Low Oil Warning Malfuntion??

[JVP13]

Does anyone else have this problem? My Low Oil Warning light keeps coming on about every 2 months since I bought the car new in March 2013. I know our cars burn oil but my problem is my Warning goes off, I add a quarter of a quart at a time until it goes up to normal level, as I was told to by my BMW Tech at the dealership. Problem is most of the time it ends up being a false warning and next thing you know I have a new warning for High Oil Level, sometimes only after adding just a quarter of a quart. Then I have to take it back to BMW, have them check the controls and usually drain some oil out if it too. So not only am I wasting time and energy worrying about and trying to fix what seems to be an electrical malfunction or something, but I'm also wasting money on our M3 only 10w-60 TWS oil for no apparent reason. So if anyone else has had this type of issue any help in this matter would be appreciated. Thanks

[jhbrennan]

Originally Posted by killadelphiaM3

Does anyone else have this problem? My Low Oil Warning light keeps coming on about every 2 months since I bought the car new in March 2013. I know our cars burn oil but my problem is my Warning goes off, I add a quarter of a quart at a time until it goes up to normal level, as I was told to by my BMW Tech at the dealership. Problem is most of the time it ends up being a false warning and next thing you know I have a new warning for High Oil Level, sometimes only after adding just a quarter of a quart. Then I have to take it back to BMW, have them check the controls and usually drain some oil out if it too. So not only am I wasting time and energy worrying about and trying to fix what seems to be an electrical malfunction or something, but I'm also wasting money on our M3 only 10w-60 TWS oil for no apparent reason. So if anyone else has had this type of issue any help in this matter would be appreciated. Thanks

What does the gauge show? Also, I thought you had to add in 0.5 qt increments to get a good reading. Check your owner's manual again.

[JVP13]

Originally Posted by jhbrennan

What does the gauge show? Also, I thought you had to add in 0.5 qt increments to get a good reading. Check your owner's manual again.

Thanks for the reply. The gauge, in iDrive show a "yellow level" warning saying its 1qt low. Then the digital gauge in the middle of the dash says the same. The temp gauge never gets hot or moves from where it should be, so that also leads me to believe its a malfunction as it has happened before. And I did add half qt when it first happened and then after I brought it to the dealership the M Technician told me to add quarter of a quart at a time to prevent overfilling. And even this hasn't worked, and this time I even let it sit overnight after adding some oil and it went green and good level before I let it sit, then the next morning I hopped in it let it warm up and bam, low oil level warning, "please add 1qt" says the iDrive system. I add quarter or a qt. let it sit for 5 mins, as I was at a gas station off the highway an hour from home, turn it on, still says low, add another quarter, let it sit for 5 again turn it on and "Overfill oil lever Warning light, Called BMW, closed on Sunday, leave a message telling them whats up, still haven't called back. Drive home, turn it off get back in it, "LOW OIL WARNING"....WTF. Then this morning everything is fine and green all systems ok???? I dont know what to do man, this is easily the 5th time it's happened and I haven't even had the car for a year, all maintenance and service up to date, completely stock except my winter wheel set up. Any thoughts? Sorry for the long reply, haha

[thekurgan]

I find it takes a few cycles/days to get a really accurate measurement.

[BPMSport]

Next time it comes on add a quart.

You can also manually reset it.

[JVP13]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Next time it comes on add a quart.

You can also manually reset it.

How can I manually reset it? And not trying to sound redundant but even when I add just a half a quart the high oil level warning will come on, so why would I add a whole quart? And it's happened about 5 times with only one of those times actually needing oil to be added, BMW had to drain it 3 times already. And BMW said they had to "Reprogram/Update" the iDrive system after the 2nd time, which was weird because my car was only about 4 months old at the time and I've only had it for 9 months now.

[JVP13]

Originally Posted by thekurgan

I find it takes a few cycles/days to get a really accurate measurement.

Like I said, it was acting funny the past 48 hours and this morning, everythings back to normal? Hahaha, Why BMW didn't just put a dipstick in is beyond me.

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by killadelphiaM3

Like I said, it was acting funny the past 48 hours and this morning, everythings back to normal? Hahaha, Why BMW didn't just put a dipstick in is beyond me.

Yeah, makes no sense with S engines.