What is a common symptom of a failing oil pump in a gasoline engine?

A failing oil pump in a gasoline engine often leads to low oil pressure, which is a critical issue. The oil pump is essential for circulating engine oil throughout the engine, ensuring proper lubrication of moving parts. When the pump isn't functioning correctly, the oil may not reach all necessary components effectively, resulting in insufficient lubrication.

The low oil pressure warning light serves as an indicator that the oil pump is not maintaining the required pressure within the lubrication system. Ignoring this warning can lead to severe engine damage due to increased friction, overheating, and potential engine failure.

While increased engine temperature can be a consequence of poor lubrication, it's more of a secondary symptom and can arise from other issues as well. Excessive fuel consumption and higher emissions levels are typically related to problems in the fuel system or combustion processes rather than a failing oil pump. Thus, the specific connection between a defective oil pump and the low oil pressure warning light makes it the most common and recognizable symptom in this context.