False Low Oil Warning on Long Journeys

[cobraBLACK]

I had a low oil warning pop up on a trip from Southampton to Devon yesterday. I checked 4 times and each time I read it as full (pulled over and waited a few mins before checking).

Went off again for the last half hour or so and no more warning.

I also got one in France last year and I remember someone on one of these (R)S4 forums had the same on the way back from the Alps.

Anyone know if its a fault or just something to ignore?

[BlingBling]

The same happened to me on a long trip. See here http://forum.rs246.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=90963. Not sure what to make of it. On the first occasion the oil level was low on the dip stick but after topping up..........

[P_G]

It could be two things to be honest in my experience. Unfortunately even leaving the car a couple of minutes when fully warm will give you a false reading because of the expansion of oil and you have a lot of it in an S4; you have to take the reading around 60 degrees / a few minutes after start up. On my old s4 and my present RS4 the warning will come on with low oil in it, you top it up but it can take up to a couple of days to sort itself out because it is effectively a bubble in the sensor that needs to move to cancel the sensor out and it gets trapped. So if it is still there after a couple of days then worry but otherwise quite normal.

[BlingBling]

Thanks . But on these occasions it happened while driving.

[V8Fletch]

I have just had this on motorway trip. Cleared itself on journey. Computer also reported that a parking light bulb had gone which was also wrong??

[cobraBLACK]

I have just had this on motorway trip. Cleared itself on journey. Computer also reported that a parking light bulb had gone which was also wrong??

I sometimes get the latter too thanks to my LED sidelights.

[MattS5]

I had something similar back in April this year
http://forum.rs246.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=90963

[P_G]

Thanks . But on these occasions it happened while driving.

Sounds like a wire fault on the sensor then.

[wardy124]

I've just had the same thing last night after a 150 mile round trip, with a minor deer clipping incident half way through (near shat myself!) I thought that something was maybe damaged but after stopping to check, the level was good?
Checked again this morning and the level was about midway in the stick but after another 50 miles today the warning flashed up again?
I know that these engines consume a little oil so is this just mine coming down and making the sensor? and needing a little top up?

Wardy

[cobraBLACK]

Spoke to my local garage yesterday and they said the oil level sensors can wear after time and they move up and down a lot slower.

I'm due an oil change but I brimmed it the week before my trip. I'll check it before I go home tomorrow and get some cheap(ish) stuff to keep me going (if necessary) before I put the new good stuff in.

I might get the sensor changed too if it's a cheap job.

[Ian_C]

I've just had the same thing last night after a 150 mile round trip, with a minor deer clipping incident half way through (near shat myself!)

Slightly off topic, but glad you survived okay. Lots of expensive rads at the front of an S4!

[wardy124]

[quote="Ian_C"
Slightly off topic, but glad you survived okay. Lots of expensive rads at the front of an S4! [/quote]

I know tell me about it!! the little f@&ker was just stood there staring at me, I manged to swerve, brake, soil myself and just clip the back legs of him! the only damage was a 10cm light scuff on the wrap, just under the left headlamp..... got away very lightly!

I've just got back from doing the same trip from north Czech to Prague and back, no warning until half way back, so I'm guessing that i just need a little top up, stopped at a service station to check and the level is good (with a hot engine though...) I grabbed a bottle of the same weight 5W-30 oil but not castrol edge, will it matter much if I use this? because I'll wait till I find some otherwise!!