How "sensitive" is the low-oil warning?

Background: Changed my oil on Saturday, Sunday drove approximately 60km (40 miles), no issues, this morning, driving to work at about the 22km (16 mile) mark, I got a brief low-oil warning. Stopped, checked, and the oil on the dipstick (as best I could tell in the rain, and pitch dark) was slightly above the 'low' dot. I realized I'd forgotten to top it after the change because I'd wound up moving vehicles, and taking a 'phone call, but.. there was still oil on the stick.

Anyway, carried on, and the warning came back, briefly twice in the remain 10km (7 miles) of my drive. Once for about 5 seconds and once for 20-30. Interestingly, the light came on all three times on more-or-less level travel. There are several significant nose-up and nose-down hills, but no issue there...

Expected/normal, or ?

 

You're fine. You said you checked the dipstick and it read low. You just changed it so you know exactly how much oil is in there.

Top it off when you get home and don't spend another moment worrying.

 

How much oil did you refill with?

 

Refilled with 4 1/4 litre

 

At 4.5qt out of 6.2qt, you're pretty low. What you are seeing on the dipstick is probably from splash on the bottom of the tube. If it was me, I'd get to the closest store.

 

There's a low oil level and a low oil pressure light. As long as it was the low level light, looks like it worked as expected. I'd suspect the low level light is yellow and the low pressure light is red. Red, shut off now. Yellow, top up when you can.

 

Spec is nearly 6 litre no? 6 quarts!

 

I retract this...that's 1.6 quarts less than it needs. Get some oil in that thing!

 

Did your Tacoma at any time smoke or make noises?

 

Ehhh???? Howzzat 4.25 litre = 4.5 quart; yes, low, but not "basically empty".

Don't get me wrong, I know I f***ed up, and in fact the extra oil is sitting on the bench right beside my work area, just a slip of the old brain-box. I was just curious if the amount of oil makes sense for the behaviour? To me it seems a little overly-sensitive.

 

The FSM should explain it, but on most vehicles I've owned, low on the dipstick means add 1/2 to a full quart. You are 1.6 low and it's coming on intermittently. Seems like its spot on to me in terms of sensitivity.

 

Light did it's job. Add the rest of the oil. No harm done. Drive on.

You're a bigger man than most for admitting you underfilled. Considering deleting thread if people start chucking broken engine parts.

 

If a warning light comes on, you've exceeded a threshold. Few are as important as oil. As I posted, I would go buy two quarts now and not drive home in the current situation. It's your wallet though.

 

No smoke, no noise, oil temp (scan gauge) normal

 

I drained the oil completely (approx 5 - 5.25 litres) and added 4.25 litres.

 

Top her off and move along with your day. Check back in 50km to see if it’s burning oil between oil changes.

 

Rest assured, your truck is not going to self destruct between here and the store because it's a quart and a half low. You know what to do.

 

not normal. you should be able to go below stick and still not have a warning. Take it in.

 

First thing I did; check underneath (of course I also FF'd yesterday, so the whole underside smells like hot, melted sheep and has an oily feel....) Beauty of a Fumoto vv; yep, there's DEFINITELY oil in there!

Wasn't worried in the slightest; I know I goofed, but not seriously. I was interested in the behaviour of that warning sensor as it seemed overly sensitive to me.

 

Oil sloshed around in the pan, at some point it sloshed low level and set the light off.