Ford Mondeo OIL Sensors Do They Work??

BYALPHAINDIA

I am a long time 'FORD' Driver, And I have noticed & experienced an engine seizure on the first Mondeo I had.

The OIL Sensors on the 3 Mondeos I have had have never worked, To the effect of showing low OIL.

I am now on my 4th Mondeo and I checked the OIL the other day, And it is ok, But I can hear a 'tapping' sound as though it has not got enough OIL in to lubricate the Piston 'Bottom' Ends??

Is this a 'Design' fault with the Mondeo, Or is it just the age of the cars eg 8/10 years old??

I will never forget the engine seizure I had on my first Mondeo, No OIL light came on and I didn't realise the engine was low on OIL the engine seized in a spectacular and noisy fashion!!!.

The sensor did not tell me that the engine needed more OIL!!

On the Mondeo you have to be very careful what 'Viscosity' of the OIL you use, It is the 'Synthetic' on the Zetec engine.

Has anyone else had any similar problem, Or noticed that their OIL sensor is not working to show No OIL??

Any Garage Men/Women know the answer??

Many Thanks.

Conor_3

OH MY GOD. An 8-10 year old Mondeo doesn't have an oil sensor. In fact, neither do any MK1, MK2 or MK3 so that's not one single Mondeo with an oil level sensor from 1993 when they were introduced up to at least 2007. I don't know if the MK4 has.

THE OIL LIGHT IS TO TELL YOU THERE IS NO OIL PRESSURE, NOT THAT THERE IS NO OIL.
THAT IS WHAT THE DIPSTICK IN THE ENGINE BAY IS FOR.


If you'd actually bothered reading the manual, you'd have known this. !!!!!!, it's hardly a secret. By the time the light comes on, the damage has been done.

That tapping sound is actually the hydraulic tappets and it's common for a Mondeo to do it when they start to get near 100,000 miles, especially if they've been owned by someone who thinks the oil pressure warning light is a low oil level light.

anewman

The light should come on when the car is being started, and then go out when sufficient oil pressure is reached to put it out. This shows that it is working. As it's an oil pressure switch and not a level sensor you'll find that the oil will be way long gone off the bottom of the dipstick before the light comes on, and when/if that light comes on you need to pull over immediately. Red light means danger!

I'd have thought you'd be a bit more careful about this having previously killed a car due to lack of oil. Check that dipstick every week or two!!

harveybobbles

They have an oil pressue sensor which is crap and fails left, right and centre, but never heard of an oil level sensor, like BMW's and most VAG stuff...

kaya

what connor said but a little more tactfull

Tally-Ho_2

BYALPHAINDIA wrote: »

On the Mondeo you have to be very careful what 'Viscosity' of the OIL you use, It is the 'Synthetic' on the Zetec engine.

It doesn't have to be synthetic, it can use a semi synthetic - I have taken this from my dad's Mondeo handbook

''Ford recommend 5W-30 Semi-synthetic for the Zetec (now Duratec) engines, such as Ford's own Formula E 5W-30 semi-synthetic oil or equivalent oil to the same Ford specification''.

Also as posted above, I maybe a humble female but even I know, the oil light is for oil pressure and not to tell you to top it up.

Tally.

espresso

BYALPHAINDIA wrote: »

Is this a 'Design' fault with the Mondeo, Or is it just the age of the cars eg 8/10 years old??

No it's the nut behind the wheel that is at fault!

:rolleyes:

Conor_3

Tally-Ho wrote: »

Also as posted above, I maybe a humble female but even I know, the oil light is for oil pressure and not to tell you to top it up.

Tally.

As does my missus, my mum, my mates other halfs and pretty much every woman I know. So it isn't a "woman driver" issue.

Tallymanjohn

None of the car's I've had with oil level sensors use a warning light, they give you an actual 'oil ok' 'oil low' warning via the computer display. As has been mentioned, Fords seem to have been pretty slow on implementing level sensors - not too sure if my wife's '06 Focus even has it. The first car I had it on was a '97 Vauxhall Omega & it was a bit of a novelty then as I know my mate's Mondeo Ghia didn't have the same facility. And, to be honest, I still occasionally 'dip' the oil when topping up screenwash etc. - I work with computers so I know not to trust them completely.

Anyway, as has been suggested, all owners should at least take a bit of time to RTFM (Read The Flipping Manual)

jaydeeuk1

Parents 97 megane has an oil sensor with on screen display. Even so they don't trust the french electrics and always check the stick manually.

vikingaero

Lots of French cars have this as standard. BMW now have it on some of their car. Fords generally have never had it. The oil can light is the low oil presure warning light.