False alarm on oil level warning?

[SimonB]

Hi guys, I got a warning while driving home yesterday from the engine management system that the oil level was low and to add 1 litre of oil ASAP. Big red graphic showing 'LOW' level and all the associated wording made me shit myself.

Had to pull in to a service station shortly after anyway, to get some fuel and then proceeded to get confused by the oil type 4W, 5W, totally synthetic, suitable for turbo engines, $17 per litre cost etc etc. So, decided to go home and do some research.

Got in the car, started it up and after 10 mins or so, it showed the recalculated oil level... It was... GREEN. N O R M A L... WTF?

Tested it 3 times since then and all looks normal. So, do I just ignore it now or what? I've read the anal stories on some of the US forums about not adding different types of oil, but do I really need to go to the dealer and buy a litre from them?

I'm about 4K's from the first real service (just clicked over 20K's), if that matters. I got an oil change done at around 3K's.

Simon....

Simon....

[Taymaishu]

I had this during my first 2000km's. It gave a warning light after turning the car on, so i pulled over, car off etc.

Turned car on after 5 minutes and it was back to normal, as i know i didn't burn through a whole tank of oil in less than the wear-in period!

I spoke to my dealer about it and said at some times, the oil will guage MAY re-configure itself, which gives the warning temporarily. He said there is nothing to worry about.

[Brissie]

It's happened quite a few times with mine. Stupid car with no dipstick to check the oil level. I see the merit of the computer warning you of low oil level, but can't they make engines that come with real dipstick?

[d3syd]

Were you parked on a slope prior to starting?

[SimonB]

Originally Posted by d3syd

Were you parked on a slope prior to starting?

I did think of that, d3syd - the answer's no, but just before the message, I was stopped at traffic lights on quite a steep downhill gradient.

[SimonB]

Originally Posted by bmw135fan

It's happened quite a few times with mine. Stupid car with no dipstick to check the oil level. I see the merit of the computer warning you of low oil level, but can't they make engines that come with real dipstick?

I concur, I expected to find a 'backup' dipstick under the bonnet, but couldn't so assumed the computerised one was the only method short of draining it.

[BigBoss168]

Originally Posted by bmw135fan

It's happened quite a few times with mine. Stupid car with no dipstick to check the oil level. I see the merit of the computer warning you of low oil level, but can't they make engines that come with real dipstick?

There is a real dipstick - my dealer showed it to me. If you look on page 112 of the manual they describe how to find it. It's at the back of the engine bay near the firewall, on the right hand side.

[Brissie]

Originally Posted by taipan168

There is a real dipstick - my dealer showed it to me. If you look on page 112 of the manual they describe how to find it. It's at the back of the engine bay near the firewall, on the right hand side.

i read that in the manual when I was looking for it, but failed to locate it. May be I am blind, any one else found it?

[SimonB]

Thanks taipan168, will have a look tomorrow. Have to be up at 04:30, so am off to bed!

[AussieRacer]

The TIS manuals make no mention of a non-sensor/electronic dipstick.....so don't try looking too hard

[jksgoh]

Originally Posted by SimonB

I did think of that, d3syd - the answer's no, but just before the message, I was stopped at traffic lights on quite a steep downhill gradient.

It has happened to mine and my dad's car before, both times when the car is stopped on an incline (in our cases downhill) for a little while. I was waiting in a driveway for a couple of mins while in my dad's case he was just waiting at a traffic light. So it seems consistent with your story.
Ps, i dont think parking and turning off your car on an incline/decline has any such effect is i not infrequently park on a decline without any problems.

[SimonB]

Just for anyone interested, I've worked out why this is happening (has happened once or twice since) - d3syd's post helped.

It's all down to timing. What's happening is I start the car in the carpark, head the same way home every time and, some 2-3 minutes later sometimes get stopped by traffic or red lights on the same steep downhill slope at the same time as the computer completes it's initial analysis and, voila, it reads low.

Today, I kept the display on showing "I'm not ready yet" and got delayed a little more than usual and a bit more traffic at the top of the same hill. Just before I started off again, it completed and showed "Normal".

So, I can sleep easily at night again :-)

[AussieRacer]

Downhill slope....yeap that figures. Electronic dipstick is at the rear of the sump, meaning only briefly during heavy braking, or stationary on a downhill slope will cause the sensor confusion.

[amk2912]

Another example of over-engineering. A simple dipstick would have been sufficient.

[clarkyoz]

this just happened after 3 days and 750km in my brand new 1M
scared the absolute crap out of me. Got home stop and start the car and computer showed all green and 100%. WTF?!
understand with the sensor in the rear, however, 1M is supposed to be dry-sump?.

(must admit to some spirited driving during run-in, however that's what they're built for!)

[UR25IO]

Lol I had the same problem when I was around 13000-14000km the guys at Trivett fix it no biggy... But you should at do an oil change every 5000 k

[Kiwi Peter]

Originally Posted by SimonB

Hi guys, I got a warning while driving home yesterday from the engine management system that the oil level was low and to add 1 litre of oil ASAP. Big red graphic showing 'LOW' level and all the associated wording made me shit myself.

Had to pull in to a service station shortly after anyway, to get some fuel and then proceeded to get confused by the oil type 4W, 5W, totally synthetic, suitable for turbo engines, $17 per litre cost etc etc. So, decided to go home and do some research.

Got in the car, started it up and after 10 mins or so, it showed the recalculated oil level... It was... GREEN. N O R M A L... WTF?

Tested it 3 times since then and all looks normal. So, do I just ignore it now or what? I've read the anal stories on some of the US forums about not adding different types of oil, but do I really need to go to the dealer and buy a litre from them?

I'm about 4K's from the first real service (just clicked over 20K's), if that matters. I got an oil change done at around 3K's.

Simon....

Simon....

I know BMW are all about trying to save you there customer money hence the supper large service intervals. But it is false economy as i see it you have done 17,000+ km on the oil in the engine now, all engines use oil i would expect that your engine has burnt off at least 1ltr of oil at this point, not a big deal. But you should change the engine oil and filter every 10,000km i do mine every 5,000km or once a year as a minimum forget the BMW long life service crap always do a interim service. If you are going to run the car beyond the warranty period its cheaper to look after it give it a bit more love than Mr BMW. after all its your car.
There is no dip stick on your engine, i know its crap

[TimMc]

Originally Posted by clarkyoz

1M is supposed to be dry-sump?.

Wet sump Clarky.

[MrBlonde]

Change oil every 5,000 kms or 6 monthly and rest peacefully

[pavo335]

Mmm 5k 10k all in reason IMHO you know how you've driven your car so pick one!

[pavo335]

Originally Posted by TimMc

Wet sump Clarky.

From memory the dry sump is the gearbox :

[BrokenVert]

Mine went off in the middle of me pushing a roundabout. Scared the crap out of me.