Berlingo Oil Pressure Warning Light

Sounds familiar! I had a similar issue with my old Opel Astra, though it was a diesel. Same symptoms: oil pressure light flickering, and the oil looked like black coffee way before its service interval. My mechanic told me that excessive idling or short trips can cause fuel to contaminate the oil, especially in older engines. It's like the engine is trying to digest more than it can handle, and it gets indigestion, messing up the oil's color and viscosity. Have you checked for any coolant leaks as well? That could also lead to oil contamination.

Thanks for the quick reply! Coolant levels seem fine, but the short trips thing makes sense. I mostly use it for errands around town. So, if it's fuel contamination, is a simple oil change enough, or should I be looking at something more serious? Is there a risk of permanent damage?

In my case (with the Astra), an oil change and filter replacement helped temporarily, but the problem came back sooner than expected. Think of it like treating the symptoms but not the disease. The mechanic recommended a more thorough engine flush and a switch to a higher-quality oil. Ultimately, I'd suggest taking it to a workshop to get a proper diagnosis. They can check the oil pressure properly and see if there's any lasting damage. It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the engine, as a small problem can snowball into a big one very quickly.

Thanks a lot for the advice! I took it to the workshop, and you were right it was an exceeded maintenance interval which caused oil contamination. They did an oil change with a new filter and flushed the engine. Cost me 165€, but it seems to have solved the problem. Hopefully, it stays that way!