Intermittent Red Triangle when coasting - low oil?

it is probably the oil. you shouldn't wait for an oil change to top up, and now that you know it is burning oil, you should check it regularly, like every fill up.

codes will be stored unless the 12v is disconnected.

 

1. After adding a quart of oil, where is the oil level on the dipstick?
2. A low engine oil situation is not going to result in a logged diagnostic trouble code. If you did not see any warning lights on besides the master warning red triangle, there will be no DTC to retrieve.

 

You drive the car on which the oil wasn't showing up on the dipstick? That's no good. I would not drive the car until I saw oil at an appropriate level.

 

I predict that a replacement engine or car is in your near future if you continue to drive with an inadequate engine oil level.

 

Just when I thought I'd heard everything, then something like this comes along.

You guys had better watch out. "Negative" comments like that can get you in trouble.

 

I had the exact same issue a few years ago. It is obvious that engine is burning a lot of oil. This is very common for Prius if oil level was not monitored and topped off on the very regular basis. The only true fix is to rebuild / replace the engine. Catalytic converter probably will also need to be replaced soon. Both repairs are expensive, but will fix the problem.

 

It is not negative comments, per se, that gets a poster in trouble, it is the attitude in which the information is delivered that is usually the issue.

 

So u add 1 qt, oil still doesn't show up on the dipstick, and you drive the car anyway? The warning indicator goes off after doing so, and you still dont add more oil and you continue driving it? Am I reading this correctly?

 

My comment was meant as a joke.....mostly.
It's REALLY hard to accurately judge "attitude" in a written statement.
Some people don't seem to know what "constructive criticism" is these days.

 

So this was happening with my car. And it was the low oil. However the oil was really really low the engine oil was smoking and there was just a tiny bit of black oil at the bottom of the dipstick. I know my car is burning oil now. What can I expect, should I do and is there any way to fix this problem? What would happen if I had kept driving with no oil in the car?

 

1. Expect that the engine oil will continue to drop.
2. What to do: Keep the engine oil level full, which means the oil must reach (but not exceed) the second dimple on the dipstick. Measure engine oil level on the dipstick each time you refuel, after the engine has been turned off for five minutes. Keep a quart of 5W-30 engine oil in the car for your use in replenishing the engine oil level. The oil level must always be kept above the first dimple.
3. How to fix: Replace the engine. For now, that would be overkill. See what the engine oil consumption rate is. When the consumption worsens to more than 1 quart per 1,000 miles, you should consider getting rid of the car or replacing the engine, as the catalytic converter will start to clog up with so much oil being burnt.

1. The engine would fail due to lack of lubrication. In extreme cases metal fatigue would cause a bearing to fail, metal to shear, and a hole might appear in the side of the engine.
2. You would be stuck on the side of the road with your car, calling for a tow truck.

 

1) You should have known that long ago.....IF you had been checking the oil regularly like you should.
2) You were right on the verge of a total engine melt-down......and some additional damage probably was done beyond the "normal wear".
3) You can expect......nobody knows. It might run for another couple of years or it might die tomorrow.

What can you do now:
If you haven't already, you need to fill it up with oil, drive it a hundred miles or so and then change the oil.
Using something like a 10W40 high mileage oil might help some.
Have it inspected for obvious leaks......but don't hold your breath.

4) Start shopping for a newer car.

Did they really MAKE a Prius in 1998 ??

 

Low oil in a 12-year-old car with lunar mileage is not to be unexpected.
In fact....if you've been replacing the oil regularly and this is the first time that the flickering light of shame has occurred then I would suggest that your car is in pretty good shape - but remember!!!!

....An 80 year old human that is in very good shape requires a different level of maintenance than the same human when he or she was 20 years old.

You just paid for a radiator, and so here's what I would do:

1. Immediately buy a quart of oil (5W30) and keep it with you, and check your oil level every time you load fuel. Your oil was just changed according to your OP, so I presume that the level is pretty close to being topped off or something more catastrophic was discovered since you haven't been beck yet.
2. If you get to the point of having to put a significant amount of oil into the car every time you stop for gas (like: 1/4 of the quart) then it's time to consider next steps.....either a heart transplant or hospice.
3.Otherwise.....if you're not burning a significant amount of oil, then you can back the dipstick checks off to about once a month or every 3rd tank or so.

The Op lives in the Bay State.
They use VETs in states like that for very different reasons than they do in fly-over country.


....this means that it's going to be a self-solving problem.