Oil light

1991 BMW 325 IC.

My oil light up on the cluster on the roof above the Check button
stays on all the time. The oil level is fine. And I just changed
oil, but not at a BMW dealer.

I know the service oil indicator on the dash needs to be reset by a
dealer but does the one on the roof need to be too?

I assumed it indicated a low oil level but maybe not. Why would the
light be on?

Thanks.

Ct Midnite

Ct Midnite <bmw.10.ctm@xoxy.(nospam)net> haute in die Tasten:

> I assumed it indicated a low oil level but maybe not. Why would the
> light be on?
>

The oil indicator light on this model frequently drives me nuts. Possible reasons for
an oil alarm a

1. Oil level too low
2. Car does not stand on an even surface when you start the engine
3. Oil is very hot and therefore has very high viscosity
4. bad oil sensor design
5. bad oil sensor design
6. some electronic fuss in the instrument cluster.

My advice: Forget about that damn thing and check oil with the dip stick once a month
and/or after serious full throttle driving.

Frank

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"Ct Midnite" <bmw.10.ctm@xoxy.(nospam)net> wrote in message
...
> 1991 BMW 325 IC.
>
> My oil light up on the cluster on the roof above the Check button
> stays on all the time. The oil level is fine. And I just changed
> oil, but not at a BMW dealer.
>
> I know the service oil indicator on the dash needs to be reset by a
> dealer but does the one on the roof need to be too?
>
> I assumed it indicated a low oil level but maybe not. Why would the
> light be on?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Ct Midnite

Most likely that the non BMW dealer drained down the oil when the ignition
was on. Oil loss while running would be a major fault, so the light stays
on until a BMW dealer resets the maintenance computer. This is not the same
as the service indicator.

R. Mark Clayton wrote:
> "Ct Midnite" <bmw.10.ctm@xoxy.(nospam)net> wrote in message
> ...
>
>>1991 BMW 325 IC.
>>
>>My oil light up on the cluster on the roof above the Check button
>>stays on all the time. The oil level is fine. And I just changed
>>oil, but not at a BMW dealer.
>>
>>I know the service oil indicator on the dash needs to be reset by a
>>dealer but does the one on the roof need to be too?
>>
>>I assumed it indicated a low oil level but maybe not. Why would the
>>light be on?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>Ct Midnite
>
>
> Most likely that the non BMW dealer drained down the oil when the ignition
> was on. Oil loss while running would be a major fault, so the light stays
> on until a BMW dealer resets the maintenance computer. This is not the same
> as the service indicator.
>
>

No it doesn't. As soon as you refill the oil the light goes out on its
own. There is nothing that needs to be reset. This is a 1991 for
crying out loud...

-Fred W

Frank Kemper wrote:

> 3. Oil is very hot and therefore has very high viscosity

I think you meant *low* viscosity.

-Fred W

Ct Midnite wrote:
> 1991 BMW 325 IC.
>
> My oil light up on the cluster on the roof above the Check button
> stays on all the time. The oil level is fine. And I just changed
> oil, but not at a BMW dealer.
>
> I know the service oil indicator on the dash needs to be reset by a
> dealer but does the one on the roof need to be too?
>
> I assumed it indicated a low oil level but maybe not. Why would the
> light be on?

You are correct. On an E30 the check control oil light refers to "oil
level" not oil pressure which would be indicated in the instrument cluster.

Since they are expensive you may want to take it out and see if it can
be cleaned up or something. Here is the parts breakdown so you can see
what you are up against:
<http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BB13&mospid=47326&btnr=11_0177& hg=11&fg=10>

-Fred W

Malt_Hound wrote:
> Frank Kemper wrote:
>
>> 3. Oil is very hot and therefore has very high viscosity
>
>
> I think you meant *low* viscosity.
>

Which, by the way would not cause the "low oil level" warning light to
come on. ;-)

-Fred W

Malt_Hound > haute in die Tasten:

> Which, by the way would not cause the "low oil level" warning
> light to come on. ;-)
>

I do not know if you own an E30 325i convertible with check control unit above the rear
mirror, but I do own such a car (mine was built in the beginning of 1992), so does the
original poster.

