Low Oil Pressure on a 2019 Hatchback XSE

[JohnnyB1]

It's frigid here...below 0. When I was driving home at lunch a tone sounded and a "Low Oil Pressure" warning went on in my dash. Then...."Reduced Power." Then the...."Contact Dealer." I limped the rest of the way home pulled into my driveway and shut her off. Any ideas?????

The car is brand new -- 652 stinking miles. My first Toyota. I thought these things were supposed to be bullet-proof. WTF? Please help with ideas.........

ToyotaCare, here I come!

 

[jolly]

Oil not check upon delivery, faulty sensor... whatever, why bother : it's a brand new car, you have warranty. Just leave it to the dealer !

 

[JohnnyB1]

Did that. Had it towed to the dealer.

Just disappointed and questioning why a Toyota with 600 miles on it already has problems? Also wondering, with low oil pressure and reduced power, whether any long-term damage was done to the motor by slowly limping it the quarter-mile home.

Cripes, it's a new car......I want to have confidence in it for many years. It's not starting out well........

 

[jolly]

Cripes, it's a new car......I want to have confidence in it for many years. It's not starting out well........

Absolutely right and totally understandable. Beside what I mentioned (oil level checked or filter leak before delivery or electronic glitch) and even then, it's puzzling. Corolla has a reputation, but no engineering piece is infallible, plus the XSE is a totally new engine. Although if the problem is the consequence of preparation negligence - which dealer won't admit easily - demanding a new replacement vehicle might be an option.

 

[JohnnyB1]

Thanks, eh?

Yeah, guess I am going to give the dealership a chance. I drove by the dealership tonight and saw that it was inside. Perhaps the car just needs to warm up and thaw out. I don't really know how long it sat on the lot before I bought it. I understand that manual transmissions are not all-the-rage anymore, so it may have sat on the lot for an extended period of time, before I bought it.

And I have relatively short runs back-and-forth to work. The car never gets a chance to really warm up in our frigid weather. After this happened, perhaps I should have just heated up my garage, kept it in there for a couple of days, changed the oil (condensation) and seen whether that would have corrected the issue. I guess I just felt that....hey, it's still under warranty.....let them deal with it.

Again, I am just feeling a bit miffed that this all happened right out of the gates with about 600 miles on the vehicle. Hope this works out.....in the long run.

Thanks again, eh?

 

[jolly]

The car never gets a chance to really warm up in our frigid weather.

I don't know how frigid it is where you are but living in Quebec (Canada) with below freezing temp in winter, I can tell you that it doesn't trigger a LOP light/condition (and my car is not garaged). Oil will degrade faster, starting may be harder (especially if the wrong viscosity was used) but your car is new.

Hope they honestly find the problem which, hopefully (in the situation), will have to do more with electronic glitch than oil level/condition physically affecting the engine !

 

[JohnnyB1]

Yeah, we are having a stretch of pretty cold weather -- a week of 20 below (F) at night and approaching 0 during the days. The car does sit outside my garage. Brutal weather......but the car is brand new, with around 600 miles on it.

Hoping for the best. I'll let this blog know what they tell me on Monday.

 

[delrey]

Does this car have the new 2.0L engine?

 

[JohnnyB1]

Yes, the car has the new 2.0L engine.

 

[delrey]

I'm definitely interested on how this gets handled and what the issue is. Good luck.

 

[JohnnyB1]

Update: The dealership's service manager left a voicemail for me yesterday (Saturday) and stated that he garaged the car in their shop over Friday night -- warmed it up, kept it warm. When he started it on Saturday morning, there were no error messages and "the car seemed to operate normally." He left it out for the rest of the weekend. He stated that his service people would "hook it up" on Monday morning and get back to me.

I went to the dealership today (Sunday) and drove the car. All seemed good -- no error messages, normal performance, no unusual engine sounds. I checked the oil (dipstick). The level was good, but I did note a very milky color to the thin oil - 0W20. Again, the car only has 652 miles on it. Those miles are a lot of stop-and-start commuting back-and-forth to work. And our temps have been bitterly cold, lately -- 0 degrees F for highs during the day, 15 - 20 below at nights -- for the last week or so, and this week will be more of the same. It sits outside at night. My garages have other cars / vehicles.

