Oil Warning

[john-e89]

I had forgotten to look previously - but the level icon on my iDrive screen has no graduations whatsoever- it seems that it shows full to “ you need a a litre right now “at blink of an eye.

Rubbish in my opinion - I would rather not be running around with my oil level a litre under its max - I’m more than capable of adding 1/4 litre it the system indicated it.

Use the indicator stalk Ronk, not the idrive, if I remember correctly the stalk has the oil in increments.

 

[ronk]

I had forgotten to look previously - but the level icon on my iDrive screen has no graduations whatsoever- it seems that it shows full to “ you need a a litre right now “at blink of an eye.

Rubbish in my opinion - I would rather not be running around with my oil level a litre under its max - I’m more than capable of adding 1/4 litre it the system indicated it.

Use the indicator stalk Ronk, not the idrive, if I remember correctly the stalk has the oil in increments.

Ok - I’ll do that
I will have to look at the book - but if can keep it up to max it will keep me happy and worth the effort!

 

[eff1guy]

So, you're fine bombing down the autobahn at 250kph - until you hear the bong. Then you've got 200km to put in the litre you're carrying in the boot.

Does this then mean that you only have 75 minutes to put in the litre of oil? :lol:

Yep.

Didn't any of you do maths at school? No, it means you've got 48 minutes to put in the litre

It's not the best system regardless, I'm with Ronk and don't like driving around under the max. If the level on any car ever drops from the max then you top it up. Simples

 

[Busterboo]

If the level on any car ever drops from the max then you top it up. Simples

By how much?

You did Maths at school. Tell us.

 

[eff1guy]

If the level on any car ever drops from the max then you top it up. Simples

By how much?

You did Maths at school. Tell us.

With a manual dipstick, as much as it takes to reach the max, no maths required! :roll: How long is a piece of string?

 

[Mr Tidy]

With a manual dipstick, as much as it takes to reach the max, no maths required! :roll:

Exactly - that's one thing I miss from my E46.

But thankfully my E86 and E91 both have a graduated display!

 

[Busterboo]

If the level on any car ever drops from the max then you top it up. Simples

By how much?
You did Maths at school. Tell us.

With a manual dipstick, as much as it takes to reach the max, no maths required! :roll:

You have a dipstick on your 35iS?!

Wow.

 

[ronk]

I had forgotten to look previously - but the level icon on my iDrive screen has no graduations whatsoever- it seems that it shows full to “ you need a a litre right now “at blink of an eye.

Rubbish in my opinion - I would rather not be running around with my oil level a litre under its max - I’m more than capable of adding 1/4 litre it the system indicated it.

Use the indicator stalk Ronk, not the idrive, if I remember correctly the stalk has the oil in increments.

I’ve just got around to doing that and I can’t get that display.
Looks like I will have to learn to live with what I’ve got!

 

[ronk]

The dealer has today confirmed that the oil level on iDrive does drop from 100% to “ADD 1l “ with no incremental warning. :thumbsdown:

They also confirmed that they won’t issue a bottle of oil for the time a sudden warning pops up. Although I now know it’s using 1l in 7k so the service date and miles will be going in notes on the phone.

One interesting point tho, there is a Dipstick - it’s a BMW Workshop tool and is not available to the public - I don’t know why? It’s supposed to be simple and quick to use. I wouldn’t mind betting it’s nothing more than a simple calibrated dipstick! There’ll be a hole somewhere and a suitable a plug.

On the plus side because I have a five year service plan, they did say they would check my oil levels with their workshop dipstick and top up as necessary ie before a long holiday trip.

 

[Smartbear]

Just put a litre of oil in the back to save any low oil anxiety issues Ron
Rob

 

[ronk]

There’s a litre of LL04 in a little zip bag
I don’t know why they don’t sell the workshop tool to the public tho.

 

[djstan]

One interesting point tho, there is a Dipstick - it’s a BMW Workshop tool and is not available to the public - I don’t know why?

I'd be interested to know more about this!

 

[ronk]

One interesting point tho, there is a Dipstick - it’s a BMW Workshop tool and is not available to the public - I don’t know why?

I'd be interested to know more about this!

If i get more info ( I’m sure I will) I will post!
The agent told me it’s a simple tool - being cynical, I would say it’s just a dipstick and there’ll be a simple and accessible plug.

 

[Busterboo]

Secret dipstick or not, it's all an unnecessary fuss.

The 'oil warning - put in a litre' system's designed to make life easy and it does. Owners fiddling with dipsticks and putting in insignificant amounts of oil - or too much - is nonsense.

 

[ronk]

Secret dipstick or not, it's all an unnecessary fuss.

The 'oil warning - put in a litre' system's designed to make life easy and it does. Owners fiddling with dipsticks and putting in insignificant amounts of oil - or too much - is nonsense.

A litre is 15% of the sump capacity so I would say that it is a significant volume to loose.

 

[Busterboo]

Secret dipstick or not, it's all an unnecessary fuss.

The 'oil warning - put in a litre' system's designed to make life easy and it does. Owners fiddling with dipsticks and putting in insignificant amounts of oil - or too much - is nonsense.

A litre is 15% of the sump capacity so I would say that it is a significant volume to lose.

You're right, of course. But a litre's not an impractical amount to use and then, when advised by the car's information system, replace.