Oil level display - one week later

[Tony B2]

I went a bit H Poirot in my Spyder (718) yesterday and actually managed to find the oil level display (don’t judge me…I have only had the car about 5 weeks….;-) )

Given that it is a week since I last drove the car I was quite surprised to see it displaying anything.

I thought it was necessary for the engine to be at operating temperature for this to work?

[Tony B2]

scrounger73 said:

Engine OIL temp tas to be around 90 degrees for the oil level to register. Once at that temp, turn off for a minimum of 1 minute and then check the oil level. Opening the boot resets the oil level reading.

Be warned though, the electronic dipstick isn't the best and if you feel you need to ass oil do so a little at a time as in 100mls and recheck. Safest level is 1 notch from the top.

Those are the kind of measurement system limitations I would expect, hence my surprise that anything was displayed. Oil temperature was, at the time, 12C (ambient temperature) as the engine had not been running for 6 days.

Small top-up amount caution I am familiar with after 15 years of E92 M3 top-ups.

You would think these clever Germans might have come with something a bit more reliable by now!

[Tony B2]

Several lifetimes ago, I had a Lancia Beta Coupe.
It had an oil level gauge - you had to press a button just below it, on the dash. It felt like some sort of vacuum pump was operating to drive the needle in the gauge.
The car also had a proper dipstick, and from memory the two measurements did seem reasonably consistent.
If the Italians could do it nearly - gasp - 50 years ago, why can’t the Germans now?