kane1111

Hey Guys,
Can anyone tell me how to check the oil level on a early 05/06 N62 motor? I have a 2006 550i and I wanna check the oil level through the dip stick. Should the vehicle be running or not? Input please?

info@trinityautosport

is there a dipstick on yours? otherwise you would have to check it through the idrive, and yes the engine has to be running for that and warmed up.

kane1111

Yes I do have a dip stick, and thanks because I kinda don't trust the idrive. I had a oil level sensor malfunction in the past and it cost the warrenty company a alot of money to fix.

mickeyboy500

I disagree, the correct way to check your oil is warm the engine through and then let it sit (with the engine off for 10 minutes). Then you can check your oil and you will get an accurate reading. If you dip while the engine is running, oil is being pumped around the engine and you will not get a true reading of the level.

AchtungE60

He's saying the engine has to be running for an oil level sensor not with a dipstick. I do hope everyone knows how to properly check oil with a dipstick.

gcvt

I wish I had a dipstick.

kane1111

So to check the oil level with the dip stick your saying the vehicle has to be turnt off? And to check the level with the iDrive it has to be turnt on? Right? Because I checked the oil level with the dip stick with both the vehicle ON and OFF and the dip stick had oil on the tip which is below the min marker. But the iDrive says the car has oil and thuis is with the veicle turnt ON! I'm Confused! The vehicle did have a oil level sensor fault in the past which cost the warrenty company thousands to repair. I hope it's not happening again;/.. The vehicle is currently at the dealer cuz the work has warrenty so I will update you guys when they call.. Thanks for the responses tho!

mickeyboy500

Dipstick = Engine off.
iDrive = Engine on, there is a youtube video for the iDrive check.

AchtungE60

Think about it. if you check the dipstick while oil is being vaccumed throughout engine it obviously will not be collected in the pan right? So how would you expect to get an accurate reading. Matter of fact you need to shut the car off and wait a few moments for oil to drip back into the pan before you check.
With an oil sensor, I would assume the sensor doesn't work without power and neither does your iDrvie screen. So at least you need to apply power to KL15. However, I think it would be bad engineering to design a vehicle with only an oil level sensor and no manual way to check it and not be able to do that while the car is on. After all, even a vehicle with a dipstick still does have a oil level sensor. Otherwise how will the vehicle know when it's low on oil?