rx8 - smooth!

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Before leaving on a 450klm trip I checked the oil level and it was halfway between full & top up mark.

I found that when I was doing sustained high speed cruising in sixth gear (about 120/130 kmh thats about 70 to 80 mph) that the oil warning light came on in the dash.

On seeing this I immediately slowed down to around 100 kmh and the light goes off! When I resumed my higher speed levels after about 5 minutes the light came on again.

I am having the car checked by my dealer today but I was wondering if someone knew what this problem is?

rpm_pwr

half-way is generally too low for a long trip particularly during run-in. They probably didnt check the oil during pre-delivery. Either way you need to add oil or get it in for it's first service.

I've had the oil light come on plenty of times in my rx-7's and just added a bit of oil at the next fuel stop.

-pete

rx8 - smooth!

I had the car in for first service today at 1000klms

The dealer checked the oil oil level and it was only half way down on the dipstick.

According to them Mazda have set the oil warning light up very conservatively to ensure that the car never gets too low.

Probably not a bad idea. I just find it a bit strange that it is not mentioned anywhere in their documentation.

rpm_pwr

because if it said in the handbook that you can keep driving with the oil light on, there are too many idiots that would take that to an extreme

-pete

Quick_lude

I actually prefer a very sensitive oil warning sensor. On most cars if you see the oil light come on, it's too late. Good for Mazda.
Although, half way between the full and low mark might be a little too sensitive.. :p

Hercules

I had the same hiccup ... I'm going to add a bit of oil just to top it off so I don't get the warning light again

Should be fine though, just check it when you need to.

yellow8

The engine only has 3.7 quarts of oil.Between the low and full marks accounts for 1.5 quarts.If you are halfway between low and full you could be as low as one quart,which would trigger the low oil light.

Quick_lude

Is this how the dipstick is designed? Because usually it's about 1 quart or .8-1 litre.

DisneyDestroyer

There have been discussions on this. I think the end result was that there are closer to 7 quarts TOTAL, but only ~3.7 drain when you're doing an oil change. So -1 quart will only put you down 13%, not 33%.

mac

I was told that the oil light is really oil pressure gauge and not the level of the oil. When I was still a teenager, I once borrowed my mother's car for the weekend and the oil light came on so I pulled over at a gas station (about 50m away) and checked the oil, it was almost EMPTY She never checks and forgot to take the car in for the last scheduled oil change. Anyways, I added a couple of quarts and took it to the dealer the next day. At the time the mechanic said that the oil light is a pressure gauge in case there is a break in the oil line, it's not meant to warn of low oil level. From that day forth I always checked the level of my oil every 2nd or 3rd fill up (specially if I was borrowing my mother's car :p ).

So is the RX8 light a pressure gauge or oil level gauge?

dcfc3s

Read this -
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/got-my-rx8-back-repair-shop-good-news-8458/

There's a defect in some of the early oil pans that don't have enough baffling, and the oil level sensor is inadvertantly tripped when the oil sloshes around.

Dale

eccles

The light indicates oil level. The gauge indicates the presence or absence of pressure - it is not an analog indication of what that pressure is.

Shard

I took my 8 to the dealer today for the oil light blinking situation and the mechanic said that Mazda was sending all of the dealers new oil pan baffles and oil sensors in a few weeks to put on the already sold 8s. Supposedly the new baffle will lessen the oil sloshing which causes the check oil light to blink.

notoa1

yellow8 is talking about 3.7 quarts of oil?

the rx8 has an 8 quart capacity
i had my oil changed at 2000 miles

eccles

The total lubrication system capacity is around 8 quarts, but the amount drained and replaced in a routine oil change and filter replacement is only 3.7 quarts. This has been discussed at length in previous threads - try the search function.

mantisflie

I had the exact same problem today Rx8! I was passing someone on the freeway and the light came on. Scared the crap out of me!! I slowed down and it went out, and so I added some oil when I got to work (after it cooled down). I have roughly 1700 miles on it, and the dipstick read about half way between add and full when I checked it. It did seem to go on and off the way gas lights do when the gas is sloshing. :D

ibfubar2000

one of our techs just got back from rx8 training. he asked about the oil light. (mine also came on at 1,000 miles or so) this is normal and not a huge panic type issue. it is for oil level. it is set to be sensitive. because alot of people who own cars do not check their oil so mazda has the oil level light come on so people will check the oil. all you have to do is check oil and add if nec. it is going to be more of a hassle for the owners but i personally think it is a good idea, because i have seen a lot of cars damaged for lack of oil or lack of oil changes and since it is a rotary it is going to be using more oil then a piston engine. if you do not want to see the light then just check your oil on a regular basis. it seems to be about 1/2 - 1 quart every 1,000 -1,500 miles then the light comes on, again it is not a huge panic just check your oil!

l_doggy

I don't have enough miles on my Rx-8 to determine first hand if there is an issue with the oil level light, but if what people are reporting is true, then there's either a problem with the dipstick indicator or the oil level sensor. One report said even the dealer added oil and still was able to trigger the sensor.

I would tend to believe that Mazda engineers at the factory are pretty good and they would consider it a problem to have the dipstick indicator say oil does not need to be added and then the oil level sensor says more oil is needed. They should be calibrated to give the same indication with enough margin to avoid false trips. Sometimes the sales/marketing guys try to avoid panic and tend to downplay the problem until a fix is available (i.e. new baffles) to field support and customers.

I'm coming close to 1k miles so I guess I'll find out myself shortly whether my Rx-8 has an issue. Either way it doesn't seem like a big deal for the RX-8 (my marketing background coming thru). Initial car problems are a good way for the customer to get to know their dealer and for the dealer to prove themselves to the customer. :0)

elliotshev

I have just over 1500 miles on mine and have not seen this. I just went and checked the oil level. It is down about 3/4 qt. I drive the care fairly hard and have not seen the light come on. Being that I live in southern California, I don't alway drive fast on the freeway. Tomorrow I will top it off, as I do not have any oil on hand.

ibfubar2000

you should check you oil now....

Napboy

Oil changes are dangerous. I just burnt my hand checking the oil. Damn this engine runs hot!

sferrett

Hang on a minute - you're saying you live in Southern California and you don't always drive fast on the freeway?

Everyone always drives fast on the freeways, except when in a traffic jam!

Puppy1

Traffic Jams occur everytime I'm on the freeway in So. Cali.

sferrett

I got pulled over on I-8 west last night around 8pm... I was doing 81 and I saw a motorbike zipping through traffic and then the flashing lights...

Once I pulled over he was really quite cool, asked me how fast I was going (I said.. "uh.. 75 or so") and he let me go with a warning and a "nice car"... :-)

tripwire

Well, my oil light came on today, I was doing 85 down the highway and it light up, freaked me out, but I remembered this thread so I checked it as soon as I got off the highway.

It seemed really low, I can't really tell how to read the dipstick as there are no marks or indicators (as the manual says there are), but it was just slightly above the second "mark". I added 1/2 quart of non-synthetic 5W-20, called the dealer. They said they haven't heard of a problem with the baffles or the oil pan or sensors but they want me to bring it in anyway.

I'll see how it goes.