8580km and need to add oil. What gives?

[AKG M3]

Driving today I got the add oil warning light. What's up with that? Only done 6580km after my first break-in service. Has this happened to many of you? What's the best oil to add right away? My next two weeks are rather hectic but after they're done I plan to go to the dealership for a proper oil change.

Thanks!

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by AKG M3

Driving today I got the add oil warning light. What's up with that? Only done 6580km after my first break-in service. Has this happened to many of you? What's the best oil to add right away? My next two weeks are rather hectic but after they're done I plan to go to the dealership for a proper oil change.

Thanks!

No worries here my friend , this is just normal with our S65 engine
Just add the amount of oil that the car has asked and this with Castrol TWS or Castrol Edge 10W60 !

[AKG M3]

Thank you my friend. Been searching for stores to buy Castrol Edge Pro 10W60 in Toronto today but I think I am out of luck. Looks like nobody carries that in stores. Will have to order online. Want to add oil before I drive the 60km to my dealership in a few weeks.

[bde]

Originally Posted by AKG M3

Thank you my friend. Been searching for stores to buy Castrol Edge Pro 10W60 in Toronto today but I think I am out of luck. Looks like nobody carries that in stores. Will have to order online. Want to add oil before I drive the 60km to my dealership in a few weeks.

you can only get it through the dealer. marginally cheaper if you get it online with shipping factored in. I always have a quart in the trunk at all times.

[pkimM3r]

Dont add a whole liter at once. Do it incrementally at 250 ml at a time and drive around or you might overfill it. Maybe in your case 500ml first then 250ml. Might read full after that.

[zamboni]

Take it to dealer and they will top it off.

[jphughan]

I've got 24,000 miles on mine and it seems to be consuming less oil than it used to, but I remember needing oil around then. It happened to me on Friday night while I was on my way to a track weekend! The indicator dropped from 3/4 full to "Add a quart" all at once. I barely made it to a dealer before they closed to pick up a bottle.

If your dealer is nice they'll give you a bottle or two to keep for top-offs when necessary (though many dealers don't), and then yes always add at least 1/4 quart LESS than what the car claims it needs to avoid an overfill. If you get it to read 3/4 full, just leave it alone. After you add more though, drive it around for at least 8 km, then pull over on a level road and while the engine is idling, tell the electronic dipstick to remeasure TWICE (since it doesn't always update the first time) before deciding to add any more.

[Thik]

Originally Posted by AKG M3

Driving today I got the add oil warning light. What's up with that? Only done 6580km after my first break-in service. Has this happened to many of you? What's the best oil to add right away? My next two weeks are rather hectic but after they're done I plan to go to the dealership for a proper oil change.

Thanks!

Adding oil between oil changes seems to be the norm for the S65. It's probably more rare for an S65 not to need more oil between oil changes. I had to add 3 litres between my oil changes last year (span of ~23,000km).

The only place to get the oil is the dealership and they charge at least $16 a liter. I would buy a few bottles and keep one in the trunk.

Tip: When the computer tells you to +1L, add 500ml. The computer isn't always accurate, once I added a full litre like it told me to, it said I overfilled it after.

[jhbrennan]

Originally Posted by pkim1079

Dont add a whole liter at once. Do it incrementally at 250 ml at a time and drive around or you might overfill it. Maybe in your case 500ml first then 250ml. Might read full after that.

Agree not to add whole liter at once...but need to add at least 0.5 liter for electronic measurement to register.

[TX]

I always keep a bottle in the trunk. Make sure you get the TWS motorsport, which should be phased out by now or EDGE professional TWS and not edge SPORT. Not sure if they make the sport in 10W60 though so that might not even apply. Also, as others have said under maint plan the dealer will top you off for free.
There are several vendors that carry the BMW part # or the non BMW part # online, both oil is the same with a few dollar difference a liter.

[AKG M3]

Thanks for the feedback!

Originally Posted by bde

you can only get it through the dealer. marginally cheaper if you get it online with shipping factored in. I always have a quart in the trunk at all times.

