NF4710

Recently had an oil change at local Indy - great experience. Oil level was middle of the gauge. Today drove it about 20 miles round trip and in similar weather with similar engine temps the oil level was at the top of the gauge. All measurements on level ground. Is the gauge just not that accurate?

N

Sidvicious7

The gauge on the MFD is just an indicating device. I’ve read the only accurate way to measure the oil is with the PIWIS device.

Wujohn

I cannot answer your question but can confirm that this has also happened to me. In my case, it was "low" so I added oil. Then it was fine (mid level) and then it was at the max, which was not a good feeling. Eventually it settled back down and stayed the same until the next change. Not sure why it did that but at least you know you are not alone.

Noah Fect

Normal. Just another (over)engineering quirk brought to you by those wacky Germans.

asellus

Totally normal. The gauge will fluctuate 1-2 ticks even if you measure it in the same exact parking spot. So long as it's anywhere between low and high, you're 100% A-OK, just like with a normal dipstick.

Penn4S

Take the oil measurement after the car warms to operating temperature, shut it down on a level surface for a few minutes then turn key to on position and take a measurement. Oil levels read differently when car is running or just shut down.

the_buch

Plus, following a change it takes the gauge some running time before it settles in. Your Indy probably had it properly full on their PIWIS.

asellus

Only a few minutes..

It translates the measurement from the sensor to a display the gauge. It polls periodically once certain metrics have been met, which is why the gauge seems to dance around if you check it over the course of a few days. You're just catching the last measurement it has taken, which may not have been in an ideal scenario (idling, car at full temp, level surface, etc.). You cannot force it to take a measurement to update the gauge, hence the need for a PIWIS or similar to read the raw value of the sensor, which I believe is expressed in inches of oil.

VektorPerformance

Oil will definitely expand as it gets hot and aerates some. If you ever do an oil change and fill it to the top of the gauge, you'll likely get a big red warning when you get on boil, that the oil level is too high.