What does it mean when the teapot light comes on?

[WylieCoyote]

I wish they would just say low oil instead of something that somehow looks like a teapot then their wouldn't be any issue. I wonder how many people process with their 2000 mile tripnl and wait until they get home to look it up in the owners manual.

It is pretty clear that they need to do away with the oil can symbol. Nobody's seen an oil can shaped like that in many years. LOW OIL is pretty unmistakable. A genie lamp isn't. But people are going to have to pull up their big girl panties and learn to check their oil, unless ALL manufacturers are planning to do away with the dipstick and install oil level sensors, which I don't see happening. No matter how modern cars are getting, they will still consume oil. C'mon parents, step up. I don't check my oil every Saturday morning because I was born with that knowledge. Thanks, Dad.

 

[jeepman3071]

It is pretty clear that they need to do away with the oil can symbol. Nobody's seen an oil can shaped like that in many years. LOW OIL is pretty unmistakable. A genie lamp isn't. But people are going to have to pull up their big girl panties and learn to check their oil, unless ALL manufacturers are planning to do away with the dipstick and install oil level sensors, which I don't see happening. No matter how modern cars are getting, they will still consume oil. C'mon parents, step up. I don't check my oil every Saturday morning because I was born with that knowledge. Thanks, Dad.

Agreed! I'm 30, and I only know what an oil can looks like because I like working on antique tractors and equipment, and have seen them around. I doubt anyone in my family knows what an oil can looks like, and they haven't sold oil in cans or used oil cans to lubricate things in years.

I also doubt that car manufacturers pushing "factory fill" transmissions and other non-serviceable things has helped anything.

 

[The motor guy]

Afaik the old oil cans were either round like a can of beans or rectangular shaped, not like a genie bottle

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Always looked more like a gravy bowl than an oil can.

 

[Astro14]

Even my son’s 19 year old Volvo will say “Oil pressure low, stop immediately” in its primitive LED driver information window in the instrument cluster. Modern cars have the means to give precise, directive information...so, why don’t they?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

It means the car is short and stout