Troubleshooting Tips for a John Deere Oil Pressure Warning Light

Jerry Nelson

Scott, a reader from Texas, wrote in about the oil pressure warning light on his tractor going on and off. He checked the oil level and it's fine. What else might be causing the light to come on?

The most likely cause is a low oil level, perhaps a leak from the seals or gasket. There could be a plugged filter, said Allen Drake, an adjunct faculty member in the agriculture division at Lake Land Community College in Illinois. The light might also be an alert of something more serious, such as worn bearings, crankshaft, or oil pump.

"The first thing I would do is check the oil level. If the oil level is correct, then I would use a different gauge to verify that there is a problem," Drake said. "If I see that there is a problem, if my gauge agrees with the warning system on the tractor, then I would probably want to disassemble the engine and start looking for wear in parts."

It's possible a light that goes on and off could be caused by a weak or failing oil pressure sending unit, which is also called an oil pressure switch. Drake said the engine should not be operated once the light comes on because it can quickly become serious.

"If you continue to run it with an oil pressure light on, first we need to think the oil pressure is responsible for keeping metal parts separated," Drake said. "The oil pressure keeps an oil film between rotating parts. If there's no oil pressure, the oil film will be removed and then you have metal-on-metal contact, which can be very expensive damage."

To avoid risking damage, Drake said call your dealer immediately.