Same conclusion I arrived at after spending an hour searching for it here in Toronto. Toronto Downtown BMW is the closest to me so will go there via bus tomorrow after work and pick up two bottles and keep one in the car. Lesson learned I guess. Tried to get it through the States but shipping was 25$ so paying the same price for shipping as the total cost of two bottles. Not worth it really.

Originally Posted by pkim1079

Dont add a whole liter at once. Do it incrementally at 250 ml at a time and drive around or you might overfill it. Maybe in your case 500ml first then 250ml. Might read full after that.

Thanks man, after posting this I searched the forum and found a bunch of threads on this and the dangers with overfilling being worse than having low oil levels. Will ensure to add 250 to 500 ml the first time and then go for a drive and measure again

Originally Posted by zamboni

Take it to dealer and they will top it off.

I would totally do that but its 60km away from where I am. Plus I already must have driven 60-80km with the warning light on and wont have time til the end of this month. I rather spend 30$ on oil and keep one in the car and top it off. Piece of mind.

Originally Posted by jphughan

I've got 24,000 miles on mine and it seems to be consuming less oil than it used to, but I remember needing oil around then. It happened to me on Friday night while I was on my way to a track weekend! The indicator dropped from 3/4 full to "Add a quart" all at once. I barely made it to a dealer before they closed to pick up a bottle.

If your dealer is nice they'll give you a bottle or two to keep for top-offs when necessary (though many dealers don't), and then yes always add at least 1/4 quart LESS than what the car claims it needs to avoid an overfill. If you get it to read 3/4 full, just leave it alone. After you add more though, drive it around for at least 8 km, then pull over on a level road and while the engine is idling, tell the electronic dipstick to remeasure TWICE (since it doesn't always update the first time) before deciding to add any more.

Thanks! Glad to know its not out of the ordinary for this to happen with such low mileage on the car. I was actually driving the car rather "spiritedly" when I noticed the little exclamation sign on the dash. Slowed down and cruised right home after I saw what the issue was.

I must say I am rather surprised at the thirst for oil from the S65. My old S4 3.0L SC was known to love eating up oil as you can tell by my exhaust pipes but I never had to fill it up. First time I've had to do this was with the E92.

Originally Posted by Thik

Adding oil between oil changes seems to be the norm for the S65. It's probably more rare for an S65 not to need more oil between oil changes. I had to add 3 litres between my oil changes last year (span of ~23,000km).

The only place to get the oil is the dealership and they charge at least $16 a liter. I would buy a few bottles and keep one in the trunk.

Tip: When the computer tells you to +1L, add 500ml. The computer isn't always accurate, once I added a full litre like it told me to, it said I overfilled it after.

Thanks dude, thought about texting you today for help with oil. No worries though, will pick up some at the dealership tomorrow. Glad to hear that its normal for it to drink that much. I will most def pick up more than one bottle and keep it in the trunk as I rack up the miles.

Originally Posted by TX

I always keep a bottle in the trunk. Make sure you get the TWS motorsport, which should be phased out by now or EDGE professional TWS and not edge SPORT. Not sure if they make the sport in 10W60 though so that might not even apply. Also, as others have said under maint plan the dealer will top you off for free.
There are several vendors that carry the BMW part # or the non BMW part # online, both oil is the same with a few dollar difference a liter.

Thanks, yeah will most def be packing one in the trunk from now on haha

[BPMSport]

I would add one quart in this case, at once. This is normal, especially with your mileage and potential for the dealer to have slightly under filled at the oil service.

[AKG M3]

Reading after adding 500ml. Did I cock up?

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by AKG M3

Reading after adding 500ml. Did I cock up?

It says 'ok' which means you are ok.

[BPMSport]

Originally Posted by AKG M3

Reading after adding 500ml. Did I cock up?

If you added the whole bottle, it would have likely said the same thing. Don't be surprised if it calls for the other half in a few thousand km's!

[MFL]

All ///M Engines burn a bit of oil. It's normal and dependent on how it's driven.

[AKG M3]

Thanks everyone

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by AKG M3

Reading after adding 500ml. Did I cock up?

Just perfect my friend !

[Candide13]

Originally Posted by AKG M3

Reading after adding 500ml. Did I cock up?

There should not be an `N' in the display, otherwise you are fine.