My thought is that, regardless of what the shop says tomorrow (Monday), I am going to ask them to change the oil. (Could the frigid temps and moisture have caused this problem?)

I did get a Toyota email on Sunday. (My Toyota Entune vehicle "Health Check" -- the vehicle must communicate with the "mothership." The email reiterated the Friday readings from my car --

Low Engine Oil Pressure 01/25/2019 Low engine oil pressure has been detected. Continuing to drive may be dangerous. Stop in a safe location and contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected.
Check Engine 01/25/2019 A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected.

With hints that the car is somewhat better, I am more optimistic. Could this have been just a sensor problem? Totally an anomaly that is weather related? I am not convinced of that because when I was driving and the initial warning came on (low oil pressure), the car's performance deteriorated. But does the system reduce power when sensing problems? At the time, the dash warning also flashed something like....reduced performance.

Hell, I am a office-guy, not a mechanic. I really do not know what the heck is going on with my new 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE manual. I will continue to update this blog.

If you folks have any insights/ideas.....I am certainly listening. Thanks, eh?

 

[jolly]

But does the system reduce power when sensing problems?

Yes. Often nicknamed "limp mode", to prevent as much as possible damage and allow driver to reach a safe port if some trouble is detected. AN oil change would be a great idea. Milky color can come from condensation, a possibility with your type of temperature/driving, although it wouldn't necessaray trigger a LOP light or, worst case, engine coolant leak. If temperature remains low, it would also be a good idea to take a longer drive once a week or so.

 

[JohnnyB1]

The car is still at the dealership -- they want to keep it another day. Their service manager said that they started the car this morning (it sat out Sunday night in our frigid conditions) and the "low oil pressure" warning came back on. I talked to them about the milky oil on the dipstick. Later, the service manager called back and told me that when one of their mechanics pulled the stick, there were actually ice crystals (water) mixed with the oil on it. With only 652 miles on this thing.......that seems screwed up to me. What causes that?

So now they want to change the oil tomorrow.....drive it.....and change it again. I am beginning to feel snake-bit on this whole deal.

Happy that I kept my 2014 Civic SI as a back-up -- one cheap, sweet ride. That vehicle has never been back to the dealership. Never even a hint of any issues. I am learning to appreciate Honda's motto of....."Best on Earth!"

 

[delrey]

I found this: https://mobiloil.com/en/faq/ask-our...uto-experts/how-does-water-get-into-motor-oil

 

[JohnnyB1]

Thanks, Delrey.

 

[JohnnyB1]

According to the Dealer Service Department, my car is done. The service writer stated that they changed the oil a number of times to get the water out.....and labeled it "condensation from short commutes."

They also said that they "started a case" on my car with Toyota......whatever the heck that means.

I now have some major doubts about this car. Hey, this is a brand new with 620+ miles on it. And I am an old guy who, over the years, has owned many new vehicles in our "frozen tundra" state. I have never, ever had an issue like this. Hondas. Fords. Chevys. Hell, even my POS Renault Alliance never started this way.....out of the gates.

In addition, isn't a Corolla a commuter car? That's one of the main reasons I bought it. Wouldn't you think that Toyota would engineer it that way?

So....I will be vigilant and watch this car closely. In a way, I am glad (somewhat) that this happened now -- early in the warranty life of my Corolla. If it continues, I will address it.

It's expected to be 25 below tomorrow morning. Thanks for listening on this blog. Thanks for your input.

 

[jolly]

The service writer stated that they changed the oil a number of times to get the water out.....and labeled it "condensation from short commutes."

Hope everything turns fine although, as I mentioned, living in a (very) cold winter environment I've never seen such a thing. Don't forget to drive the car for a longer period once a week or so !

 

[JohnnyB1]

Thanks, Jolly. Stay warm up there, eh?

