would be fair to ***ume it's not simply the sender. I personally wouldn't start the car if I knew the oil light was illuminated. Obviously you've already checked the oil level but if there's a blockage in the system somewhere or the oil pump is faulty then there will be no lubrication to some or all parts of your engine - which WILL result in very serious problems in a very short time (ie perhaps even a few minutes running). Tow the car or have it recovered (do not drive it) to someone who can fit a pressure guage to verify whether you have oil pressure or not and take it from there.

Hope this helps.

 

[RobB]

I wonder if the oil pump chain has snapped. It would explain why you have low oil pressure, even if the oil level is correct.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Not much to add, other than what oil have you been using?

Fingers crossed that everything is ok!

 

[tayles]

The oil level is now fine, although I didn't check it before I put the oil in. According to the manual, if the glow plug light flashes it can mean that something is happening with the engine management system - such as it has gone into limp mode because of some physical fault with the engine (such as a problem with the fuel filter).

 

[Dan Robinson]

How much did you use to top up? What grades have you been using? Where was the oil level after the top up?

 

[tayles]

I've only had the car a few months, so I've never even had top up the oil until just now. Looking at the level now, I'm happy that it wasn't actually that low before. It just seems like a coincidence that first the glow plug light comes on and then a couple of days later the oil light comes on.

 

[tayles]

I've decided to get it towed. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[nodrogs]

It just seems like a coincidence that first the glow plug light comes on and then a couple of days later the oil light comes on.

Maybe, maybe not. Did the car get serviced when you bought it? It could be the garage used non-genuine filters. Non-genuine oil filters have also been known to fail on occassion. But hopefully that hasn't happened and it's something more simple.

Remember Honda recommend that the oil level in these cars is checked very regularly. I check mine at least weekly. They can use up to 1 litre of oil in 500 miles (very extreme case). There is no low oil level light, only a low oil pressure light.