If installing a thicker viscosity oil raises the oil pressure, then something major is wrong inside the engine. Top it off.Ĭontrary to popular thinking, using an engine oil that is too thin will not make the gauge reading erratic on an engine that is in good mechanical condition. Some cars do not hold much oil to begin with, so as little as 1 quart (or so) low can make the gauge reading erratic. Check Your Oil Level FirstĬars do get low on engine oil, especially now that we no longer have full-service gas stations to check it for us. Let’s follow a logical trouble-shooting procedure to figure out why your oil pressure gauge fluctuates while driving. If something is wrong with the engine, it can mean a greater problem than looking for the nearest gas station. So, what should you do when the oil gauge fluctuates while driving? When the fuel gauge shows empty, we know there is a few more miles left in the tank. So your oil pressure gauge fluctuates while driving? People instinctively do not believe dash gauges. YourMechanic’s qualified technicians are also available for any questions that may arise.Advertisement What to Do When Your Oil Pressure Gauge Fluctuates While Driving YourMechanic makes getting repairs to your power steering pressure switch by coming to your home or office to diagnose or fix issues. In addition, anytime your Check Engine Light is illuminated your vehicle should be inspected by a mechanic. The Check Engine Light can mean many different things, so it could be a problem with your power steering pressure switch, or it could be a combination of issues.Īs soon as you notice your engine slows down, stalls, or speeds up then slows down, have your power steering pressure switch inspected and replaced. Once this light is illuminated, it is important to have your vehicle inspected by a mechanic as soon as possible. If the computer recognizes the pressure switch is not working correctly, it will trigger the Check Engine Light on your dashboard. This can be a dangerous situation because if it speeds up unexpectedly in traffic, it could cause an accident or cause you to lose control of the vehicle. Speeding up and slowing downĪs the computer tries to keep up with the demand of the power steering system, you may notice the engine slows down then overcompensates by speeding up with an erratic idle. A vehicle should not be driven if it is stalling. If this happens to you, contact the professionals at YourMechanic to have your power steering pressure switch diagnosed. The engine’s computer will not recognize the demand for power, so it cannot compensate, causing the engine to stall. Again, this is due to the computer not being able to meet the changing demands of the power steering system, causing the engine idle to drop too low. Engine stallingĪlong with slowing down, the engine may stall when the wheel is turned. One symptom of this is the engine will slow down when you turn a corner, or while you are driving at low speeds. Engine slowing downĪs soon as the power steering pressure switch starts to go bad, the computer will not be able to keep up with the demand of the power steering system and make proper adjustments. The following are a few symptoms to look for if you suspect a failing power steering pressure switch: 1. Over time, this heat can cause the pressure switch to fail. The switch has two electrical sensors, as well as a diaphragm, which are subjected to heat on a daily basis. From there, the computer adjusts the engine’s operation as needed. The power steering pressure switch communicates with the computer by sending information about the fluid in the power steering pressure system of the vehicle.
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