Q: Would low engine oil cause the check engine light to come on in my 2002 Toyota Corolla
I haven't had any issues with the engine of this car since I purchased it used a year ago. Driving down the highway today, I noticed that the engine light came on. I immediately pulled over to the nearest, safest area to assess the problem. I discovered that my oil is nearly empty. I refilled it with motor oil and kept driving.
My question is - have I damaged something after driving the car for at least 15 minutes with little to no oil in the engine? Also, I found it odd that the oil light didn't come on, just the engine light. I drove for another hour until I reached my destination.
My car has 180000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
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Hello. Typically low engine oil will not cause the check engine light to come on in your vehicle. Unless the oil level is low enough to cause a drop in engine oil pressure, the oil light will not even come on. I am glad that you checked the oil though before it caused any issues. Since the check engine light is on the computer needs to be scanned for codes. With the codes I would be able to diagnose what is going on with the car. It may be as simple as a loose gas cap or it may be something more serious. If you are going to have this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to you to [diagnose why the check engine light is on] https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/check-engine-light-is-on-inspection
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