You seem to believe that the oil level warning light in this check control is able to
indicate a low oil level - and nothing more. I use my 325i since six years and I have
always had trouble with erratic messages of the oil warning light. My conclusion is: it
is bad design and one should live with it and check the oil level once a month
manually. One also has to be careful when going on a long high speed trip after some
weeks of short range city traffic use. Due to many cold starts it is possible that
humidity from outsides contaminates the oil circuit and increases the amount of fluid
(not oil) in the oil pan. Once the engine gets really warm, this humidity vanishes very
quickly, which can cause a surprising drop of the oil level. Therefore my advice: If
you had your car in traffic situations for weeks which never allowed the engine to get
throughoutly hot and you add a stretch of high speed driving, check the oil level
manually at the first tank stop after that.

An accurate control of the oil consumption of a given engine does not only protect you
from damages due to an oil shortage, it also is a good indicator to upcoming engine
troubles such as piston ring or valve seal wear als well as any lakage. Unfortunately
the E30 check control is not sufficient for that accurate control.

Frank

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My E30 89 325i doesn't give me any problems at all with the check
module. I do suggest that you check the plug going to the oil level
sensor as it may be loose or even broken. Mine was deteriorated to the
point I had to rebuild the connector. Either way, all it does is
measure the amount of oil in the pan against a set minimum. It uses a
float much the same as a fuel guage. If the level is below the
minimum, it turns on the light. Once the light is on, I believe the
key has to be shut all the way off to reset it, much like the coolant
level indicator. A loose connection at start up will trip the light
and you're stuck looking at it. Check your connections and tighten
them up and the problem may go away. Could be a bad sending unit but I
doubt it.

On 11 May 2005 09:03:00 GMT, Frank Kemper >
wrote:

>Malt_Hound > haute in die Tasten:
>
>> Which, by the way would not cause the "low oil level" warning
>> light to come on. ;-)
>>
>
>I do not know if you own an E30 325i convertible with check control unit above the rear
>mirror, but I do own such a car (mine was built in the beginning of 1992), so does the
>original poster.
>
>You seem to believe that the oil level warning light in this check control is able to
>indicate a low oil level - and nothing more. I use my 325i since six years and I have
>always had trouble with erratic messages of the oil warning light. My conclusion is: it
>is bad design and one should live with it and check the oil level once a month
>manually. One also has to be careful when going on a long high speed trip after some
>weeks of short range city traffic use. Due to many cold starts it is possible that
>humidity from outsides contaminates the oil circuit and increases the amount of fluid
>(not oil) in the oil pan. Once the engine gets really warm, this humidity vanishes very
>quickly, which can cause a surprising drop of the oil level. Therefore my advice: If
>you had your car in traffic situations for weeks which never allowed the engine to get
>throughoutly hot and you add a stretch of high speed driving, check the oil level
>manually at the first tank stop after that.
>
>An accurate control of the oil consumption of a given engine does not only protect you
>from damages due to an oil shortage, it also is a good indicator to upcoming engine
>troubles such as piston ring or valve seal wear als well as any lakage. Unfortunately
>the E30 check control is not sufficient for that accurate control.
>
>Frank

Frank Kemper wrote:
> Malt_Hound > haute in die Tasten:
>
>
>>Which, by the way would not cause the "low oil level" warning
>>light to come on. ;-)
>>
>
>
> I do not know if you own an E30 325i convertible with check control unit above the rear
> mirror, but I do own such a car (mine was built in the beginning of 1992), so does the
> original poster.

Owned, as in past tense, an '87 325iC.

>
> You seem to believe that the oil level warning light in this check control is able to
> indicate a low oil level - and nothing more.

Correct. I know this because I have access to service manuals that show
diagrams of what sensors go to the check control.

> I use my 325i since six years and I have
> always had trouble with erratic messages of the oil warning light. My conclusion is: it
> is bad design and one should live with it and check the oil level once a month
> manually. One also has to be careful when going on a long high speed trip after some
> weeks of short range city traffic use. Due to many cold starts it is possible that
> humidity from outsides contaminates the oil circuit and increases the amount of fluid
> (not oil) in the oil pan. Once the engine gets really warm, this humidity vanishes very
> quickly, which can cause a surprising drop of the oil level. Therefore my advice: If
> you had your car in traffic situations for weeks which never allowed the engine to get
> throughoutly hot and you add a stretch of high speed driving, check the oil level
> manually at the first tank stop after that.

Good advice, no doubt.

>
> An accurate control of the oil consumption of a given engine does not only protect you
> from damages due to an oil shortage, it also is a good indicator to upcoming engine
> troubles such as piston ring or valve seal wear als well as any lakage. Unfortunately
> the E30 check control is not sufficient for that accurate control.

I agree. It is a binary indicator and not what I would want for knowing
what is happening with my oil level. That is where the dipstick comes
in handy.

-Fred W