ADias

I suspect this happens quite a bit. People add too much oil.

Mike in CA

I completely agree with Gary's response to this. It's not wise to wait for a warning light to come on; the oil should be checked regularly using the gauge. The difference between the maximum mark and minimum mark on the gauge is approximately 1.3 quarts; you're sometimes adding up to 50% more than that when you put in 2 quarts. Plus as he points out, the check oil light can indicate too much oil just as easily as too little. Follow his suggestions and monitor the gauge.

SeamusC4S

Gary - Thanks for the advice and the time you took to write the thorough reply. I will definitely start checking the oil more regularly and using your method, which I think might be just slighlty different then how I was instructed.

This is my first p-car, so the first time the warning light came on I took it to the dealership. The mechanic who added the oil, said I didn't have to check it regularly that the car will tell me when it needs oil aka "the warning light". He showed me how to use the electronic measuring system and how much oil to add based on which marker/bar was lit. At that time, only the last bar was lit, so he added 2 qts (which he didn't charge me for which was nice), so I basically did what he did everytime the warning light came on.

When the warning light came on, the first thing I would do is run the electronic measurement and it always displayed only one bar. It required somewhere between 1.25 - 2 qts of oil and I never filled it to the point where the very top bar was lit, so I felt good about not overfilling. I never added 1.25 - 2 qts all at one time. I would add 1 qt then 1/2 then a 1/4, etc. until the second bar from the top was lit. It usually took 3-4 electronic measurements to get there and I usually waited a few minutes in between measurements to let the oil settle.

Mike in CA

Just FYI, the top segment shown in the pic below never lights up regardless of how much oil you put in. If you overfill enough, a separate "Check engine oil level" message will show up in the onboard computer display, but the top segment of the level gauge will stay dark.

SeamusC4S

THANKS!!!!! I did not know that. I probably did overfill, but I never got a separate message. My car is due for service, so I will discuss this with my dealership and have them assess my oil usage.

Mike in CA

According to the manual the overfill message appears while driving and only comes on if "the oil level is well above the maximum mark". It doesn't say how much "well above" equates to. So you may have overfilled somewhat, but not enough to trigger the message. Good luck with your dealer.

simsgw

Wow. He added two quarts with the bottom bar lit and didn't suggest you check the measurements yourself? I think I'd ask for a different mechanic to take care of my car in the future. Talk to the service manager before you go in. I don't see a location on your information, but if you don't get a good response from the service manager, or if he says "Oh, he's my best man!" -- well, I'd consider changing dealers. His advice to not bother measuring comes very close to malfeasance frankly.

No problem with the reply, Seamus. I'm retired now and have a little more time for friends.

P.S. I do see your location on looking again. The East Bay has ample dealers. Talk to that manager, tell him about your concern and quote "a Stanford engineer" if you like. If you don't get a useful attitude, go elsewhere. No kidding. I lost a German car once (well, a VeeDub fifty years ago, but it was amazingly important to a teenage husband) by relying on exactly that advice. One morning the light went on, I made a note to add oil at the nearest station and half a block later the engine seized.

Gary

simsgw

That must be a software change, Mike. I haven't seen that top bar after our last two oil changes, but it was on when we bought the car and stayed that way for a couple of months. I remember asking something about it. Maybe they upgraded my software to a later version.

Gary

Mike in CA

Well now I'm curious. We're talking about the very top segment, right, and you say you've seen it lit? Mine's never been lit (nor should it be under normal circumstances) and nothing in the manual indicates that it will light if the maximum level (where the top arrow is) is exceeded. Perhaps I reached an incorrect conclusion. Anyone know for sure, or willing to purposely overfill their car to find out?

ADias

I bet the overfilled segment is active. It would be gratuitous if it did not lit.

simsgw

No and yes. That is I won't be a guinea pig , but I did see it lit. Having had a while to think about it, I remember those days. We brought the car home and of course I worked my way through the manual. I ran the oil measurement with the car parked different places and confirmed that our garage or a certain island at my usual station was the only place I could count on the reading. The measurement is very sensitive to level conditions.

I noticed then that the manual shows the top bar as being off and that's their example of a fully filled condition. We had a call-back appointment to take care of a couple of pre-sale conditions I had negotiated. I asked about the top bar and insisted that a master mechanic (which turned out to be all their Porsche mechanics at this dealer) take a look and visually confirm the oil level to be sure it wasn't overfull.

Now that I know the car better, I'm damned if I know how he could do a visual check, but that's neither here nor there. The top bar was definitely on and neither the service manager nor the mechanic scoffed at the idea that it might indicate an overfill condition. I wonder if the field engineers got enough annoyed calls from service managers that the factory released a software mod that leaves that top bar off all the time, or perhaps only turns it on with an overfill condition. (Nope. Still not willing to test that.)

Gary

Leader

When I took delivery, my top bar was lit. It stayed that way for about 1500 miles, then went off.
I've not seen it since, including immediately after my initial oil change (at 5k miles).
Huge amount of discussion on this...wow.

simsgw

Bars are like that.

Gary

Fahrer

.....very good!

Marine Blue

Well I don't have a 911 so not completely relevant but my Spyder hasn't used any measurable oil in 2500 miles. The top bar is also lit and has remained lit even after the first oil change at 1500 miles.