VW Golf TDI Oil Pressure Warning, Sensor Issue Alert

As someone with moderate experience working on VWs, I dealt with a very similar issue on my 2012 VW Jetta TDI. The symptoms were identical, oil pressure warning and check engine light appearing together. After taking it to my regular workshop, they diagnosed it as a faulty temperature sensor connection. The car diagnostics revealed the temp sensor itself was fine, but the cable and plug connection had deteriorated over time. The automotive sensor wiring can get brittle and create false readings. The fix was straightforward, they replaced the wiring harness for the car sensor assembly and properly secured all connections. Total cost was 95€ including labor. Since then, no more warning lights or issues. Before suggesting this is definitely your problem, could you share: Current mileage on your Golf, Whether the warnings appear when cold or at operating temperature, If you notice any actual oil pressure or temperature issues, Recent maintenance history The temp sensor system on these TDI engines is pretty similar across the Golf/Jetta platform, but knowing these details would help confirm if your situation matches what I experienced.

Thanks for the response. My Golf has 147663km and just had its regular service last month where they changed the oil and filters. The warnings typically show up after driving for about 15 minutes when the engine is warm. I have not noticed any actual engine performance issues or unusual oil temperature readings before the warnings appear. The oil gauge shows normal readings until the warning suddenly pops up. I checked the service records and the oil sensor assembly has never been replaced, so your suggestion about the wiring harness makes sense given the age of the car. Did you notice the warnings were intermittent before replacing the harness in your case?

Thanks for those details. Yes, on my Jetta the warnings were definitely intermittent at first before becoming more frequent. The pattern you describe with warnings appearing after reaching operating temperature matches my experience exactly. The fact your engine temperature and performance remain normal strongly suggests a sensor-related issue rather than an actual oil pressure problem. The oil temp sensor system and wiring on these TDI engines commonly start failing around 140000-150000km, which aligns with your mileage. Since you just had service done, we can rule out oil level or quality issues. The timing of the warnings, appearing once the engine is warm, is a classic sign of failing sensor connections. As the components heat up, the damaged wiring creates false readings. I would recommend getting the wiring harness checked and likely replaced soon. While the car runs fine, faulty sensor readings could eventually trigger limp mode or other protective measures. The repair cost should be similar to what I paid (around 95€), assuming no other issues are found. Just keep monitoring your actual oil temperature and pressure gauges. As long as those read normally and the engine runs well, you can schedule the repair at your convenience.

Based on your feedback about the wiring harness issues and costs, I'll probably schedule this repair next week. Your symptoms matched mine exactly, especially the timing of when the warnings appear after the engine warms up. I feel better knowing this is likely just an oil sensor wiring issue rather than actual engine problems. Since the car runs normally and the temp readings are fine until the warnings trigger, I agree its probably just worn sensor connections causing false alerts. Will have my mechanic check the wiring harness specifically, since 150000km seems to be about when these temperature sensor systems start having issues. The 95€ repair cost seems reasonable to fix it now before it potentially causes other problems. Thanks again for sharing your experience. Always helpful to hear from someone who had the same issue fixed successfully.