What is this counting down to?
12-01-2018, 01:09 AM
#3
Rennlist Member
It is checking your oil level. It will generally take 5 seconds when the car is cold (key in, but not running). If it has been driven a bit, it will sometimes count down from a higher number. Mine also counts down from 5 right after fueling up. In other words, do not worry unless there is no oil!
12-01-2018, 01:37 AM
#4
It is checking your oil level. It will generally take 5 seconds when the car is cold (key in, but not running). If it has been driven a bit, it will sometimes count down from a higher number. Mine also counts down from 5 right after fueling up. In other words, do not worry unless there is no oil!
12-01-2018, 02:05 AM
#5
Pro
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 608
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would not place too much stock in that reading. Best is to use the dipstick on level ground - do it frequently, there's some oil consumption in some of these engines. Manual recommends at every fill up, just make sure you give enough time for the oil to return to the sump.
12-01-2018, 05:11 AM
#7
The digital oil level check does some predictive sensing based on some parameters like oil + watertemp and how m the car was driven just before checking. The hotter the oil is the faster it flows back into the pan from higher levels in the engine. When designing the digital dipstick they equipped it with some ‘mapping’ for oil level sensing. Knowing how much oil will have returned in the pan based on time and temperatures.
Trending Topics
12-01-2018, 02:13 PM
#8
Three Wheelin'
I don't really understand why it takes 5 seconds when dead cold -- the car has been sitting there all night -- no more oil is going to settle and it shouldn't take 5 seconds to detect the level.
When warm, the timer makes all the sense in the world.
The oil status on the 996 is much better than the oil monitoring on a modern Audi. Our Q5 will tell you when the oil is low, but after you add oil, it says that it doesn't have any oil information when you go to the oil level screen. It seems like it's not until the next day (or at least a long time later) before it will tell you what the oil level is after adding it. I can't think of anything less helpful. When you are adding oil, it's kind of useful to know what the new level is. In fairness, the warning says "add 1 quart", which seems to be pretty spot-on when I finally see the oil level again.
When warm, the timer makes all the sense in the world.
The oil status on the 996 is much better than the oil monitoring on a modern Audi. Our Q5 will tell you when the oil is low, but after you add oil, it says that it doesn't have any oil information when you go to the oil level screen. It seems like it's not until the next day (or at least a long time later) before it will tell you what the oil level is after adding it. I can't think of anything less helpful. When you are adding oil, it's kind of useful to know what the new level is. In fairness, the warning says "add 1 quart", which seems to be pretty spot-on when I finally see the oil level again.
Last edited by peterp; 12-01-2018 at 02:32 PM.
12-01-2018, 02:38 PM
#9
Maybe it takes 5sec to do the (average) reading. Or a kind of minimum delay built in the system.
sounds logical the q5 story. Much newer car. Fully electronic dipstick? Adding oil will disturb probably the reading directly after. So it will need to run fully warm for example to do a new estimation.
sounds logical the q5 story. Much newer car. Fully electronic dipstick? Adding oil will disturb probably the reading directly after. So it will need to run fully warm for example to do a new estimation.
12-01-2018, 02:48 PM
#10
Drifting
12-01-2018, 03:34 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
Install the GT3 Cup diptsick assembly. Cost of parts is about 100 bucks and to me would be worth every penny..
12-01-2018, 04:20 PM
#12
Three Wheelin'
Wow -- it's not a big deal for me because I only add oil and it tells you when to add 1 quart. The dealer does oil changes on the Q5, but I would not feel very comfortable doing that blind. I think you can buy a Audi/VW dipstick and add it. I have no experience with it, but it seems like it's only about $20 at some places from a quick google search.
12-01-2018, 07:24 PM
#13
Drifting
12-02-2018, 09:27 PM
#14
Instructor
So if the car is not on a flat surface, this can take up to an hour. I made the mistake of turning the key on when I had the rear of the car on jack stands but not the front, and the oil check timer went up to 55mins, I figured this will clear after the car was back on a flat surface, but nope, it took the 55 mins to complete. BTW, these was 55 mins of the key in the ignition with the engine off. As soon as the engine starts the timer stops counting down, it would continue from where it left off the next time the key is turned on. Don't know if driving the car would reset this condition, I just left the ignition on for the 55 mins while doing other things.
12-02-2018, 09:52 PM
#15
Rennlist Member
Oil count down is most accurate when cold and flat. Second most acurrate is during a refueling stop when it takes less than a minute. If the engine is started, even for just a few seconds, the reading won’t be acurrate. Only when the oil is stone cold or completely hot should the levels be checked, and verified by the dipstick about every few checks. My dipstick reading and dash readings are very close to each other.