VW Up Oil Pressure Warning, Critical Engine Symptoms

I encountered a very similar issue with my VW Polo from around the same period. Having some experience working on VWs, those symptoms immediately raised red flags about the oil pressure system. The engine noises combined with the oil pressure warning light pointed to a failing oil pump in my case. The oil pressure gauge test confirmed dangerously low pressure readings, which was putting the engine bearings at serious risk of damage. The workshop diagnosed a defective oil pump that was not maintaining proper oil pressure. They had to: Remove and replace the oil pump, Install new gaskets and seals, Perform a complete engine oil change with the correct oil viscosity, Run extensive tests to verify proper pressure Total repair cost was 755€, but catching it early prevented much more expensive engine damage. Worth every cent to avoid potential bearing failure. To help diagnose your situation better, could you share: Current mileage, Engine size and type, Any oil leakage visible under the car, Exact type of mechanical noise (knocking, ticking, etc.), When the symptoms first appeared The oil pump issues can present differently between engine variants, so these details would help determine if your Up is experiencing the same problem my Polo had.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My Up has 123572km on the clock and just had its annual service last month. Based on your repair details, I will definitely get the oil pressure tested properly. The knocking noise is most noticeable during cold starts and seems to come from the lower engine area. The workshop just did a complete engine oil change, but I will mention your oil pump failure experience to them. Makes sense that low oil pressure could affect the engine bearings if not addressed quickly. Will update once I know more.

Thanks for the update on your Up. Those symptoms are very similar to what I experienced, especially the knocking from the lower engine area during cold starts. The location of that noise is often a telltale sign of oil pressure problems affecting the main bearings. Since you mentioned a recent oil change, make sure the workshop verifies there are no oil leakage points that could be contributing to the pressure loss. In my case, even after fixing the oil pump, we discovered a minor leak from a degraded gasket that needed attention. The mileage on your Up is in the range where these oil pressure system issues tend to develop. When my Polo started showing these symptoms around 130000km, waiting would have risked catastrophic engine damage. One thing I learned from my experience, while the oil pressure sensor provides an initial warning, getting a proper oil pressure gauge test is crucial for accurate diagnosis. This helped identify the failing oil pump before it caused bearing failure in my case. Would be very interested to hear what your workshop finds. If it does turn out to be the oil pump like in my case, make sure they check all related components while everything is apart.

Based on your thorough feedback, I understand this is likely more serious than I initially thought. The mileage correlation makes sense, and those cold start knocking sounds match exactly what you described. I called the workshop and booked the car in for tomorrow morning specifically requesting an oil pressure gauge test. The recent oil change makes me feel slightly better about driving it there, but I will take it easy on the way. The point about checking related components while doing the repair is really valuable, definitely dont want to pay for labor twice if other parts are showing wear. Will make sure they inspect the entire oil pressure system and look for any oil leakage points that could be contributing to the problem. My main concern now is preventing bearing failure before it gets worse. Better to address the low oil pressure issue properly than risk major engine damage. Will update the thread once I have the test results and know if its the oil pump or something else causing the pressure drop.