So today by accident I significantly overfilled my car with oil. My car had white smoke pouring out the tail pipes and was shaking and stalling. I limped to an oil change place and they were able to pull off the extra oil but the car was still shaking and engine block light came on so I left it there and called dealership. They told me to not drive the car and have it towed. I’m worried I may have caused damage to the engine. So I’m stressing out tonight worried about my car. Any feedback would be welcome. Thanks
When an engine is overfilled with oil, the lobes on the crankshaft can whip air into the oil.
This is called aerating the oil and it becomes a foam instead of a liquid.
And oil pumps in engines aren’t designed to pump foam.
And if they do, it can destroy the engine.
Tester
Thanks…I think. So all together I put 5 extra qts in the car because the panel can saying I needed more oil. That’s the short version of what happened. After it smoked I went like 1000 feet to the oil change place that took all the extra oil out but the car still shook and stalled after. What is best case secenario?
What’s the best? Plugs are all fouled up and need to be cleaned or replaced. Worst engine damage but in 1000 feet? I dunno.
I told the story before but in school back around 1969 my future FIL bought my future wife a 61 Plymouth to use at school. He told her to make sure to keep the oil filled. That she did and filled it up to the top. On the 100 mile trip home, the car smoked like crazy all the way. I’m not sure what Matt the local mechanic had to do except drain the extra gallon or two out but there was no significant damage. Of course that was a 61 Plymouth, ugly, plain Jane. I won’t let her check the oil on our cars. Clear communication is an art.
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Would you clarify that please. What panel ?
From what I googled, this car takes 4.9 quarts? so 10 quarts were in it…maybe less if it was low on oil.
Some cars don’t have dipsticks anymore but the computer tells them when the oil is low. I assume that’s what was meant.
So my oil can symbol came on and had the word min underneath it and so I put 2 qts in initially not knowing that the this means it only needed 1 qt as thi is when it comes on. Audi told me because I put two on the sensor didn’t go off and I put another 2 in and then after talking to a local service guy who looked at light told me I should go out 1 more in since that was what the the oil section panel said to do. Add 1 qt. So I decided to add 2 for good measure. I know right. Shortly after this is when the car was smoking out the tail pipes and stalling and shaking.
The Google search seems to indicate that the Q5 Audi has a dipstick and a info screen readout.
@Roberino Did you recently acquire this vehicle ?
I’m actually sick over this tonight. Stressed out. Audi game me an appt for Thursday and I’m going to have the car towed there tomorrow.
I got the car in 2015 and the car is a 2012 model year. There is no dipstick.
I guess my other question is on the few miles I drove with extra oil I had no issues so I want to assume the car wasn’t at risk until it started smoking and shaking and yes it was 1000 feet to the oil change place. I mapped it. During that time the car was smoking and shaking and jolting and stalling it I was able to limp it there pretty quickly.
Yes that’s about right. 
The engine might not be damaged and you’ve just fouled up some components with oil.
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I really hope so. I’m sick 
And worried over this tonight and without my car.
Replacing a dipstick with a dash readout is what I call useless technology.
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I assume the word “min” was still lit. If so, this doesn’t sound right. At 1 qt over, you should be OK and no light would be on. I’m thinking the low oil level sensor failed (stuck ON). Question them long and hard on this possibility.
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But not sure what liability they would have I have had car for two years and don’t have extended warranty and the car has about 60k miles. But I will bring that up maybe there could be some kind of factory coverage still ?
You’re not the first to see this:
Hmm… I wonder if this could be a know issue and if that would give me any leverage on the repair cost… the Audi guy from the dealership implied that the sensor wasn’t accurate because I put 2 qts in instead of one but the more I think of it that’s sounds wrong. It should have went off after a few min and didn’t.