 

[delrey]

Thanks for the update JohnnyB1. However, make sure you keep an eye on the dip stick for moisture again. This 'fix' is a 'brush it under a rug' fix and not finding the root cause, weather related or not. However, the dealer may not have much to work on yet as the 2.0 engine is all new. So any short term, long term issues may not be known yet. Reporting it to Toyota is a good thing to do and if they get a lot of reports of it, someone probably will find a reason it's doing it. I wouldn't be surprised to see a TSB or something on this in the future. Keep us updated on this as I would find myself being a future owner of this generation hatchback one day.

 

[JohnnyB1]

I agree with you Delrey -- something else (besides weather at only 650 miles) going on here. I will be watching these boards/blogs/reports to see if this happens to others. And, of course, I am OCD about my vehicles so I will be watching this one.....like a hawk. And, I will revisit this blog with updates, especially if I have similar issues.

Also wondering about the oil that they use in these things -- 0W16. That stuff is thinner than ever. As the oil they suggest gets thinner, it would seem that even the slightest amount of condensation/contamination would have greater effects. I know that they rationalize it by claiming it improves gas mileage and aids cold starts but I wonder about long-term engine wear and the lubrication/protection. Perhaps they do not care as long as the car makes it to a certain number of miles -- planned obsolescence.

As I ponder this "event", I wonder whether I should have purchased this Corolla -- new engine and all. I know I am a bit of a guinea pig. But.....as my father used to say....."It is what it is." I know that. I own it. And I will deal with it.

Thanks for allowing me to vent. Thanks for listening. 'Til the next time.............

 

[snothatch]

Please keep everyone updated on future events.

Thanks!

 

[JohnnyB1]

Will do. About 400 miles on the new oil change / fix from the Toyota Service Department. The weather is still frigid in our area. I will revisit this site and report, if I have any similar issues in the future. I am also looking to see if any others have similar issues.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

According to the Dealer Service Department, my car is done. The service writer stated that they changed the oil a number of times to get the water out.....and labeled it "condensation from short commutes."

They also said that they "started a case" on my car with Toyota......whatever the heck that means.

I now have some major doubts about this car. Hey, this is a brand new with 620+ miles on it. And I am an old guy who, over the years, has owned many new vehicles in our "frozen tundra" state. I have never, ever had an issue like this. Hondas. Fords. Chevys. Hell, even my POS Renault Alliance never started this way.....out of the gates.

In addition, isn't a Corolla a commuter car? That's one of the main reasons I bought it. Wouldn't you think that Toyota would engineer it that way?

So....I will be vigilant and watch this car closely. In a way, I am glad (somewhat) that this happened now -- early in the warranty life of my Corolla. If it continues, I will address it.

It's expected to be 25 below tomorrow morning. Thanks for listening on this blog. Thanks for your input.

Extremely short trips when the temps are very cold can cause the condensation and is terrible for any engine. Maybe take a longer way to work and home to allow the engine oil to warm up and burn off the condensation. The 2.0L is a new engine and might have more sensors to help protect against the damage that water in the oil can cause compared to older cars. Having this protection could be a good thing. I commonly take my cars the long way into town of 7 miles vs the short direct way of 2 miles just to allow more warm up. I also make sure that I never do that more than once without driving it 20 miles to allow all moisture to get burned off.

 

[JohnnyB1]

Not quite sure about the sensors. Perhaps. When the car was first brought back to the dealership, I do not think that they knew what they were dealing with. With the low oil pressure, I checked the oil.....the bottom of the dipstick was milky-white. Now, I am a banker but I do all my own routine maintenance on my cars and I know the "milky-white means water in the oil" thing. So I told the service writer.

I get it......short commuter trips = bad, especially in our Lake Superior winters. But with only 600 miles on the car?? As my mom used to say, "Time will tell." To pull the positive out of this, I am happy (somewhat) that this happened early in the new car warranty period.

As for the other attributes of the car -- I really like it. I wouldn't say the car does anything great, but.....it does everything well. Critics have waged all sorts of short-comings for this Corolla but, hey, it's not a Porsche. It's not in that category.

I have an XSE, so it is the top-of-this line. I really like the looks of this car.

