5 Signs Your Mercedes's Oil Pressure Switch Has a Problem

There are only a few car brands that can make vehicles as luxurious and efficient as Mercedes. For Mercedes it has never been about quantity... from day one its focus has been on building quality vehicles that no other automaker can do. But no matter how much effort an automaker puts into its vehicles- being machines, they are bound to run into problems.

Today's blog post goes over one such problem- Mercedes oil pressure switch failure. We'll start by discussing the basics; what is it and how important is it in the grand scheme of things?

Mercedes Oil Pressure Switch in a Nutshell

Oil pressure switch; it is such an insignificant and remote part that we are sure many people are not aware of its existence. Despite its trivial nature, it is because of this component that you get to keep track of oil pressure inside your Mercedes engine. If it is to be put in a nutshell, the sole purpose of the oil pressure switch in a vehicle is to help the onboard computer issue an alert whenever the oil pressure exceeds the optimal range.

Wondering how dangerous high/ low oil pressure can be for your Mercedes engine? Well, the list below discusses the disastrous consequences of driving a vehicle in which the oil pressure goes up and down like a roller coaster ride…

1. Cracked gaskets and seals because of increased oil pressure.
2. Wear through friction when oil fails to reach distant engine parts due to low oil pressure.
3. Expensive engine repairs.

So, How Can You Know If There Is Something Off With Your Mercedes' Oil Pressure Switch?

Clue #1- Flashing oil pressure light

This is probably the most visible clue you'll get when something is wrong with your Mercedes' oil pressure switch. A faulty oil pressure switch may trick the onboard computer into believing that the oil pressure inside the engine is too low to ensure smooth lubrication of distant engine parts. As a result, the onboard computer may set off the said warning indicator.

So, if your Mercedes' oil pressure warning is flashing, it is not necessarily a low oil pressure warning. This could simply mean that there is something wrong with the oil pressure switch.

Clue #2- Inaccurate gauge readings

Has your Mercedes' oil pressure gauge read abnormally high or low (even down to zero)? This doesn't necessarily have to be a sign of reduced oil pressure or depleted oil level… One possibility as to why this is happening is that the oil pressure switch is bad. Or, the wire connecting it to the rest of the diagnostic system is worn.

Whatever it is that's causing the gauge to display unusual readings needs to be identified and taken care of. If the switch responsible for measuring the oil pressure inside the engine is faulty, consider replacing it.

Clue #3- Engine warning light is on

That's right… An oil pressure switch malfunction can set off your Mercedes' check engine light. So, next time you find your Mercedes' check engine light flashing, check the condition of the oil pressure switch in addition to other components. Anyway, a flashing check engine light is not something that can be left undiagnosed.

Be it a defective oil pressure switch or a faulty oxygen sensor; the glitch because of which the check engine light got triggered needs to be identified and taken care of.

Clue #4- Oil leak

Oil puddles underneath a vehicle are never a good sign. More often than not, it points to a damaged seal or gasket. There have been cases where a faulty oil pressure switch has been found to be behind oil leakage. So, if your Mercedes is leaving oil stains on the driveway, among other things have someone check on its oil pressure switch.

After fixing the culprit that was causing your Mercedes to leak oil, refill the oil level to prevent any serious technical malfunctions because of the depleted oil level.

Clue #5- Strange engine behavior

If there is something wrong with the oil pressure switch, it will have a negative impact on the overall engine operation.

To Sum Things up…

So, there you have it… a list of five signs of oil pressure switch failure in Mercedes cars. It is because of the oil pressure switch that you get to keep an eye on the oil pressure inside the engine. A faulty oil pressure switch may trick the onboard computer into displaying fallacious readings on the gauge.

We at Momentum Motorworks are one of the most sought after german auto specialist in Birmingham. We offer specialists level maintenance for all models of Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche.