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P0520: Oil pressure sensor/switch circuit malfunction

Electrical fault in the oil pressure sensor circuit. Usually the connector, the wiring or the sensor itself, but low oil pressure must be ruled out.

Code P0520 at a glance
CodeP0520
SystemEngine and transmission
GroupP05xx, Speed, idle and auxiliary inputs
TypeGeneric: it means the same on every make
Can you keep driving?With care

What P0520 means

The oil pressure sensor or switch tells the car whether the engine has enough oil pressure to stay lubricated. Some cars use a simple switch, others a sensor that measures pressure. This code means its circuit is giving an invalid signal, so the car cannot monitor pressure properly.

Most common causes

  • Loose, dirty or oil-soaked sensor connector
  • Broken or bare sensor wire, often from engine heat
  • Faulty oil pressure sensor, or one leaking oil internally
  • Low oil level or genuinely low pressure
  • Instrument cluster or ECU fault, which is rare

Symptoms

  • Oil pressure light on, flickering or never coming on
  • Oil pressure gauge reading oddly, if fitted
  • Engine warning light on

Can you drive with P0520?

With care If the oil level is correct and the engine makes no unusual noises, you can drive carefully to a garage. But without a reliable reading you will not know if pressure drops, so do not put it off.

How to check it

First check the oil level on the dipstick, on level ground and with the engine cold. If it is fine, check the sensor connector, usually on the block near the oil filter. A garage can confirm actual pressure with a mechanical gauge.

How to read and clear P0520 with Final OBD

Plug an OBD2 scanner in under the steering wheel, switch the ignition on and open Final OBD. Under Faults you’ll see P0520 with this same explanation and whether it’s confirmed, pending or permanent.

With Free you read this code with its short description for nothing, and clear it if the engine stores it over standard OBD. With Pro you get the full explanation, how the car was running when it was logged (revs, temperature, load) and clearing in every control unit.

Clearing the code only turns the light off: if the cause is still there, it comes back. Clear it once it’s fixed, and not right before the ITV. It’s all in how to read and clear fault codes and in the ITV and OBD.

Similar codes

P0520 is a generic code, so it means the same on any make, for example on BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Renault, Volkswagen. See what Final OBD does on your car in makes and models.

What does code P0520 mean?

The oil pressure sensor or switch tells the car whether the engine has enough oil pressure to stay lubricated. Some cars use a simple switch, others a sensor that measures pressure. This code means its circuit is giving an invalid signal, so the car cannot monitor pressure properly.

Can you drive with P0520?

If the oil level is correct and the engine makes no unusual noises, you can drive carefully to a garage. But without a reliable reading you will not know if pressure drops, so do not put it off.

How do you clear P0520?

With an OBD2 scanner and an app like Final OBD, which clears it for free if it’s stored by the engine control unit. But clearing it only turns the light off: if the cause isn’t fixed, P0520 comes back.