oil warning then nothing next day

Dougeefresh · 11-11-2013, 11:42 AM

I got a warning about the oil level at minimum yesterday and told me to add a quart.
Today, no warning, nothing.
Should I still add a quart?

osteome · 11-11-2013, 11:53 AM

How long did you drive today? It may have been a valid warning yesterday and may take some additional time to "register" today. I would keep a quart handy, just in case, but would probably wait until you see the warning again.

Edward · 11-11-2013, 12:09 PM

Laggy crappy oil sensor. If it's a day from the first time you saw it, give it a bit more time and see where it registers a couple more times in local commuting. Also don't add the full quart immediately. Overfilling is a real issue. When you're down at the rock bottom minimum line on the instrument cluster, you can safely add a full quart. Engine holds a tick under 9 total quarts btw.

Dougeefresh · 11-11-2013, 12:24 PM

Drove as much as I did until the light came on yesterday. Guess I will wait to see if it comes on again. Thanks.

W/// · 11-11-2013, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dougeefresh

I got a warning about the oil level at minimum yesterday and told me to add a quart.
Today, no warning, nothing.
Should I still add a quart?

Never add 1 quart in one go. I always do 1/4 or 1/2 and see where the level is.

typicaltrabes · 11-11-2013, 12:46 PM

I had this not too long ago. I got a message and then for 2 days nothing.... it comes back. If I were you I would keep a Quart handy and as soon as it comes up again I would put it in.

DBH · 11-11-2013, 06:11 PM

BTW, it's liters NOT quarts.

There is a difference!

jphughan · 11-11-2013, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBH

BTW, it's liters NOT quarts.

There is a difference!

Actually the warning says quart, but the bottles and fill spec are in liters... sigh. Anyway, it's only 1.05 quarts to a liter, so the difference only really matters if you're doing a full oil change; 8.8 liters is 9.3 quarts, so you definitely don't want to do 9.3 liters.

OP, drive 5 miles, then pull over on a level surface and while the engine idles, tell the car to remeasure the oil -- twice. Then add 1/4 quart or even 1/2 quart LESS than what it wants.

GVIFlyer · 11-11-2013, 07:29 PM

Sometimes with changing temperatures the oil quantity sensor gets confused. Although it's a 1,000 miles since the car's first oil change, it thought for a little while yesterday that it was overfilled.

M4Now! · 11-12-2013, 12:13 PM

I just had the opposite problem as you (meaning it's typical). I got the half-quart low warning, but having had some experience waited a few days to make sure it stayed there. It did, so I put in 1/4 quart to see how it changed.

No change... Odd, so a few days later put in a bit less than another 1/4 quart.

Still nothing. Waited a few more days, and presto - suddenly the oil level jumps up to full! The guys recommending you wait, and warning you about overfilling are right on.

Having an oil sensor with a dipstick would be useful - having an oil sensor without a dipstick is just a PITA.

Cheers

Dougeefresh · 11-13-2013, 09:33 AM

The warning came back and I added 1/2 L two days ago. Still getting the warning and no change to the level (still at min). Gonna wait a couple of days to see what happens

dparm · 11-23-2013, 11:41 AM

Just keep an eye on it. Sensor might be a tad flakey.

pkimM3r · 12-10-2013, 09:47 AM

One time i had half level readout and when i updated to 240e jspec, it said full!! It took about 4 days to read half again. Then added 200mL then waited a few days ans added another 100mL and waited a few days. Then presto, reading at full.

JEllis · 12-12-2013, 07:30 PM

The gauge is such a pain. I believe its crucial to keep the oil at the top of the range but the difference between min and max appears to vary. During my last oil change the oil went from min to max with probably 1/8th of liter. I spent hours filling a little at a time after the first 8ish liters, driving a few miles, checking the reading and then filling a little more.

TX · 02-12-2014, 10:23 PM

Our lousy sensor can only calculate 1/2 L adjustments to the oil level so I try to only make changes 1/2 L at a time then let it re-calculate for a day of driving to make sure it got a good read. Sometimes it won't change for 2 drive cycles and then will decide to change on the next drive. It's a real pain.

