Hello all, first post here so if I can shed more light on the problem let me know. I have a used 2015 tfsi and today is the first decent temperature day it's been driven since I changed the oil. We went out today and stopped a few times and every time we started the car again the message came up "shut engine off, low oil pressure" or something. Oil isn't low at all, we do have the normal chain rattle on cold start, but I did change with a higher viscosity oil than I'm used to using about 660 miles ago. Liqui moly molygen 5w-40. I live in eastern Kentucky so it's anything but flat-land and I have heavy tires on the car, not sure if any of that matters lol. Engine isn't acting up at all and doesn't have any new noises. Think it could be a bad sensor or am I in trouble? Do not have vcds cable yet unfortunately and closest Audi dealer is 2 hours away. Thanks in advance

 

Was this the first time you've DIY changed oil on this car, or simply first time you used a higher viscosity oil? What's the temp outside there when this occurs?

What did you run in it prior?

There's certainly nothing wrong with the Liqui Moly Molygen 5W40 besides it is going to be a bit thicker when the car is cold starting in extreme Winter conditions, like the temps we've recently endured. Are you sure the oil filter got installed correctly with the anti-drain valve/plug located where it belongs in the housing, and did you use a quality oil filter?

I think that if you did everything correctly, it could just be a combo of the cold weather when you changed the oil in addition to thicker oil viscosity, and the oil filter housing not being full when you started it, so there was a lag and lack of oil pressure sensed, which triggered that initial warning.

The thing about the warnings on this car is they don't just go away; you have to hookup a scan tool and clear them. Go to a parts store nearby, and have them scan codes and clear them, then restart, etc. If they have one that is VAGCOM scan tool, then it'll be able to read all the fault codes on car rather than simply the CEL-linked fault codes, so ask.

There is a variable oil pressure pump that uses a switchover solenoid to move between low/high flow rates, and there's a pressure sensor linked to that solenoid, so after you start the car rev it up past 2500 rpm approx and that'll allow the high flow oil rate to kick in, which will silence any cold start noises and let you know the oil is flowing properly.

As I don't have all the facts, suffice it to say that what your car really wanted you to put in it was a 0W40 a few weeks back, which is gonna flow easier/quicker in frigid Winter temps. I also add oil to the oil filter housing before I close it up, so it's not empty when I start the car the first time post-change.

 

Thank you for the reply. This is the first oil change the car has had since owning so I'm not sure what it had in before. I misspoke when I posted and I should say the temperature yesterday was the first slightly warm day in awhile (58°f), the car never actually said the when it was colder temps. I used a mann filter and I put the new filter together how the one I took out was assembled. I did however change the plastic filter housing to a metal housing so maybe I seated a gasket wrong? I always put a little old oil to wet the filter and seat it properly so I didn't figure that was the issue. I revved it up to about 2200 rpm once and it seemed like everything was fine. Based off of Google research I figured it could just be a sensor going bad. Again thanks for the reply

 

If you saying the car was fine in the colder temps, but today it was relatively Springlike out at 58 F, and it's just started throwing low oil pressure codes today, then it's most likely the sensor or that variable solenoid getting stuck. Do yourself a favor and get the car scanned at local auto parts store to see what it'll tell you rather than just driving it as-is with that warning popping, and check the oil level/look for oil leaks based on what you replaced on it.

 

You can also receive these types warnings/alerts if an electrical connection wasn't fully secured (they all have a locking tab) and has since come apart, etc., which is very possible based on your replacement of the oil filter housing, me thinks. I've seen warnings like this after disconnecting a sensor or solenoid, so check your electricals.