Audi really don’t trust their owners.

[Rand]

This is the first time I have seen a car with a normal dipstick and an electronic dipstick
You can’t check the oil level yourself electronically like I can on my BMW.

I think a better term is low oil level(warning light)

Subaru Foresters were notorious in 2011-2014 for being quarts low because no one would check the oil level in them..
BUT MY LOW OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON.....(they didnt have one only for low oil pressure)

Enter 2014 now when 1 quart low you get a dash light.. no need to check as much now.. they tell you.
(I would still check every 1000miles or so.)
Edit:

Is it a low oil light or a low oil pressure light?
If you mean you’re RS3, of course it does, it’s an Audi the same as my daughters Q2 so the same applies, Audi don’t trust their owners to check the oil. Can you actually check the oil using the electronic dipstick?

As far as a Subaru having an add oil light, none of mine ever did, though my last two Subarus were a 2004 WRX with the 2.0 engine and a 2004 Legacy 2.0 Auto (single cam)

I would not call a system that tells you to add oil an electronic dipstick unless its able to display oil level as well.

Subaru added the low oil warning system to 2014+ foresters.
the outback had it earlier at least by 2013(if not earlier)

This is totally separate from a low oil pressure light which is pretty much worthless.. by the time that comes on your engine is done.. stick a fork in it.

 

[bigjl]

I think a better term is low oil level(warning light)

Subaru Foresters were notorious in 2011-2014 for being quarts low because no one would check the oil level in them..
BUT MY LOW OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON.....(they didnt have one only for low oil pressure)

Enter 2014 now when 1 quart low you get a dash light.. no need to check as much now.. they tell you.
(I would still check every 1000miles or so.)
Edit:



I would not call a system that tells you to add oil an electronic dipstick unless its able to display oil level as well.

Subaru added the low oil warning system to 2014+ foresters.
the outback had it earlier at least by 2013(if not earlier)

This is totally separate from a low oil pressure light which is pretty much worthless.. by the time that comes on your engine is done.. stick a fork in it.

It’s not a light, it asked for oil to be added, I added 1/4 of a lite and it went off straight away.

I checked the oil again and added another 1/4 litre to get the oil level on the top of the dipstick mark

I checked the oil the week before and it was midway on the dipstick, was pretty much still on the same place when the warning came on

The oil was never low, it was just below halfway on the normal range on the dipstick

The only way it can be that accurate is if there is an accurate rate electronic dipstick fitted to the engine.

 

[edyvw]

A low oil light in a 2007 Audi is surely just a low oil pressure light?

In the Q2 in question this is an actual electronic dipstick that the driver has no access to that I have found so far, not that I have looked particularly hard.

My BMW will send a message to add oil soon, then a message will pop up to add 1 litre.

I see nobody finds it interesting that Audi fits an electronic dipstick to a vehicle with a normal dipstick, I thought it was interesting anyway.

And the image of that showed Audi was part of the same group that owns VW is just random

The clue is in the group name VAG, and I don’t think anybody that hasn’t lived under a rock for 20 years needs it pointed out that VW, VW Commercial Vehicles, Audi, Lamborghini, Cupar, Ducati, Skoda, Bentley, Porsche and Seat are all part of the same group.

BMW 335d and X5 35d had both dipstick and electronic measurement.

I think what VW/Audi do is good. If I had a dollar for every time some of my friends asked me to check something and they were low a quart or more.
As far as I know B8 Audi A4 had electric dipstick and plugged hole for normal dipstick. You could buy dipstick for like $19 and add to it.

 

[Rand]

The only way it can be that accurate is if there is an accurate rate electronic dipstick fitted to the engine.

Maybe there is a sensor that just kicks out the warning when its below a certain level? If its displayed as words or a light is immaterial.
But its german so having both would make sense

The subaru system is not an electronic dipstick just a low level warning.
Got quite used to it on the 2013 outback that burned oil from new... through a ring job and short block replacement for over 130k miles.

 

[Audiman]

My daughter has a 2020 Audi Q2, 1.5 TFSi with the DSG box

I checked the oil a week or so ago and I was in the middle of the normal zone, figured I would top it up when I have time

Then yesterday there was a message on the dash saying to add oil and an amber triangle lit up on the dash

I double checked the oil and it was still around the middle of the normal zone as previously

Chucked in 1/2 of Mobil 1 5W30 ESP and the light and warming went off. Audi allow 1/2 litre of top up using a 504 oil like ESP, the car usually takes the green 0w20, if memory serves its 509.

This is the first time I have seen a car with a normal dipstick and an electronic dipstick

You can’t check the oil level yourself electronically like I can on my BMW.

I just it was an interesting snippet of information and does provide an insight into how Audi view their typical customer

Somebody who leases a nice car for 3 or 4 years and doesn’t bother to lift the bonnet.

This is surprising actually as normally the light will come on when it needs a full litre of oil.

Ive never seen one put a warning up at only 0.5 of a litre needed.

