VW Passat Oil Warning Lights Point to Faulty Sensors

I faced almost identical oil sensor problems with my 2020 VW Arteon Hybrid. As someone with moderate experience working on VWs, I initially thought it was a serious oil pressure issue, but it turned out to be much simpler. The automotive oil monitoring system was showing erratic readings and triggering various warnings. After some basic troubleshooting, I took it to a workshop where they diagnosed a faulty connection at the oil detection sensor plug. The issue was resolved by cleaning and properly reconnecting the sensor cables, plus replacing one damaged connector. Total repair cost was 95€. The oil sensor symptoms you describe sound very familiar. These sensor issues can sometimes be misleading, making you think there are actual oil pressure problems when its just faulty readings. To help provide more specific guidance: What error codes is your car showing? Have you noticed any actual oil consumption issues? Does the warning appear more frequently when the engine is cold or warm? Are there any other electrical issues present? This information would help determine if your problem matches what I experienced with the sensor connection.

Just had my latest service done at 84715km, and the oil gauge started acting up shortly after. The error codes showing are P0520 and P0523. Oil consumption seems normal with no visible leaks or burning. The warning light typically comes on when the engine is cold, especially during morning starts, but sometimes clears up once warmed. The oil signal warnings are unusual and inconsistent, exactly what you described with the sensor connection issue. No other electrical problems noticed. The timing after the service makes me think something might have been disturbed during maintenance. Based on your experience, I will have the oil detection sensor connections checked first before replacing any parts. Good to know it might be a simpler fix than initially feared.

Thanks for providing those details. Your symptoms match my Arteon case even more closely than I initially thought, especially the cold start warnings and the P0520/P0523 codes which typically indicate oil pressure sensor circuit issues. The timing after your service is particularly telling. When my engine oil was changed during service, the technician later confirmed they had accidentally disturbed the sensor wiring harness. The engine oil pressure was actually fine, but the oil sensor was sending incorrect signals to the computer. A few quick checks you can do: Look for any loose connections around the oil pressure sensor, Check if the sensor connector is properly seated, Inspect for any signs of oil seepage around the sensor area In my case, cleaning the oil sensor connections and securing them properly resolved these exact error codes. If you find everything looks connected, the sensor itself might need replacement, but start with the simpler connection check first. When you visit the workshop, make sure they verify the actual oil pressure readings rather than just relying on the oil gauge readings. This will confirm whether you are dealing with a true pressure issue or just faulty sensor signals.

Thank you for confirming those similar code readings and symptoms. The cold-start warnings and timing after service really point toward sensor connectivity problems rather than actual oil pressure issues, which is reassuring. After our discussion, I will ask my workshop to first inspect the oil sensor connections and wiring harness before jumping to component replacement. Will make sure they also perform proper oil pressure testing to rule out any actual pressure problems, rather than just trusting the oil gauge readings. Will schedule an appointment this week and follow up after they check the engine oil monitoring system. Hopefully it turns out to be just disturbed connections from the recent service work, similar to your Arteon case. The repair cost of 95€ you mentioned seems reasonable if thats all thats needed. Thanks for walking me through your experience, it helped narrow down the likely cause and saved me some worry about potentially bigger engine issues. Will update once I know more about the oil detection system diagnosis.