Am I expecting the world...

[**Z3**]

Hi all

Please can anyone help??

I just had an inspection 2 service completed beginning of August. In that time I've done under 2000 miles. However, today my low oil level light went off after I switched engine off, it stayed on for a few seconds and went out!

Am I expecting too much or should the car not have burnt so much oil in such a short distance, and further more after an inspection 2 service? I checked the dipstick and it did show a minor amount of oil gone albeit nothing to cause concern had I done a fair few more miles!

The car has a full BMW service record and the last service was meant to be an inspection 1 but I treated her and gave her the full works!

Any ideas??

Thanks

[janijoeli]

Sorry mate, I read your post three times and I am still not sure if I understood it. I don't think it is the language barrier.

If I understood correctly, the oil light came on after you switched off the engine, and stayed on for a couple of seconds? And according to dipstick, only a minor amount of oil gone, i.e. oil level close to max, thus no problem with oil consumption?

[**Z3**]

Yes that's correct! However - why is the oil level lamp coming on? If I'm correct this is to say your oil needs topping up? However, after less than 2000 miles since a major service i.e a full oil change - should it have consumed so much oil that the warning light is going off? I appreciate cars will drink oil over time, however, it's been only two months since the service! Surely that can't be right?

[Zed Carer]

Yes that's correct! However - why is the oil level lamp coming on? If I'm correct this is to say your oil needs topping up? However, after less than 2000 miles since a major service i.e a full oil change - should it have consumed so much oil that the warning light is going off? I appreciate cars will drink oil over time, however, it's been only two months since the service! Surely that can't be right?

Best guess is that the oil level sensor is faulty - either the sensor itself or the wiring? The most important thing is that the dipstick shows that there is plenty of oil in the car. At least with the Z3 there is a dipstick and you don't have to rely electronics that can / do / will go wrong!!!

Our Z4 has an electronic dipstick - press a button when driving with a warm engine and you get a vitual dipstick displayed on the instrument cluster - but is it correct???? On the Z4 BMW in their wisdom also allow the oil content to drop by a litre so when the sensor detects low oil level you get the message "Add One Litre Oil" displayed and all you can do is thrust some dumb electronics and add a litre!!!!!

[janijoeli]

Indeed, if oil level is fine, it's most likely the oil level sender (oil levelling sensor or oil level indicator in BMW lingo) or its wiring. If you have a buddy with a diagnostics tool, they could verify this by reading the codes. Occassional problem with the signal from the sender won't bring on the check engine light, but will show up in the error codes.

I have the same problem as you do - sometimes (rarely though) the oil light stays on for a while and then goes off again. BM Technic diagnostics complains about the sender signal. I'm still to investigate if this is caused by the sender itself or its wiring, but I've just been a bit lazy with it as it isn't a real problem (I check oil level regularly and it's always fine).

[lordhelpus]

There's nothing wrong with that oil sensor.......you done the right thing by checking the oil level...besides think about what's happening here.

1. You switch off the engine
2. The oil pressure drops
3. So the sensor lights up.

Unless you really feel the need to rip out your engine bay wiring loom? As some on here might suggest.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[janijoeli]

That's a good point about the switching off thing...

But it's a bit strange that the oil light would come on when the car has been switched off, i.e. ignition is off. AFAIK oil light should only ever be working when ign is on?

[mnbrennan]

Mine does the same thing. But there's oil in there so no drama!

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[BladeRunner919]

There's nothing wrong with that oil sensor.......you done the right thing by checking the oil level...besides think about what's happening here.

1. You switch off the engine
2. The oil pressure drops
3. So the sensor lights up.

Unless you really feel the need to rip out your engine bay wiring loom? As some on here might suggest.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you're at cross purposes. You're taking about oil pressure, whereas the OP was asking about oil level.

[stupot50]

Run it round to Five Ways Garage on Teignmouth Road, they can plug it in and check for error codes.