[46m3csl]

I know the one way is to get it up on the display but, where the heck is the dipstick on the 335i, does it even have one?

[fdriller9]

No dipstick in the E9x chassis...not sure how you can check without iDrive. Maybe through the turn signal stalk? Your manual should tell you.

[3X3=5]

You can bump up the rocker switch on the turn signal stalk until it displays "OIL." Depress the button on the end of the stalk and it will show a MIN-----MAX graphic and a little clock while it calculates the oil level (although mine always takes so long it times out and goes back to the standard display and I have to hit it again, usually 3-4 times. It's annoying).

[E91toG05]

Originally Posted by 3times3

You can bump up the rocker switch on the turn signal stalk until it displays "OIL." Depress the button on the end of the stalk and it will show a MIN-----MAX graphic and a little clock while it calculates the oil level (although mine always takes so long it times out and goes back to the standard display and I have to hit it again, usually 3-4 times. It's annoying).

you can only check it once the car is sufficiently warmed up - the clock appears if you are trying to check it too soon after starting a cold car...

[wrickem]

And before evevrybody starts complaining, you should try using the e-dipstick in a Porsche! BMW's, once they are warmed up are almost instant, you can do it stopped and while driving and it's there. On a Porsche, it can hold up your trip for 5-9minutes waiting for the countdown and the level to show...and you can only do it when stopped, the oil is warm, and it's "settled down" (what the dealer told me when I questioned why it took so long).

[cotmfk]

No dipstick is probably my biggest gripe on the 335.

[Javier]

Real Men Read the Manual

[Tortfeasor 335xi]

Originally Posted by cotmfk

No dipstick is probably my biggest gripe on the 335.

More than the fuel pumps that dissolve in... fuel?

[J02 335i]

I would have to agree the BMW method is the best e-dipstick I have used, the ones in the MB are very annoying, the car has to be parked warmed up, then shut off etc......

[hipnotic]

no dip stick, have to wait about 15 minutes before a reading

[scrufy]

You start it and if the pistons stay in the cylinders it has oil.
Nice one BMW Engineering... Brilliant

[BTM]

Originally Posted by josh06lau

no dip stick, have to wait about 15 minutes before a reading

I believe it's dependent on mileage driven since the car was started rather than time elapsed but can't remember the exact number

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by scrufy

You start it and if the pistons stay in the cylinders it has oil.
Nice one BMW Engineering... Brilliant

Really? You'd really need a dipstick to tell you if the engine lost the entire compliment of 7 quarts (almost 2 gallons) of oil?

[hunt55]

I have lived with the no oil dipstick in the E-90 now for five years and 100k miles. You will be OK. It is actually very accurate and I have never had to worry about the oil.

[ssenjo]

My concern is that I have the proverbial oil leak in the oil filter housing and I can't fix it just yet and want to know if I'm losing a lot of oil.

[Three_thirty_I]

It could be leaking outside the filter housing so you would inevitably have to look between the intake manifold and the filter housing to see if there are traces of oil leakage and how much, if really bad there might be some dripping of oil on the lower engine cover (would have to remove to see of course). If it is leaking within the filter housing gasket then oil would be mixing with the coolant, so check the coolant reservoir to see if there is any trace of oil contamination.

But ultimately, just keep checking the oil level everytime you drive the car to see by how much it is dropping until it needs a top up...

[JustinGTP]

This is so funny. How often do you guys need to check your oil? The car will tell you to add oil it it's at the minimum level. Not a big deal, dipsticks are a thing of the past.

[biscut]

Originally Posted by JustinGTP

This is so funny. How often do you guys need to check your oil? The car will tell you to add oil it it's at the minimum level. Not a big deal, dipsticks are a thing of the past.

It's like a security blanket thing; I like to SEE the oil on the stick! Makes me sleep better

[Three_thirty_I]

Originally Posted by JustinGTP

This is so funny. How often do you guys need to check your oil? The car will tell you to add oil it it's at the minimum level. Not a big deal, dipsticks are a thing of the past.

It's part of maintaining ANY car. Dipsticks being a "thing of the past" is most certainly not for the best, and having to rely on electronics for something this important is madness, no matter how you slice it! For cars under warranty this is maybe fine, but in the long term when cars are obviously no longer under warranty this can become a huge worry and potentially cause bigger problems!

[Efthreeoh]

Well just wait until you get well past 200,000 miles and because of BMW's bizarre software programming, the oil quality input from the oil sensor gets ignored by the CBS. Then when the e-dipstick starts reporting changes in oil level far different than you experienced for the past 200,000 miles, you really start to wonder if the software is properly evaluating the data from the oil sensor for reporting oil level. Oh, and the manufacturer is actually too busy to take your concern seriously.

But I digress.

[Three_thirty_I]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Well just wait until you get well past 200,000 miles and because of BMW's bizarre software programming, the oil quality input from the oil sensor gets ignored by the CBS. Then when the e-dipstick starts reporting changes in oil level far different than you experienced for the past 200,000 miles, you really start to wonder if the software is properly evaluating the data from the oil sensor for reporting oil level. Oh, and the manufacturer is actually too busy to take your concern seriously.

But I digress.

Yep, it's disgusting! I am following for any news on your thread regarding this! I am of course still far in terms of mileage to worry about this, but for me it speaks to the general lack of pride in their product for cars that get older. But they are quick to want older classics at new model launches - what are they doing to "ensure" that older BMW's will still be running by then?! All we can hope for is that there either be a software fix, or someone develops some sort of physical dipstick retro-fit...

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Three_thirty_I

Yep, it's disgusting! I am following for any news on your thread regarding this! I am of course still far in terms of mileage to worry about this, but for me it speaks to the general lack of pride in their product for cars that get older. But they are quick to want older classics at new model launches - what are they doing to "ensure" that older BMW's will still be running by then?! All we can hope for is that there either be a software fix, or someone develops some sort of physical dipstick retro-fit...

It's not looking good. Apparently BMW AG could care less. I'm trying one more shot. I really don't think they understand that they need to look at the code, because I think keeping the OCI calculation function from working is affecting the accuracy of the e-dipstick. Once it's finally a dead issue (or resolved by BMW - fingers crossed) I will post the results. I have no way to process this in my head. For the life of me I just can't see any justification for obsoleting the CBS OCI function. And worse, if you read my posts on this Forum, I was such a huge proponent of it, now I just think BMW is a BS artist like other people look at GM.