 

[edyvw]

This is surprising actually as normally the light will come on when it needs a full litre of oil.

Ive never seen one put a warning up at only 0.5 of a litre needed.

Probably they saw customers ignoring it for some time. On EA888 they increased capacity too. It was 5qt, now it is 6.1qt.
There was no any reason to increase capacity if one was paying attention. Engines were not having issues with sludge etc.
Only thing I can think of is making sure engines do not run out if oil due to lack of attention.

 

[dogememe]

If you talk to my brother’s 22-30 yo coworkers they say it’s stupid to waste time on a car. He brought up the notion of a manual transmission and they said boy that’s just plain stupid. And the thing is they’re quite degreed and 100% serious

I mean they aren’t wrong. I’d consider myself a car enthusiast and I don’t see the point of a stick. I’ve always enjoyed my automatics. And now my single speed transmission. Lol. Modern automatics are better than a human.

 

[Audiman]

Is there any logical conclusion to be drawn other than Audi (VAG) want to ensure that owners keep the oil at the correct level?

Exactly this. People do not check the oil level and people do need to be told it needs topping up. Engines burn oil unfortunately but people don’t expect it so need a nudge.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

Is it a low oil light or a low oil pressure light?

What car is it?

If you mean you’re RS3, of course it does, it’s an Audi the same as my daughters Q2 so the same applies, Audi don’t trust their owners to check the oil. Can you actually check the oil using the electronic dipstick?

As far as a Subaru having an add oil light, none of mine ever did, though my last two Subarus were a 2004 WRX with the 2.0 engine and a 2004 Legacy 2.0 Auto (single cam)

In my post I mentioned there is no electronic dipstick. There are both low oil pressure, and low oil warning lights - By lights I mean a message on the dash, since it is a digital instrument cluster. The oil level warning triggers when the oil is 1 litre low.

 

[John105]

I mean they aren’t wrong. I’d consider myself a car enthusiast and I don’t see the point of a stick. I’ve always enjoyed my automatics. And now my single speed transmission. Lol. Modern automatics are better than a human.

You’re intelligent, and expressing really how you feel. No different than when a person truly enjoys driving a car with a clutch and is not making it up. Shows us all that time doesn’t stand still….

 

[JHZR2]

My 1991 Mercedes has an oil level sensor and a dipstick. What am I missing?

 

[dogememe]

You’re intelligent, and expressing really how you feel. No different than when a person truly enjoys driving a car with a clutch and is not making it up. Shows us all that time doesn’t stand still….

Yep. I totally understand for some people a stick is their cup of tea. And that’s ok. They’re just going to have to keep their old vehicles or choose one of the very few options available new.

 

[Shel_B]

If I popped the hood and checked my oil at WAWA most people would think I was some kind of weirdo.

What is WAWA?

 

[tbm5690]

If you talk to my brother’s 22-30 yo coworkers they say it’s stupid to waste time on a car. He brought up the notion of a manual transmission and they said boy that’s just plain stupid. And the thing is they’re quite degreed and 100% serious

Hard to pass judgement on something they probably don't know how to drive!

 

[walterjay]

It is a store a lot like Sheetz or Royal Farm.
Wawa is big in my area.

 

[bigjl]

In my post I mentioned there is no electronic dipstick. There are both low oil pressure, and low oil warning lights - By lights I mean a message on the dash, since it is a digital instrument cluster. The oil level warning triggers when the oil is 1 litre low.

So how does the low oil light know there is low oil?

 

[bigjl]

My 1991 Mercedes has an oil level sensor and a dipstick. What am I missing?

The fact that nowhere in the manual is the owner made aware there is an electronic dipstick.

My 2016 S350d had a dipstick but never had a warning come up to add oil when the oil got to the halfway mark on the dipstick (half way between max and min for the pedants)

My 745Le has no dipstick and a warning to add oil comes on to add oil soon, if you ignore it then about 500 miles later another warning comes up to add 1 litre.

Which is why BMW Assist carry 1 litre jugs of oil. So they can add exactly a litre and bill you accordingly.

 

[bigjl]

Exactly this. People do not check the oil level and people do need to be told it needs topping up. Engines burn oil unfortunately but people don’t expect it so need a nudge.

And you are the first person to understand what I was getting at with my original post.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

So how does the low oil light know there is low oil?

There is a sensor in the sump... Although I'm not sure if it is a float switch or whether it works with electrical continuity between two points.

 

[bigjl]

This is surprising actually as normally the light will come on when it needs a full litre of oil.

Ive never seen one put a warning up at only 0.5 of a litre needed.

It’s in the handbook.

The actual manual dipstick showed the oil at half way between max and min. I had checked it a week or so previously and thought so would add some oil when I could get to a VAG dealer and buy some 0w20

The 1/2 litre of 504 oil was in the handbook as a maximum you could add as top up to a car that’s specced with 0w20 508/509

After adding 1/2 litre it was just below the max line

If memory serves the 1.5 TFSi has a pretty small sump capacity, I think it’s around 4 litres.