My mechanic has been no help with this -
Within 2 minutes of starting my car, I get a low oil pressure light - it stays on for about 15 seconds and then goes off. It does this reliably almost everytime I start my car. The oil level is good - it was just changed along with all filters.
Any idea if this could be an oil pressure problem or just a sensor problem?
Have a mechanic put a manual oil pressure test guage on the vehicle. That will answer your question.
Then shop for a new mechanic. Yours should have done this long ago.
Are you aware that an engine with a low oil pressure light should be shut off immediately? If it is the pressure instead of the sensor, you’re doing damage every time you do this. Your next post may be one complaining about the cost of rebuilding or replacing a BMW engine.
“Your next post may be one complaining about the cost of rebuilding or replacing a BMW engine.”
Then the OP can join the growing crowd of people on this site who blithely continue to drive their cars after the oil pressure light starts glowing in their face!
Whether it is a Beemer or a Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Honda, etc there seem to be a LOT of people who don’t know enough to shut down their engine (and not restart it) when the oil pressure light comes on.
The most common comment by these people seems to be along the lines of “the level on the dipstick is okay, so it must not be a problem–right?” Of course, most of this ignorance can be traced to their failure to read the Owner’s Manual.
I may be off base here but I will ask,your not refering to the yellow “service interval indicator” light are you?
BMW did change this progression of green,yellow,red lamps(indicating service need) but I don’t remember exactly when.
Is this “yellow” light back lighting a oil can symbol?
Has this car been seen by a BMW mechanic?
I just got off the phone with a BMW Technical support guy. The yellow backlighted oil can symbol indicates a oil level concern. If the oil level is correct they have been changing the oil level sensor and reprograming the module,yes there is a module for this,we are dealing with BMW.
As noted, this does sound like the oil level indicator rather than the oil pressure indicator. These have been a problem on BMWs. I suggest that the next time you change your oil, pull that sensor out and either clean it or replace it.
Alternatively, you could pull the dash cluster and remove the bulb. I’m sure you would no trouble checking the oil level occasionally without the help of an oil level sensor.
Thanks so much for your response!
According to my mechanic - who had to call BMW - it’s an oil level indicator that needs to be replaced, to the tune of $500.
For now I will check the oil myself - until I can get it to a BMW dealer I actually trust.
Again, thank you!
this is common and repetative failure of teh oil LEVEL sensor of many BMW’s and and$800 job for no good reason…Manually check level frequently, My wifes 2002 always comes on for a few seconds when starting , but the PRESSURE light is most important…Her crankcase holds 7 quarts and if it is down less than 1/4 quart the level light comes on…BMW is well aware of this and makes a lot of money on this “defect”/