Low engine oil level or oil in poor condition (degraded, wrong grade or contaminated); Engine overheating from a cooling system fault such as low coolant, a faulty thermostat, a failing water pump or a blocked radiator; Restricted or failing oil cooler or oil-to-coolant heat exchanger, or blocked airflow to an air-cooled oil cooler; Faulty oil temperature sensor, or wiring or connector fault giving a false high reading; Sustained heavy load such as towing, track use or hard driving in high ambient temperatures; Internal engine wear or fault causing excess friction, low oil pressure or oil aeration.

P0298

Engine Oil Over Temperature.

Generic
Powertrain
Generic code
High severity

How this code is built

P: SystemPowertrain
0: Defined bySAE, the same on every car
2: AreaFuel and air metering (injector circuit)
98: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

P0298 is the generic code for Engine Oil Over Temperature. The engine control unit has seen an oil temperature, from a sensor or a calculated model depending on the vehicle, above the manufacturer's upper limit. Not every vehicle monitors oil temperature directly, so how the figure is measured depends on the make and engine.

Symptoms

Oil temperature warning light or message on the dash
Engine warning light on
Reduced power or limp mode on some vehicles
Engine or cooling fan running harder or more often than normal
Unusually hot smell or visible oil leak or smoke from the engine bay
Oil pressure warning if the oil is very thin or low

Possible causes

Low engine oil level or oil in poor condition (degraded, wrong grade or contaminated)likely
Engine overheating from a cooling system fault such as low coolant, a faulty thermostat, a failing water pump or a blocked radiatorlikely
Restricted or failing oil cooler or oil-to-coolant heat exchanger, or blocked airflow to an air-cooled oil coolerpossible
Faulty oil temperature sensor, or wiring or connector fault giving a false high readingpossible
Sustained heavy load such as towing, track use or hard driving in high ambient temperaturespossible
Internal engine wear or fault causing excess friction, low oil pressure or oil aerationrare

How to diagnose

Read all stored and pending codes and freeze frame data, noting oil and coolant temperature, engine load and speed when the code set
Check the oil level on the dipstick or via the vehicle's oil level function, and inspect the oil's condition and grade against the manufacturer's specification
Check coolant level and look for leaks, then confirm the cooling fans, thermostat and radiator are working normally
Inspect the oil temperature sensor, its wiring and connector for damage, corrosion, heat damage or chafing
Use live data to compare oil temperature with coolant temperature on a cold start and during warm-up, and look for an implausible reading
Check the oil cooler, its lines and any heat exchanger for blockage, leaks or restricted airflow; the layout depends on the model and engine
Check for oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil, and test oil pressure if the oil level and cooling are fine
Test the sensor's resistance or signal against the manufacturer's specification, if the reading looks suspect

How to fix

Correct the oil level and change the oil and filter with the specified grade if it is degraded or incorrect
Repair the cooling system fault found, such as a thermostat, water pump, fan or radiator, or a coolant leak
Clean, flush or replace a blocked or leaking oil cooler or heat exchanger as the model requires
Replace a faulty oil temperature sensor or repair damaged wiring and connectors
Repair any internal engine fault found, following the manufacturer's procedure

Can I keep driving?

High severity

Limit driving: stop and let the engine cool if the oil temperature warning shows, as overheated oil can lose its protection and damage the engine. Check the oil and coolant levels before any further journey, and have it diagnosed before further use.

Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.