Electronic oil level sender questions

Mistercamp · 04-14-2022, 11:24 AM

Was hoping someone could educate me here. Recently purchased a salvaged 2011 M57 E90 with iDrive. Minor suspension damage and differential gears were shattered. All has been fixed and is driving great now. However I am uncertain how the oil level sender is supposed to work.

To begin with there was not the oil level entry in the iDrive. I have coded it so the oil level is now available. However, the level reading is not accurate. It will either read minimum or just barely above minimum, regardless of the actual oil level. Oil level is correct per the dipstick and I have replaced the sensor when I changed the oil.

What I did notice however is the oil sensor on the e90 is a different part than the sensor that is on my M57 E70 X5. This has me wondering if the E90 sensor is just for oil quality. The replacement e90 sensor was an OE $50 Hella part. The e70, from what I see, is aftermarket $200 Venmo part. The BMW part numbers are different.

At this point I am uncertain if I missed a parameter when coding or if there is something else I am missing. Does anyone have any insight or has themselves coded the oil level in iDrive? Thanks.

lnxguy · 04-14-2022, 12:58 PM

Use the dipstick, the oil level sensor is useless.

335dlci · 04-14-2022, 01:38 PM

Can't be added

e90Noobie · 04-14-2022, 03:13 PM

Going to have to use the dipstick. As far as sensors go, if oil gets low then the little tiny silent triangle warning light will come up on the dash and you'll have to go into idrive warnings to see the message. If it gets even lower then the gong will chime and it will scream at you on the idrive along the top that the oil level is low.

Mistercamp · 04-15-2022, 10:03 AM

Damn that's unfortunate. Personally I use the dipstick, but this is for my lady. She would not be one to check the dipstick but would hopefully say something if the was a pop-up message. At some point I may try a sensor from 535d/e7035d/etc. If I'm reading tis correctly I think it may work as long as pins 1 & 3 get swapped. If I find time to try I will post an update. Thanks for the replies.

e90Noobie · 04-15-2022, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistercamp

Damn that's unfortunate. Personally I use the dipstick, but this is for my lady. She would not be one to check the dipstick but would hopefully say something if the was a pop-up message. At some point I may try a sensor from 535d/e7035d/etc. If I'm reading tis correctly I think it may work as long as pins 1 & 3 get swapped. If I find time to try I will post an update. Thanks for the replies.

Would appreciate the update.

Andystobbs · 04-15-2022, 02:18 PM

Don't see why it couldn't be added. N57 here in UK has oil level and quality. N47 got both preLCI but only quality post LCI.

All the coding options are available. I'd buy the other part number and have a play with it.

04-14-2022, 11:24 AM	#1
Mistercamp Enlisted Member 6 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 2010 X5 35d Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: That one place iTrader: (0)	Electronic oil level sender questions Was hoping someone could educate me here. Recently purchased a salvaged 2011 M57 E90 with iDrive. Minor suspension damage and differential gears were shattered. All has been fixed and is driving great now. However I am uncertain how the oil level sender is supposed to work. To begin with there was not the oil level entry in the iDrive. I have coded it so the oil level is now available. However, the level reading is not accurate. It will either read minimum or just barely above minimum, regardless of the actual oil level. Oil level is correct per the dipstick and I have replaced the sensor when I changed the oil. What I did notice however is the oil sensor on the e90 is a different part than the sensor that is on my M57 E70 X5. This has me wondering if the E90 sensor is just for oil quality. The replacement e90 sensor was an OE $50 Hella part. The e70, from what I see, is aftermarket $200 Venmo part. The BMW part numbers are different. At this point I am uncertain if I missed a parameter when coding or if there is something else I am missing. Does anyone have any insight or has themselves coded the oil level in iDrive? Thanks.
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04-14-2022, 12:58 PM	#2
lnxguy Lieutenant Colonel 357 Rep 1,723 Posts Drives: 2009 335D Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Barrie iTrader: (1)	Use the dipstick, the oil level sensor is useless. __________________ '09 335D
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04-14-2022, 01:38 PM	#3
335dlci Lieutenant Colonel 277 Rep 1,574 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Socal iTrader: (0)	Can't be added
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04-14-2022, 03:13 PM	#4
e90Noobie Private First Class 16 Rep 137 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Nunya iTrader: (0)	Going to have to use the dipstick. As far as sensors go, if oil gets low then the little tiny silent triangle warning light will come up on the dash and you'll have to go into idrive warnings to see the message. If it gets even lower then the gong will chime and it will scream at you on the idrive along the top that the oil level is low.
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04-15-2022, 10:03 AM	#5
Mistercamp Enlisted Member 6 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 2010 X5 35d Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: That one place iTrader: (0)	Damn that's unfortunate. Personally I use the dipstick, but this is for my lady. She would not be one to check the dipstick but would hopefully say something if the was a pop-up message. At some point I may try a sensor from 535d/e7035d/etc. If I'm reading tis correctly I think it may work as long as pins 1 & 3 get swapped. If I find time to try I will post an update. Thanks for the replies.
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04-15-2022, 02:18 PM	#7
Andystobbs Captain 191 Rep 720 Posts Drives: E91 Lci, Vectra B V6 Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Chester, South Wirral iTrader: (0)	Don't see why it couldn't be added. N57 here in UK has oil level and quality. N47 got both preLCI but only quality post LCI. All the coding options are available. I'd buy the other part number and have a play with it.
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