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      07-25-2014, 09:46 AM   #1
Spaceman Spiff
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Red oil light flickering

While driving from NYC to Boston yesterday, my red oil light flickered a few times. It only happened when I was idle in traffic, and the flickering was so quick that I would have missed it had I not been paying attention. I googled the issue and it seems like E46 owners reported a similar issue but there is no final answer (replies range from STOP THE CAR AND WALK BACK HOME to "BMW tech told me to ignore it"). A relatively common diagnosis is the wrong grade of oil, which could be the issue as I just had the oil changed at an indie shop in NYC (my first time there but they were recommended by my Boston shop that was solid)

Has anyone had a similar problem? Should I get it checked out in Boston or drive back to NYC?
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      07-25-2014, 02:37 PM   #2
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Personally, I'd get it checked out. Only because the consequences of it being a real warning could be so severe. It might cost you an oil change (if you suspect the incorrect grade), a new sensor, or might be nothing at all. But, I wouldn't mess with an oil pressure warning light. Your ride home will be much less stressful.
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      07-25-2014, 04:24 PM   #3
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There are two and a half possibilities, either your oil level sensor is dying, or your oil pump nut is backing out. The last "half" possibility is your oil level is low and your sensor is dying at the same time.

Possibility 1 is the likely culprit, and if that is indeed the case, simply replacing the sensor and changing your oil (when you remove the sensor all the oil will come out so you'll have to drain it first) will fix it. Under this scenario it is possible to continue to operate the car without any serious issues.

Possibility 2, while less likely, can present itself as a catastrophic problem. If the car continues to operate while the oil pump is not, the engine will grenade itself within a very short period of time. A friend of mine had this happen to him on the track. From when the light started to flicker (nut had backed out), to the point when it glowed solid red (pump inoperative, oil not circulating) to when he pulled over and stopped the car, it was all within maybe no more than 15 seconds. But the end result is still a complete new engine. If this is on the street, you've PROBABLY got 20 seconds before the engine will have to be replaced.

Scenario #2.5 is much harder to diagnose and can also be catastrophic, especially if the light is flickering indicating the oil level is dangerously low, but the sensor is sending intermittent signals to the ECU resulting in the flicker.

Judging from the fact that you mentioned the flicker at idle, I highly suspect it's simply the oil level sensor being intermittently faulty. Regardless, you're better off fixing it rather than wait until something happens, IMO.
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      07-25-2014, 06:27 PM   #4
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Hack, was this on an S54 car or M54 car?
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      07-25-2014, 06:52 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pokeybritches
Hack, was this on an S54 car or M54 car?
Or _50 or _52.

I'm guessing _52.
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      07-25-2014, 10:17 PM   #6
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M54
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      07-26-2014, 08:34 AM   #7
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I had the same issue a couple years back and it was a bad sensor. No issues since.
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      07-26-2014, 09:52 AM   #8
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Thanks guys! It's an M54.

Took it to my shop in Boston and they checked fault codes, oil level, etc. and couldn't find anything wrong. They said however that to be 100% sure, they have to plug in a sensor and check the pressure as the engine's running, which they didn't have time for on Friday. I drove for about 2 hrs yestrday and the light didn't come back so i am going to head back to NYC tomorrow and get it checked there during the week. Obviously will pull over if I see the light again, but hope that won't be necessaey. I too think it must be a sensor because if it were really low pressure due to mechanical issues it would have flashed again yesterday!
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      07-26-2014, 11:52 AM   #9
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It might just be a glitch. My M54 X5 had a similar issue about 3 years ago. While driving down the mountain in Big Bear after a snowboarding trip, the oil light flickered for a while and then turned solid red by the time we were at the bottom of the mountain. Found a safe place to pull over. Shut off the car. Checked the oil, leveled at the midpoint, which was good. Started the car again, the light went out and never flickered or turned back on since. No codes were thrown either.

Last edited by XMetal; 07-26-2014 at 12:14 PM..
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