photon

Hi all. I'm having an issue with the oil level sensor in my 2001 GS300. There is plenty of oil in there, but the oil light keeps coming on, in the dash. Intermittently. So is it a dead sensor? Or could it just not like the motor oil for some reason? I did just buy the car, and I'm just now getting to the motor oil issues. It sat for about 1.5 years before I bought it.

HLamar

The "oil level sensor" is located if i remember correctly drivers side engine block towards the rear low where block spreads for the pan on top. Try cleaning the connector contacts both male and female side. If still inop check the circuit for continuity. Still inop if circuit checks ok. Pull the unit and bench check via multimeter. Try cleaning the sludge if present and check for intermittent connection probe/float. Here is the part. PnP price would be 10% of the new price or less.

https://www.amazon.com/Airtex-5S9140-Oil-Level-Sensor/dp/B003YO2QG0

photon

Thanks for the reply. Yes as you can see, that part is quite expensive. I'll perform the actions that you recommended today. But, since I don't actually have an oil level problem:

Does anyone know if there is a way to fool this system into not reporting? Perhaps the proper spec resistor could be added in-line somewhere?

photon

Well oddly enough, it stopped when I changed the oil. It was doing it pretty frequently, now not at all. Anyone know what might have happened? I'd like to know for future reference.

slaapen

You were low on oil. I had the same thing happen to me on my IS300. Didn't realize my vvti gear had a leak and started throwing the low engine oil light. Checked the dip stick and seemed "full". When I changed my oil, The motor had 2 quarts of oil in it! The light would go on and off during acceleration, cornering and hard braking for me. Changed oil and never came on again, until slow leak made it come on again. 2jz motor, through my experience, can run on low oil. No knocking noise what so ever.

photon

Yes I did have an oil leak... its weird because you'd think that sensor would just monitor down in the oil pan. I guess somehow it can tell there is low oil, in higher places on the engine. There was an O ring leaking up near the front of the top of the engine, as well as the valve cover gasket. Replaced both.

I'm on a bit of a learning curve, when it comes to fixing luxury cars. The monitoring systems of these cars, seem to be set up to warn you so that you always keep the car in tip top condition. Its like they want to warn you before the real problem actually happens. As opposed to lower cars, that just tell you once there actually is a problem. I know an oil leak is a problem, but it just seems like the higher end cars are much more "on top of it" than say, a ford focus. I'm thinking that is the reason higher end vehicles (kinda like this land rover I have right now) always seem to have a lot more codes than a nissan or something similar.

ibjamin01

Anyone ever experienced this?

On that note, I recently removed a 2jzge with rod knock to put in another ge, and I noticed the donor engine has the oil level sensor deleted. I have no idea what to do. Should I swap the upper oil pans so the new ge can now use the sensor? Or should i just ziptie the sensor to the side of the block or fool it into somehow thinking its in the oil pan?

ibjamin01

Found this while searching: Hope this truly works.

vijayn

This sounds more like the oil pressure light rather than the oil level light, could that be the case?
If I remember correctly, there is a orange oil level light and a red oil pressure light. I think the orange is the level, and the red is the pressure.