100% Free

No Scanner Needed

Carly logo
Prices

jana_blade1

Prius oil sludge warning light

I've got a 2006 Toyota Prius with a hybrid engine and about 143,000 km. Recently, a warning light popped up, and the oil pressure warning lamp keeps lighting up intermittently. I checked the oil level, and it seems okay, but the oil itself looks… gunky. Could this be oil sludge?

Summary of the thread

A 2006 Toyota Prius exhibited an intermittent oil pressure warning light, with the oil appearing gunky, suggesting potential oil sludge. This issue could stem from oil contamination due to overdue maintenance, leading to oil degradation. The recommended solution was to promptly perform an oil change and engine flush to prevent serious engine damage. After following this advice, the warning lights were resolved.

Did this summary help you solve your problem?

4 comment(s)

richardkeller1

I had a similar issue with my Prius. Those are classic symptoms of oil contamination. Is the engine noisier than usual, especially at startup? It's worth checking for oil leaks, but if the oil itself is sludgy, you might be dealing with a maintenance interval that was exceeded, and resulting oil degradation.

jana_blade1 (community.author)

Thanks for the quick response! Noisier at startup, yes, now that you mention it. I'll check for leaks, but assuming it is sludge, what's the worst-case scenario? And how urgent is this? Can I still drive it?

richardkeller1

Continuing to drive with contaminated oil could lead to serious engine damage due to reduced lubrication. The worst-case is complete engine failure, requiring a rebuild or replacement. I suggest taking it to a trusted workshop ASAP for an oil change and engine flush. They can also assess any potential long-term damage. An engine flush involves circulating a cleaning solvent through the engine to dissolve and remove sludge buildup.

jana_blade1 (community.author)

Took your advice and brought it in. Turns out I was overdue for an oil change, which caused the issue. New oil and filter, plus an engine flush, and the lights are gone. Total cost was 165€ Thanks for the help!

rmh_community_comment_box_header

community_crosslink_scanner_headline

community_crosslink_scanner_intro

community_crosslink_scanner_title

community_crosslink_scanner_price

community_crosslink_rmh_headline

community_crosslink_rmh_intro

community_crosslink_rmh_title

community_crosslink_rmh_subtitle

community_crosslink_rmh_brand

TOYOTA

community_crosslink_rmh_model

PRIUS