(T) Oil Light Flashing

Hi all. I own a 56 plate diesel and have just had a new EGR Valve fitted after poor running of the car. The car is running fine now but as i pulled away from the dealers after they had the car for a week to find the fault, the oil light started flashing. I went back to the service manager and he told me it was because the car had not been running, which i found unusual to say the least. I drove away and the light flashed again then went off after about a minute. The same symptoms occur each time the car starts up yet the car appears to be running fine. Could this problem just mean the garage need to reset something or, god forbid, the car has developed yet another problem. Please help.

Could your car be due a oil change

SPONGEBOBMAIDENPANTS is correct, you either need oil change or it wasn't reset at last oil change through examiner.

Had a service done only 1,400 miles ago at my own garage. Are you saying they need to reset something, apart from the service indicator just for changing theoil. If so do i need to contact my garage ?

I had the same thing last year.The main stealer forgot to reset the light.Suppose a local garage could do it but I am not sure because I like being ripped off at Desira Fiat

Now i may well be wrong here so do some research!

Newer cars now have a system that when its due a change it lets the engine run hot and part cooks the oil to stop build up in the engine the downside is its then nearly knackerd so id look into it .
I cannot remember what its called summat like dmf (i know its not that) but id try not to use it until confirmed as not sure how much your meant to drive on the oil in the engine after its been run hot.

If i can find out what its called i get back to you.

You mean the dpf mechanical filter

I had the dpf assembly and injector changed under warranty less than 5,000 mls ago ( car has done 26,000 ) after engine control light had come on no fewer than 8 times so i,m inclined to think it could be just a case of resetting the oil light. Surely though a proper service and the service indicator resetting should be enough ? Why would there be a separate reset of the oil light.

The ECU oil degredation index must be reset, this depends on distance/start ups etc...its there for a reason.

What he said.

T14086, i went back to the dealers this morning and they have reset so the oil light is no longer flashing. They did ask me if C3 oil had been used where i had my service. When i gave him the name of the garage i use he said he delivers there and the guy is genuine so he reckons the correct oil as warranty requires, is in the engine. Could the light come back on or do you think the dealers didn't reset the oil degredation index properly, hence the light only starting to flash straight after the new EGR valve had been fitted.

I've just had this problem. Interestingly, the light came on about 1000 miles before the service was due, how convenient! So had an independent service done to warranty standard but the oil light continued to flash.

It is as has been quoted earlier, an oil degradation light supposedly warning you that your oil has degraded and needs changing.......

Reset the service counter manually by the approved method but that didn't turn out the light. Ok. Right. I've got a mate in the AA and he connected up Vixen, their generic portable diagnostic computer and surprise surprise, it couldn't find the light as a fault code.

Onwards and upwards. Rang my Main Dealer and the essence of the conversation with them was that only Fiat can turn out this light and it'll cost you, basically. It is, I gleened from my conversation, basically Fiats attempt to discourage you from being serviced anywhere else.

Rotten, mean trick and a little immoral to say the least.

Now I have an excellent relationship with my main dealer and they are going to turn off the light for a very nominal fee but if I was, say, a Ford or Vauxhall dealer they would charge me a good sum to do this. Which all goes back to the customer in the end. Stinks, doesn't it?

Here's my thoughts. I reckon this light will always come on about a thousand miles before the 12000 mile service. It has bugger all to do with oil degradation. It's purpose it to put the willy's up you and panic you into taking into Fiat and a.) getting your service done early and b.) getting your service done by them.

I could be wrong. But I bet I'm not........

Afraid you are, everyday I send various makes of cars to dealers for resetting service light, filling up brake fluid even changing oil because only the dealer can do this (NOT Fiats by the way).

There are 2 sides to this story, yes it means the dealer has to put the light out (expect to pay £30-40) but also they are the best trained to carry out work on your car (dealers spend an unbeliavable amount of money on training)
and NO the oil light does not come on 1000miles before service it comes on depending on a variety of factors. I have seen cars come in at 3000miles and some at 19000 miles.

Now you are welcome to ignore my advice if you want but if the oil degreadation light is not turned off (reset) no regenerations will take place, the ECU wants (or thinks!) it needs a oil change and will often go into limp mode to protect itself and can result in damage.

Even if you do get the oil degredation reset remember the ECU thinks it now has fresh oil (but it does not vecause you got it changed 2-3 months ago), doing in correctly from the start is the best way to maintain your vehicle, cheaper shortcuts are not always the cheapest in the long run i'm afraid.

One final note, Fiats DPF system is patented and easily the best.It works well when maintained according to manufactures recommended specifications...dont believe me then ask a VW owner

Thats an interesting reply, cheers. I actually had the service done on tuesday and am having the light reset early next week. I do 500-600 miles per week.

It's good to see the other side of the coin here, but I still feel that 12000 mile service schedules with modern oils should be more than enough to not warrant a wretched light coming on to tell you your oils getting tired.

It seems too complex and unecessary. But I guess it is there to protect systems that legislation has forced us to put in place.

The main reason I dont use the main dealer for general servicing is that they are forty minutes away and the charge £15 for a courtesy car for the day!

Also my little independent did more work to the car than was required for the 24,000 mile service for little more than half the cost. And I trust them implicitly. More than I do the Fiat fitters, through experience. The proof of the pudding, and all that. Go with what you know.

However, the service manager at my main dealer is second to none and it is him I now deal with.

Also the poorest work that has been done to my old uglybug was by the main dealer, which was corrected through intense frustration and the end of my tetherness, by my little independent at no cost!

But I take your point. And well made it was too. I shall perhaps be a little less judgemental in future. Perhaps.....

I've edited this post yet again just to say that I think we have a great Mod on this forum who is wiling to enter into debate and not afraid to try and put us straight if he thinks we're wrong. That is what these forums are about. Debate. More power to us all! Cheers Mod!

I had this problem when I had the oil changed on the second service but the oil light didn't come on until two months later. Fiat turned the light off but warned the oil will now be 2000 miles over due at the next change because that was the distance covered between having the service and the light coming on