Hey everyone.

This morning as I was pulling into my work parking lot, which is basically a hairpin, and when it is quiet, like it was this morning, I tend to take it a little bit aggressively. Probably hit it at about 30mph under hard braking and then caught the apex on the other side.

Anyway, in the middle of the corner, a low oil pressure warning came on and went out almost immediately. I double checked with Mini Roadside Assistance who said as long as the light doesn't come back on and stay on it should be ok to drive. I drove it home after work and it did not come back on. Basically the car ran like it always has with no noticeable problems. The car is due for regular service in a couple hundred miles.

Has anybody else had this happen to them? Do you think it is possible that the aggressive cornering might have caused the oil pressure to drop just enough to set off that warning momentarily?

 

Yes, I've had that experience before and it was always caused by a low oil level.
You didn't say if you checked the level so I'll guess that you did not.
I'll bet you're more than one quart low.
Check it cold on level ground, you might be surprised.

Hope this helps...

 

Thanks. I did check it before I drove it home and it looked full, but I am going to check it again before I drive it again. The dipstick is stupid and hard to read so I might have read it wrong the first time.

Thanks for the reply. It makes me feel better that somebody else has had this problem and it likely isnt serious.

 

My understanding of the dipsticks on your model is that they are, as others have said, hard to read.
The reason I say check it cold is because there will be no oil transfer from the tube making it difficult to read the level.
Your cold level, when full, should be at or slightly above the full mark.
Also when cold never let the level fall to or below the bottom add mark.

I have a 2006 which has a different dip stick but my advice should apply to your 2010 as well.

Hope this helps...

 

I had it happen once in a GTI and it was low oil. Work through all the info on NAM and figure out how to get an accurate reading, what ever way you go. those dipsicks SUK.

 

Low oil level in sharp turns will cause oil starvation and your pump is sucking air.
ISAMIN

 

Even if it is full of oil and you take a very hard turn and slosh all the oil to one side of the pan it's possible that the oil pick up tube for a second could not pick up oil or not as much as usual so you get that flash "light" of low oil.. This is why race cars have baffles in the oil pan to keep oil at the pick up tube....