An oil pressure gauge is an important part in your vehicle, as it ensures its longevity. It essentially makes sure the correct pressure is maintained so that the car bearings stay lubricated. Since this part is so important, you'll want to keep an eye out for the following problems. 

Oil Pressure Gauge Not Working

There may be times when your oil pressure gauge stops working completely. A telltale sign of a defective gauge is when it bottoms out when the engine is turned on and off. Just to make sure, try revving your engine for several seconds. If the gauge fails to deliver a reading, it needs to be replaced.

As a replacement, you have several different options. These include mechanical and electrical. Most modern cars have electrical gauges because of their visibility and circuit-powered design. Mechanical gauges are slightly different in that their position moves based on oil pressure indicating higher and lower temperatures. 

High and Low Readings

When your engine is off or idling, the oil pressure reading should naturally be low. After all, the vehicle hasn't had time to heat up or do any work. However, a lower pressure reading is a problem if you've been driving for several minutes. If you're experiencing this problem, the gauge is broken and needs to be replaced. 

If your engine is off and your readings are too high, your oil pressure gauge is malfunctioning. The readings should remain low until you've had time to drive the vehicle and warm up the engine. 

Oil Problems

Before doing anything drastic and spending money on other parts, consider that the oil could be the culprit. Over time, your oil starts to break down and lose its viscosity. This may cause the readings to be too low. Take your vehicle into a qualified mechanic, such as Direct Material, to see if the oil needs to be changed.  

If the oil is fine after inspection, there actually might be a problem with the grade of oil you're using. This could cause the pressure to read too high when it shouldn't. Other symptoms that might indicate you've selected the wrong oil grade are less engine power and parts prematurely wearing down. 

There are a lot of problems that can go wrong with your oil pressure gauge. As long as you stay on top of these problems and utilize proactive measures, you can keep your vehicle safely working for a long time.