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Oil LEVEL light stays on and is driving me crazy!

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    Oil LEVEL light stays on and is driving me crazy!

    Hi.. New to this forum and need some help. I have spend days googling and forum-ing to try to find an answer to this and I am stumped. I have an 1990 325i E30 M20 and out of nowhere the oil level idiot light came on (the one up near the rear view mirror). Now I know that the oil is not low it is on the upper mark. As all forums suggest, I removed the oil level sensor from the sump and cleaned it. The ball bearing moved fine and it was definitely clean. Put it back and still the light stayed on. I gave time for the oil to circulate through the small hole in the level sensor. The light is still on. Checked the wiring and it all seems fine. The connection on the sensor is good, block is Ok and following the wires back to the loom is good too.

    I tried to jump the block connector to bypass the oil level sensor and try to turn the light off. No matter what combination I tried with the three wires that light would not go off. I grounded them, connected them, every single combination had no effect...

    Someone even said to jump the service port to reset it (I think it was number 7 and 19 or something like that I can't remember off hand), I did that still no change.

    What am I missing? I could ignore the light but that isn't the point. I would rather it was fixed.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    #2
    what about the oil pressure switch behind the air con bracket.. put that to ground and see if it goes out
    Boris - 89 E30 325i
    84- E30 323i

    Comment


      #3
      The oil pressure switch has nothing to to with the oil light in the overhead check panel.

      The oil level sensor has two switches in it (static & dynamic). If the oil level is correct the static switch is closed and the dynamic switch is open. If you disconnect the sensor and ground the pin having a green/yellow wire and leave the other pins open and the light remains on, either there is a wiring fault or the check panel is bad. If the light goes out during that test, the sensor is bad or the brown/green wire isn't grounded.

      See 6216-3 of the ETM (http://wedophones.com/Manuals/BMW/19...g%20Manual.pdf) for details.
      Last edited by jlevie; 08-30-2016, 07:44 PM. Reason: typo
      The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
      Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

      Comment


        #4
        Oil lifht

        Thanks for the info jlevie. I did a test with the wires at the block connector and also at c101 and the light didn't go off. I will try a new check panel and see if that works.

        Comment


          #5
          I have an 87 and it appears my oil level sensor is 2 wire? Is that possible- did they have an early and late version?

          My oil level light is on after doing a major service (t-belt, front seals and oil pan gasket). It was not on before and it IS plugged in right now. The washer fluid light is also on now too. neither were on previously.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by bthorsen View Post
            I have an 87 and it appears my oil level sensor is 2 wire? Is that possible- did they have an early and late version?

            My oil level light is on after doing a major service (t-belt, front seals and oil pan gasket). It was not on before and it IS plugged in right now. The washer fluid light is also on now too. neither were on previously.
            someone must have some info to help me...?

            Comment


              #7
              am I in uncharted territory here....?

              Comment


                #8
                my oil light has been on for 5 years...
                we gave up.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                '90 325i sedan daily driven
                '85 325e coupe also a daily

                Comment


                  #9
                  Clean the grounds and use contact cleaner on the plugs and some electrical grease when you put it back together. You can search realoem.com to see if there is an early vs. late sensor. As the electrical circuits age, they start corroding. Once in a while, if you pull out your fuses and put them back in you see things start to work properly.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I think I have just fixed my oil level light, which has been on for 4-5 years on my 87 cabrio. I did remove and clean the sensor back in 2016 when changing the timing belt. Made no difference. Today I did some troubleshooting that was a little inconclusive. I then removed the check panel, it simply pulls out. I removed the connector. I looked at the panel, and it would take a lot of work to open it up. I then reinserted the connector, replaced the check panel, and started the car. The oil light was OFF! So, simply removing and reinserting the panel connector fixed my stuck on light.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      My oil light was on for 2 1/2 years, I even replaced the sender. Eventually I replaced a check panel and that fixed it.
                      Jon (OO=[][]=OO)
                      1992 325ic white, stock with a 5-speed swap
                      Palm Beach County

                      Comment


                        #12
                        My windshield liquid level is on if i hit a pump if rotate the sensor then it's off for somtime if i open it is there something to clean to make accurate again?

                        Another thing can someone help with the low beam been on after i install hid kit is there DIY for this please share.

                        Also oil level sensor stopped and i replaced a used one but it lights when oil level is low by a quarter since the previous one lights when oil is low by half quarter.one quarter is too much considering that m20 only takes 4 quarters.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I'm looking all over the place to figure out how to remove the oil level sensor without much luck. Main question I have, is will oil come out when I remove it? Or will I be able to remove it and replace / clean it without losing oil?

                          Thanks!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I believe No oil is coming off thanks to its location in the upper of the oil pan. M5x guys have to lose all oil since the sensor is on the bottom of the oil pan.

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