M3 E90 oil use issue
Discussion
Hi,
new to my M3 but like it. I did a search on this forum but to no avail.
I picked the car up last week and it had just been serviced, 23000 miles and FSH. They added 1L of oil after the test drive and the electronic dip stick was in the middle. 317 miles later on came the yellow oil light much to my dislike. I called BMW recovery. They came with oil added a litre and we then went to a local dealer. No sign of leaks and no smoke from the exhausts. Suspicion is the car was not measured on diagnostics after oil fill. I know it can be measured on dash, iDrive and dealer laptop.
Should I now be happy that this will not reoccur? I have a litre in boot just in case but have been advised only to add if the car tells me to.
new to my M3 but like it. I did a search on this forum but to no avail.
I picked the car up last week and it had just been serviced, 23000 miles and FSH. They added 1L of oil after the test drive and the electronic dip stick was in the middle. 317 miles later on came the yellow oil light much to my dislike. I called BMW recovery. They came with oil added a litre and we then went to a local dealer. No sign of leaks and no smoke from the exhausts. Suspicion is the car was not measured on diagnostics after oil fill. I know it can be measured on dash, iDrive and dealer laptop.
Should I now be happy that this will not reoccur? I have a litre in boot just in case but have been advised only to add if the car tells me to.
If it had just been serviced then it should have been full of oil? Not sure why they needed to top it up so soon? As I read it you've had to add 2 litres of oil in 300 odd miles? Something isn't right there.
My 2008 model used to use about 1 litre every 3k but the new one hasn't used a drop in 4k, only add oil when it tells you too, do not top up on the off chance or when the gauge is half full as that gauge is for 1 litre.
Why they took away the dipstick (I'll set em up you knock em down) I'll never know.
My 2008 model used to use about 1 litre every 3k but the new one hasn't used a drop in 4k, only add oil when it tells you too, do not top up on the off chance or when the gauge is half full as that gauge is for 1 litre.
Why they took away the dipstick (I'll set em up you knock em down) I'll never know.
Edited by Wills2 on Saturday 23 March 09:35
Had the very same problem when I bought mine. Was showing at 1/2 full. 400 miles later and the light came on. Added a litre from the supplied one in the boot and bingo no light again for ages...3,000 miles in fact.
As soon as the light comes on. Add a litre! That's what the master tech told me. It only goes to 3/4 then and there is a specific way to measure the oil using the I drive by driving it for a set period first then letting the system check the level and adding the litre.
As soon as the light comes on. Add a litre! That's what the master tech told me. It only goes to 3/4 then and there is a specific way to measure the oil using the I drive by driving it for a set period first then letting the system check the level and adding the litre.
Oh and I discovered what the issue was. During the AUC checks the tech simply looks at the light system for whether the oil level is ok. Of course while it reads at 1/2 full it's known not to be 'that' accurate so instead of doing the whole drive it and check the level procedure they just left it. It had an oil change a little while back and they had not done it. They misread that the change was required that month on the I drive and if I am right they do anything required going back three months or it gets left? Anyway I kicked up a right old hoo ha about it and they had it back in for a full oil change at their cost and gave me another extra 1 litre pack in the boot 
It's difficult to understand how an M3 can leave a dealership without being fully topped up with oil after a service. They use a calibrated machine that pumps the required 8.8L of oil into the sump. It takes away human error. I had my E92 M3 serviced recently and it came out right on the top arrow of the on board electronic "dipstick".
Another tip for the OP, when your car tells you to put 1L of oil in only put 750ml in at first to see where it levels out. Myself and other M3 forum members have found out that the 750ml puts the electronic dipstick right on the top arrow anyway.
Another tip for the OP, when your car tells you to put 1L of oil in only put 750ml in at first to see where it levels out. Myself and other M3 forum members have found out that the 750ml puts the electronic dipstick right on the top arrow anyway.
i had a similar problem,
i was told by the dealer that when i was givenn the car new/serviced etc. they had not put the correct amount in, and 300 miles later itwas on the warning (add 1 litre)
about a week later i had the same issue again,
turned out the electronic dipstick was in need of re-calibration,
bloody hate not having a real dipstick :-(
i was told by the dealer that when i was givenn the car new/serviced etc. they had not put the correct amount in, and 300 miles later itwas on the warning (add 1 litre)
about a week later i had the same issue again,
turned out the electronic dipstick was in need of re-calibration,
bloody hate not having a real dipstick :-(
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