Alfa_Metal

Could this be an MMI issue?
Is it possible that the hood latch sensor could still be the problem somehow?

Thanks in advance.



P.S.
*Car is bone stock with no MMI updates that I know of.
*Car has a dipstick but no oil level menu in the "car" section of MMI

uberwgn

I've seen the oil level displayed in the DIS in my '11 A4 once, that I can remember. I don't recall how to get it to display. My car has the oil level readout in the MMI. It takes a period of time for it to display a level after the hood has been opened. My car was not equipped with a dipstick.

If you have the dipstick, why aren't you content with that reading?

Alfa_Metal

Im concerned about the idiot light not working in a situation where Im already driving and there was a sudden drop in oil level. I'd want to be able to know so I can pull over immediately.

uberwgn

The cars have low oil pressure warning systems.

Alfa_Metal

Does the car extrapolate oil level from the oil pressure measurement?

uberwgn

No, completely different systems.

Alfa_Metal

Thanks for the replies. Should I take comfort in the fact they are separate systems, assuming the oil pressure light would activate, even if the oil level sensor may not be working? How low would the oil have to get on the 3.2 to trigger the level sensor in the first place?

uberwgn

I feel like you are worrying about something you don't need to be worrying about or, there's something you are not sharing that has you concerned.

Can you review your Owner's Manual and see if there is any guidance on getting the level to display in the DIS?

On our 2011 and 2015 cars, the oil level has to be a full liter low before the car is going to produce the "low oil level, add oil" message in the DIS. I've never seen this message on our 3.2L car as it doesn't really consume any oil and the 6 cylinder engines have a large capacity.

(I wonder if your car could have the oil level display programmed into the MMI system since you have the oil level sensor if you can view oil level in the DIS.)

Alfa_Metal

You got me, Im a little embarrassed. When I first got the car (used) years ago I took a long trip and was pushing the car pretty hard for part of it and the low level yellow warning came on. Car told me to add up to a liter(?) which I did, started up, saw the level in the DIS screen, and everything was kosher. This tells me the oil level warning system worked at one point. After that I was pretty religious about checking the oil every month. Fast forward to yesterday. With a lot of other stuff on my mind lately, I had forgotten to check the level recently. When I finally remembered, the level on the stick was a hair under the min mark. Shouldnt the level sensor have come on before that? I accept any and all chastising my only excuse being a huge amount of life stress in the last two months (which this incedent is not helping with).
Thanks and apologies

uberwgn

I'll tell ya, most would be thrilled to have an engine fitted with a dipstick. They probably did away with them around 2010.

The oil level may not have dropped enough to trigger another low oil level warning message. Just keep checking on a regular basis. Being just below the MIN line on the dipstick is not a huge deal - - I don't think you can worry about that. Just ensure you are using the correct 502.00 oil and an OEM grade filter. The cars have a large capacity.

I don't check our 2006 wagon (3.2L) very often. It doesn't really consume much oil over the drain interval. The 3.2L engine is a good one apart from the carbon build up issue.