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Engine Oil consumption question

9K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  1bad540 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,
2 weeks ago after I shut my car off I recieved an indication that the oil was low. So I started it back up and waited for the oild screen to load. Once it was done, it stated that I needed to add one quart of oil.
So I added once quart of the recommended oil. and it took the oil all the way up to the top of the grid indicators.
So this morning, I went to the oil screen again, and the oil has dropped 2 blocks from the top.

Does anyone know if this is normal?

Is there anyway to check if my car is buring oil, becuase there are NO oil leaks anywhere. Ive checked the engine and have not noticed any oil anywhere, and I park in the same spot in my garage, and NO oil is on the ground.

So if anyone can help, please let me know...I have a warranty from the BMW dealership...should I take it in and ask them to look at it? Or is it accpetable to have a 2 block drop in 2 weeks....BTW the car is 3 weeks old from the dealership.

Any help is gretly apppreciated!!!
 
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#2 ·
This is normal. Car also is getting uses to your driving. Search fir a transmission reset thread might help
 
#3 ·
1st off a bmw flagship burning that type of oil is NOT normal, how many miles are on the car?? 2nd manually check the oil with the dipsatick which is under the hood, it could be the oil sensor going bad. Check your dipstick and report back.
 
#4 · (Edited)
69,000 miles. I will look for the dip stick, i think we talking on two different posts as well.
I have noticed that if I let me car warm up in the mornings, there is a abnormal amount of what appears to be condensation on the floor right under the exhaust. I have never really paid attention to it, just thought it was becuase it has been really cold lately. I think tomorrow morning ill fell it and taste it... well at least touch it.

If it does appear to be burning oil, what could it be? ....And I probably need to make an appointment with the dealership to look at it?

Thanks Again
Eric
 
#5 ·
BMW will tell you it is "acceptable" for their engines to use a quart of oil for every 1,000 miles. I've never had one do that but, on both of my 335s they used a quart right at 10K miles almost over night it seemed. Definitely use the dipstick to check to oil and verify it isn't the sensor flaking out.
 
#8 ·
Be careful when checking the oil cold or standing still! I got an oil change from the dealer once and when I left, as soon as I turned on the car, an error popped up on idrive saying low oil add one quart. Turned off the car and went inside. My SA immediately went back to the tech and made sure that he put in the right amount of oil and the tech verfied with the bottles still on his bench. The SA gave me an extra quart and said it'll come back to the right level, the sensors can be temperamental. As I drove home, the bar went from the bottom to the top as if it had never been low on oil.

Lesson of the story: the gauge can be VERY inaccurate at times.

The best thing to do is just keep on monitoring it. The 7 will burn a quart or so every few thousand miles. It's somewhat typical but nothing to the point where it will burn through a 1/4 quart in less than a day. HOWEVER! Prolonged idiling can cause consumption in these cars for some reason. I had to idle one day for almost an hour stuck in traffic (highway closed) and I burnt through a bit of oil. I'd probably say a bar since the idrive was at 2-3 bars from min and when I got home is said the oil was 1 or 2 bars from min and stayed like that.

If you want to check if you are burning oil a bit, smell the oil passage. Does it smell like fuel?
 
#14 ·
They all have dipsticks, the trick is you have to open the hood and check...:rofl:
 
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