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Hi everyone! I have an ‘06 Pure CDI with 131,000 kms. About 5 weeks ago out of the blue the oil warning light came on while driving on the highway. I stopped immediately and checked the oil level, it was within normal range on the dipstick. I added a small amount to top it up anyway.. I started the engine and the light stayed on continuously, I listened for any odd or different sounds from the engine and noticed nothing differently. I let the engine idle still with the light on and got out of the drivers seat to get a closer listen to the engine bay areas for strange or alarming sounds... nothing noticeable.. when I returned to the drivers seat, the oil light was gone out. I shut the engine down and restarted it a few more times and couldn’t duplicate the low oil pressure light to come on again. I returned home, about 20 Kms away and decided to change the engine oil and filter, which was due to be done anyway. The oil and filter had no contamination or metal filings or bits present. Just normal black sooty oil. We drove the Smart for about 3-4 weeks and put just over 1500kms more on it without any issues. One evening my wife called me and she was on the side of the highway, just outside of St. John’s and the oil warning light was flickering and flashing randomly, sometimes going completely out for a few seconds, then on solid for a few seconds etc... no rhyme or reason to the light indication. She checked the engine oil and the level was good. Looked underneath the engine for oil leaks or strange “hot smells”, odd noise etc.. all seemed ok. At this point I suspected the oil light was telling a false indication of low oil pressure. As a precaution we drove the car a short distance further and left it at the in-laws place until I could check the oil pressure with a gauge adapted to the engine to prove my theory. I returned the next week with an oil pressure gauge and an M12x1.5 o-ring boss adapter to fit the gauge line in place of the oil pressure switch (located above the spin on oil filter cover). The temp was -6*C. I started the engine first and the red oil light was on. I released the parking brake and the car jarred about 1/2” movement when I did.. the oil light went out. I was further convinced there is a short occurring on the pressure switch ligh circuit and this small movement of the car had jiggled the chafed wire loose, turning off the oil warning light. I then installed the pressure gauge and I started the engine, the oil pressure climbed all the way to 64 psi. I warmed the engine gradually to normal operating temp. It had a flat idle hot oil pressure of 19-20 psi, a mid range rpm oil pressure of 40-50 psi and a full gallop oil pressure of 58-60 psi. This is indeed good and normal oil pressure for the CDI. Smart CDI engines are somewhat known for oil pump drive failure, causing no oil pressure to occur and the red oil pressure warning light to illuminate, luckily mine turned out to be a false light. Do not assume yours is fine also without attaching an oil pressure gauge and reading the actual oil pressure in operation. Running the engine with a true oil warning light lit will destroy the engine VERY quickly. Good Luck!
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