What does it mean when the teapot light comes on?

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May 31, 2002
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St. Charles County, Missouri
For some reason I signed up for a couple of Facebook Kia Soul groups. The above subject heading was posted yesterday. Similar posts come up at least monthly. People too dumb to check a dipstick, yet they all name their cars. I've had good luck with my Hertz '17 Soul+. At least a rental company changes the oil and if people whom I've talked to are telling the truth, pulls the dipstick when rentals are returned. Better to buy from Hertz than some spoiled high school kid given a new car to destroy by her parents.

I should talk, my daughter trashed a perfectly good Geo Prizm by running it dry then when I yelled at her, throwing a quart in at every fill up until she had about eight quarts of froth in there. Still yell at my kids ABOUT CHECKING THE DIPSTICK, even though they're pushing forty.

BTW- I made a not too supportive post to "Ashley" and her Teapot post telling her it makes me sad when Gen Z'ers willfully destroy property. They may cancel-culture me for not making her feel good about herself.
 
At least a rental company changes the oil and if people whom I've talked to are telling the truth, pulls the dipstick when rentals are returned.

Last rental I had was a Jetta in Austin. Low oil message appeared about 40 miles into my trip. It was down an entire quart.

I did the responsible thing and dumped a quart of 0W20 in. No VW 508/509 to be had at Autozone, so it got a Dexos fill.
 
Last rental I had was a Jetta in Austin. Low oil message appeared about 40 miles into my trip. It was down an entire quart.

I did the responsible thing and dumped a quart of 0W20 in. No VW 508/509 to be had at Autozone, so it got a Dexos fill.
Any oil is better than no oil.

This reminds me about the 710 cap. Clueless people never cease to amaze me.
 
Coworker's girl friend has a Kia Soul. She just had the engine replaced under warranty. Said it was something about burning oil. Makes me wonder what really happened. I was taught from a very young age to check the oil. It was part of my chores to check the oil in our Family cars before I was even close to driving.
 
At almost 80,000 miles I'm burning a quart about every 3500 miles. I'm sure if someone took it to the maximum 7500 and never pulled the dipstick the engine WOULD need replacing. I'm OCD about few things in life but checking the dipstick is one of 'em. Check multiple times a week.

I suspect there's an inverse proportion of engine failures to named cars in any model of car. I'm 75 and never had the slightest desire to name any car, this Soul FB site drives me crazy with long threads of all the Ashleys asking what name their Souls should be called.
 
Sunday mornings, I wake up, make coffee and check oil in both cars, while stone cold and parked in the garage.

Also check coolant, belts, and wiper fluid.

Five minutes out of my week.
 
People too dumb to check a dipstick,
Some cars/engines don't even have oil dipsticks anymore. Manufacturers started eliminating them, maybe thinking that nobody looks under the hood anyway anymore, or maybe because they want you to take your car to the dealer for every little thing. But at least they should be able to display a message on your dashboards that you need to add oil. I think spelling it out is better than relying on icons because the younger generation only knows chat/texting emojis. And you never use a teapot emoji when texting your friends, so nobody knows what it means.

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Although I have not traveled to France lately, about twenty years ago, I leased a Renault Laguna for seven weeks. It had the feature whereby you could check the oil level by simply turning ignition on but not starting for a few seconds. Oil level would show up.
Car also had a dip stick but after seeing it read the same, I never checked the dip stick again.

Later Lacuna’s I’ve leased did not have this feature.
 
I'm an ass and would have done the same thing you did, OP.

I'm also a hypocrite, so maybe you should stop being an ass and actually provide helpful comments on the forum you joined VOLUNTARILY...
 
...maybe you should stop being an ass and actually provide helpful comments on the forum you joined VOLUNTARILY...

My thoughts too. OP you sound like a typical boomer, complaining how the younger generation doesn't know basic things, yet you didn't actually help change that. If someone asks for genuine help and receives ridicule for being ignorant where's the motivation for them to get help in the future?
 
I'm an ass and would have done the same thing you did, OP.

I'm also a hypocrite, so maybe you should stop being an ass and actually provide helpful comments on the forum you joined VOLUNTARILY...
I actually did and have done so on several occasions. I always point out that I check my dipstick several times a week. Maybe some people read that and do that. Once HyunKia engines get below the add line they seem to cook pretty quickly.
 
Millennial here - I still check my oil every time I get gas.
That might change if I ever buy a BMW(electronic level sensor) or a Tesla(no dipstick or fluids besides gearbox, brake fluid and coolant).
 
I try to check my oil every fill up if the weather is nice. Works out to be about once a week.

Every day I do a quick spot check on my tires though. No punctures, pressure, etc.
 
BTW- I made a not too supportive post to "Ashley" and her Teapot post telling her it makes me sad when Gen Z'ers willfully destroy property.


I'd say "willfully destroying property" is a bit ridiculous of a claim. Are they ignorant of what is required to maintain a vehicle properly? Of course, but to say they are willfully destroying property is pretty stupid. Trust me, I used to work in auto insurance claims, and have seen plenty of scenarios where people "willfully" destroyed property. Get off your high horse, your "not too supportive posts" do nothing to make the world a better place, why don't you actually post something helpful?
 
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.
 
Some cars/engines don't even have oil dipsticks anymore. Manufacturers started eliminating them, maybe thinking that nobody looks under the hood anyway anymore, or maybe because they want you to take your car to the dealer for every little thing. But at least they should be able to display a message on your dashboards that you need to add oil. I think spelling it out is better than relying on icons because the younger generation only knows chat/texting emojis. And you never use a teapot emoji when texting your friends, so nobody knows what it means.



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I am LMAO.....snake in a trash can. LOL
 
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