11-11-2013, 11:42 AM	#1
Dougeefresh Second Lieutenant 76 Rep 268 Posts Drives: 2011 E92 JB Join Date: May 2013 Location: Earth iTrader: (1)	oil warning then nothing next day I got a warning about the oil level at minimum yesterday and told me to add a quart. Today, no warning, nothing. Should I still add a quart? Last edited by Dougeefresh; 11-11-2013 at 12:23 PM..
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11-11-2013, 11:53 AM	#2
osteome Major 195 Rep 1,275 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Germany iTrader: (4)	How long did you drive today? It may have been a valid warning yesterday and may take some additional time to "register" today. I would keep a quart handy, just in case, but would probably wait until you see the warning again. __________________ 2022 M4 Competition ConvertibleDravit / Tartufo Full / Carbon Fiber Exterior...loaded 2020 X5:MW/Coffee Extended Merino, M Sport, B&W....loaded 2007 X3: Sapphire Black / Black loaded 6 speed Gone: M3 E93 Silverstone II over Bamboo
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11-11-2013, 12:09 PM	#3
Edward Colonel 377 Rep 2,982 Posts Drives: 2013.9999 E92 Jerez ZCP Join Date: May 2010 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (2)	Laggy crappy oil sensor. If it's a day from the first time you saw it, give it a bit more time and see where it registers a couple more times in local commuting. Also don't add the full quart immediately. Overfilling is a real issue. When you're down at the rock bottom minimum line on the instrument cluster, you can safely add a full quart. Engine holds a tick under 9 total quarts btw.
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11-11-2013, 12:24 PM	#4
Dougeefresh Second Lieutenant 76 Rep 268 Posts Drives: 2011 E92 JB Join Date: May 2013 Location: Earth iTrader: (1)	Drove as much as I did until the light came on yesterday. Guess I will wait to see if it comes on again. Thanks.
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11-11-2013, 12:46 PM	#6
typicaltrabes Private 22 Rep 73 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: New York iTrader: (0)	I had this not too long ago. I got a message and then for 2 days nothing.... it comes back. If I were you I would keep a Quart handy and as soon as it comes up again I would put it in.
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11-11-2013, 06:11 PM	#7
DBH First Lieutenant 3 Rep 349 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 E92 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SE PA iTrader: (0)	BTW, it's liters NOT quarts. There is a difference!
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11-11-2013, 07:29 PM	#9
GVIFlyer Large Member 295 Rep 979 Posts Drives: '19 Porsche C2S Cab_M3 DCT ZCP Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Somewhere in the air. iTrader: (0)	Sometimes with changing temperatures the oil quantity sensor gets confused. Although it's a 1,000 miles since the car's first oil change, it thought for a little while yesterday that it was overfilled.
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11-12-2013, 12:13 PM	#10
M4Now! Captain 292 Rep 708 Posts Drives: MG / SO F83 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	I just had the opposite problem as you (meaning it's typical). I got the half-quart low warning, but having had some experience waited a few days to make sure it stayed there. It did, so I put in 1/4 quart to see how it changed. No change... Odd, so a few days later put in a bit less than another 1/4 quart. Still nothing. Waited a few more days, and presto - suddenly the oil level jumps up to full! The guys recommending you wait, and warning you about overfilling are right on. Having an oil sensor with a dipstick would be useful - having an oil sensor without a dipstick is just a PITA. Cheers __________________ Bye bye E93 M3 - Hello F83 M4!
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11-13-2013, 09:33 AM	#11
Dougeefresh Second Lieutenant 76 Rep 268 Posts Drives: 2011 E92 JB Join Date: May 2013 Location: Earth iTrader: (1)	The warning came back and I added 1/2 L two days ago. Still getting the warning and no change to the level (still at min). Gonna wait a couple of days to see what happens
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11-23-2013, 11:41 AM	#12
dparm Stop the hate, get a V8 3850 Rep 8,625 Posts Drives: C7 Corvette GS, AMG C63 S Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Frisco, TX iTrader: (1)	Just keep an eye on it. Sensor might be a tad flakey. __________________ Now: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, 2021 AMG C63 S sedan Past: 2011.5 M3 sedan ZCP
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12-10-2013, 09:47 AM	#13
pkimM3r Banned 205 Rep 7,298 Posts Drives: m3 saloon in granny mode. Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: lost angeles iTrader: (0)	One time i had half level readout and when i updated to 240e jspec, it said full!! It took about 4 days to read half again. Then added 200mL then waited a few days ans added another 100mL and waited a few days. Then presto, reading at full.
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12-12-2013, 07:30 PM	#14
JEllis Major General 532 Rep 5,498 Posts Drives: E36 M3, E92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dallas/Ft. Worth iTrader: (4)	The gauge is such a pain. I believe its crucial to keep the oil at the top of the range but the difference between min and max appears to vary. During my last oil change the oil went from min to max with probably 1/8th of liter. I spent hours filling a little at a time after the first 8ish liters, driving a few miles, checking the reading and then filling a little more. __________________ Instagram: jellismotorwerks
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02-12-2014, 10:23 PM	#15
TX Captain 366 Rep 860 Posts Drives: 2009 ///M3 E92 APW 6MT Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: South FL iTrader: (0)	Our lousy sensor can only calculate 1/2 L adjustments to the oil level so I try to only make changes 1/2 L at a time then let it re-calculate for a day of driving to make sure it got a good read. Sometimes it won't change for 2 drive cycles and then will decide to change on the next drive. It's a real pain. __________________
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