[Shovelman]

I'm not really comfortable with this situation. Suppose my oil level sensor fails? Or suppose I want to change my own oil, or check it before a trip?

How much does it go down from full before raising an alarm?

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Shovelman

I'm not really comfortable with this situation. Suppose my oil level sensor fails? Or suppose I want to change my own oil, or check it before a trip?

How much does it go down from full before raising an alarm?

5 quarts

[nikijack]

I am not either. Ignore the previous comment.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by nikijack

Ignore the previous comment.

Relax...Shovelman and I are in-state neighbors and have chatted here together for quite a while....Your sense of humor hasn't awakened yet today?

[CP911]

You can check the oil level by running the oil level test in iDrive. On your iDrive display, there is a Max and Min indicator line just like with a normal dipstick. I imagine you won't get a warning until it goes below the Min indicator. I filled my M240i up with exactly 6.5L of oil, which is the recommended amount, and after running the test in iDrive, it showed the oil was exactly on the Max indicator line. It seems like an equally effective alternative to a traditional dipstick. No reason to fear it, really. Even if the sensor(s) fails, your oil isn't going anywhere, and there is likely a fault code to indicate a problem so you can get it repaired right away. Just my 2 cents.

[morphomeman]

When I was a kid, my uncle had a 1950's VW Beatle with a dipstick in the fuel tank and no gas gauge. As far as I can remember, there were few complaints when VW installed a fuel gauge in later model years. Think about it, dipstick fans.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Shovelman

I'm not really comfortable with this situation. Suppose my oil level sensor fails? Or suppose I want to change my own oil, or check it before a trip?

How much does it go down from full before raising an alarm?

If the sensor fails, it will throw a check engine light.

If you change your oil, you simply drain and add in slightly less (1/2 QT) than the listed capacity and then check the oil level in iDrive and add accordingly. Once you've done a few oil changes, you'll know how much to add to get it exactly where you need it to be full.

[EstorilM240]

From searching other posts on E90 it supposedly triggers at 1 quart low according to the manual. Hopefully that sounds right. I had a friend who wasn't warned by flashing lights until he was more than 2 quarts low on his Audi A5. I was so surprised when we filled it back up. Though he may have just been hyper oblivious to other lights.

[Unicorn123]

Interesting thread...

As another POV, my S4 had an "Oil Light" that would go on if the oil level dropped to a dangerous level, likely about when the engine would grenade. One morning going to the office, the light went on about a mile from home. The warning system was a Hella sensor mounted on the bottom of the oil pan. I immediately pulled off the road and shut down the engine.

Since I had a dipstick, I was able to confirm that the oil level was fine and the sensor had failed; I did not have my VAG COM with me to run the diagnostics. Changed the sensor at my next oil change and all was well.

Frankly, I would like to have a dipstick, if for no other reason, to have a redundant system to check if the electronic nannies fail. Agreed, technology marches on as morph points out with a great example, however we have no tangible way to check oil level without the electronic systems working correctly...

[CP911]

Originally Posted by Unicorn123

Interesting thread...

As another POV, my S4 had an "Oil Light" that would go on if the oil level dropped to a dangerous level, likely about when the engine would grenade. One morning going to the office, the light went on about a mile from home. The warning system was a Hella sensor mounted on the bottom of the oil pan. I immediately pulled off the road and shut down the engine.

Since I had a dipstick, I was able to confirm that the oil level was fine and the sensor had failed; I did not have my VAG COM with me to run the diagnostics. Changed the sensor at my next oil change and all was well.

Frankly, I would like to have a dipstick, if for no other reason, to have a redundant system to check if the electronic nannies fail. Agreed, technology marches on as morph points out with a great example, however we have no tangible way to check oil level without the electronic systems working correctly...

Yes, that is a good example, but an engineering failure on Audi's part by requiring extremely low oil levels to trigger the light. In our cars, if an oil warning shows, one would have to pull over in the same fashion and give a quick check under the hood and under the car for a major oil leak. If none, then go about your business until you can diagnose later and/or possibly top off with some oil if needed. I'm with you that a dipstick would be a "nice to have" feature, but I'm not losing sleep over it. YMMV.

[Unicorn123]

Agreed on both counts!

[FCBuff]

I would say you are late to the party. Modern BMW's have been lacking a dipstick since the e90 series right? Much of this hand ringing has already been done, for years. In actual fact, it has proven to be reliable and work reliably. As far as how much oil loss before it triggers an alert, approx 1qt/L.

Don't sweat it. Enjoy your car!

[FCBuff]

Or buy an e46

[stein_325i]

Originally Posted by FCBuff

Or buy an e46

You'll be using that dipstick very often with an e46

[FCBuff]

Originally Posted by joshuastein55

You'll be using that dipstick very often with an e46

Haha,

Actually my e46 M3 doesn't burn a drop!

[stein_325i]

Originally Posted by FCBuff

Haha,

Actually my e46 M3 doesn't burn a drop!

Lucky you, my 330i would always burn oil, one of the many benefits of the M54 engine!

[FCBuff]

Originally Posted by joshuastein55

Lucky you, my 330i would always burn oil, one of the many benefits of the M54 engine!

yes, M54 is a different story. Too bad, what a great engine otherwise! Still have one in the family. It doesn't burn oil too badly. Add 1/2 Qt every once in a while. Every time I drive the 03 330xi, I think to myself "what a great car". Seriously I could DD it today and be happy.

To keep on topic, I have learned to accept and trust the digital oil level sensor in the modern BMW's.

[Maynard]

On a slightly broader note, getting used to a really smart car has been a real head-twist, but overall I can see it as an improvement once I learn to trust the car. I started out worrying about things like 'why no oil temp/pressure to know it is warmed up' or to spot starvation in turns, and this issue about the dipstick. But if you think about it, the car will not only alert you, but prevent damage from these issues - it will pull power or go into limp mode before things get damaged most of the time (certainly better than in the old days, even if you were right on it and noticed the gauge in time). And if the sensor goes bad, it has a sensor sensor to tell you that - hell, you can't blow a taillight without getting notified. I just need to work on my trust issues....

[DF]

people way over react to not having a dip stick. It reminds me of when i was a kid an people hailed power windows as the silent killer.

[Dylan86]

The oil measuring feature is handy,imo, and I like it. If it "failed" you'd get a warning light or malfunction for sure.