Oil light staying on after engine switch off...

[CUPRA]

Here's one for you.

Had an oil change at the BMW dealer about 2000 miles ago.
This week, the oil light has started staying on after the engine is switched off, until the dome light goes out, then the oil light goes out too.

The oil light is NOT on when the engine is on, driving or idling.
It only comes on at initial start up (which is usual in the accessory position), but is on when the car is switched off.

I haven't seen it yet, my wife has noticed it the last 3 nights...

Does anyone know anything about this?

I called the dealer and they said it shouldn't happen, and I should bring it in.
However, we *just* ran out of warranty on the car, so I don't want to get stiffed for *diagnostic* charges.

Thanks for the help.

[clintjg]

Check your filter cap, drain plug, and your oil level. I'll bet your oil is low.

[Ferris]

Yeah man you're slightly low on oil, or the sensor is on it's way out... As long as it's not the RED light on while driving it's not a pressure issue.

[CUPRA]

Ok, so I just need to top up the oil then?

The light isn't on at all when driving, or idling or when the engine is on at all.

It only comes on when the car is turned off after driving.

[jbz3]

Just add a little oil to bring it up to to proper level on the dipstick and the light should not come on anymore. I went through the same thing about a month ago.

[clintjg]

And make sure your filter cap and drainplug are snug thus ruling out the posibility of oil escaping through them. Then politly inform your service advisor that they may have under-filled your car.

[CUPRA]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I'll have the Z tomorrow, my wife needs my car, so I'll swing by the dealer and mention it to them...

Thanks.

[CUPRA]

Ok, I have the Z today, and I was looking for the red oil light coming on when I turned off the engine. It wasn't the red one, it was the yellow one along the bottom of the dash.

Didn't come on while driving, only when I turned the engine off. Looked in the BMW handbook... it's a low oil light... that's all.

So I called the dealer to check why it would be low after having the oil changed 2000 miles ago, and he said with a 2000 Z3, I am looking at getting through a quart of oil every 1500 miles...

Does that sound about right?

I'm gonna get some 5W-30 Synthetic oil tonight and top her up and see if the light remains off.

Thank you guys for all your help. I appreciate it.

[Ferris]

Depends on how it was broken in and the weight type of oil used for it's life...

My 01 M that I broke in goes through a quart of oil every 6000 miles. I think a large part of it is because of the Crankcase breather then the oil being "burned"

My 90 323 goes through a quart of oil every 2k, then again it has 170000 miles on it.

Regardless in your case I'd make sure you're using the right weight of oil and if it was babied when broken in, you'll most likely need to top it off more often.

[CUPRA]

We bought the car with 23000 miles on it 18 months ago. We unfortunately weren't the ones who ran it in, it was previously owned by a SMU girl who's daddy bought it for her to go to college.

Since we have had it, all oil changes have been done by the dealer, we bought it from a Lexus dealer, and the last change was at the local BMW dealer here. They put 5W-30 Castrol Synthetic oil in there last time, so that is what I am going to top it up with.

Hopefully that will put the light out, otherwise, we might have a faulty oil sensor... which wouldn't surprise me, we've had about 4 sensors go out since we've had it! All covered under warranty, but that ran out about 2 months ago...