• The larger wheels are nice. Even without winter tires, it's pretty good in the snow. (I'm thinking when I get some winter rims and tires, this thing will be like Santa....dashing through the snow.)
• People say the steering is soft, I think it is responsive and fine.
• Critics say it doesn't have low-end torque. I have no problem maximizing the energy of this engine with the 6-speed manual transmission. Thanks, Toyota, for making it available with the 6-speed.
• People have even said that the heated seats are not all that....well....heated. Again, I think Toyota did it right. I don't need to torch my as* -- I definitely feel the heat.
• The displays are clear and intuitive....with many feedback options.
• Entune is a welcome interaction.
• I am all good with the Scout GPS - screen navigation.
• I spent the extra money to get the white paint. Being a bit OCD with keeping my car clean, I can say that this is one of the best paint jobs that I have seen -- not one blem.

All-in-all, this re-design is a pretty well-done Did I mention that I like the looks of this car? Toyota listened and met the market -- rather than dictating what we drive. Hopefully, my future updates to this board will be more of this type. I'll let you know.......... Thanks for reading.

 

[Donkster]

JohnnyB1, I have the same car, except mine is automatic. I am following this closely. We've got 4K on ours so far and all is fine - no problems. It's not nearly as cold here... average around 32F. We love the Entune auto-start app for cold mornings, heh. A LOT of tech in these cars! Hope all goes well with your oil prob. Keep us posted if you can.

 

[JohnnyB1]

Temps still well below 0 nights. Teens days.

Changed the oil again today. Mobil One synthetic and filter. A little over 1000 miles. No warning lights and the car has been running fine, but when checking the dipstick it was covered in a milky froth again. When I drained the oil....the oil was a totally milky brown. Oil cap also covered in a milky froth. I don't know what to think. Perhaps I should I have just left the oil in there and let the chips fall where they may. If she blows, she blows. This car is obviously still under warranty for quite a while. But I would hate to be stranded away from home in our remote, harsh environment. Stay tuned......

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

Temps still well below 0 nights. Teens days.

Changed the oil again today. Mobil One synthetic and filter. A little over 1000 miles. No warning lights and the car has been running fine, but when checking the dipstick it was covered in a milky froth again. When I drained the oil....the oil was a totally milky brown. Oil cap also covered in a milky froth. I don't know what to think. Perhaps I should I have just left the oil in there and let the chips fall where they may. If she blows, she blows. This car is obviously still under warranty for quite a while. But I would hate to be stranded away from home in our remote, harsh environment. Stay tuned......

This is very strange to see the oil look like this so quickly. I'm curious what happens when the temps rise even though that shouldn't make a huge difference.

 

[JohnnyB1]

Hey Supercharged, if it is condensation from the very frigid weather and short commutes to work, I am hoping it will be better in warmer weather.

In our harsh winter weather, where the car sits overnight in our below zero (F) weather, that water in the oil probably freezes and, at the very least, thickens the oil. I'm sure that is not good for the car's engine lubrication, especially when the recommended oil is a very thin 0W16.

I am hoping that I don't have to be a vigilant nurse with this car. We'll see where this all goes.... I will occasionally report in, as the weather warms up.

 

[Donkster]

I know very little about car mechanics but many years ago I had a similar oil issue in a car... milky froth on the dipstick... and it turned out to be a cracked cylinder(?) where water moisture was leaking in. I think they used a pressure test to find it. I'm sure your dealer will eventually find the problem and totally, conclusively fix it while under warranty and all will be fine.

 

[delrey]

JohnnyB1, have you been able to look at the oil on other '19 hatchbacks? Would be nice to see if yours is an isolated incident or not.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

Hey Supercharged, if it is condensation from the very frigid weather and short commutes to work, I am hoping it will be better in warmer weather.

In our harsh winter weather, where the car sits overnight in our below zero (F) weather, that water in the oil probably freezes and, at the very least, thickens the oil. I'm sure that is not good for the car's engine lubrication, especially when the recommended oil is a very thin 0W16.

I am hoping that I don't have to be a vigilant nurse with this car. We'll see where this all goes.... I will occasionally report in, as the weather warms up.

I would be curious to see if it made a difference if you were to take a longer route to work and home that would allow the oil to get up to operating temp. I always did this during my very cold winters when I lived in Colorado. Since you just changed your oil again it would be a good time to try this to see.