Red Oil Pressure Light

Originally Posted by ptrcd003

A BMW dealership used Mobil1? I did use the search function, nothing came up. Why would a BMW dealership even have Mobil1 in stock? They only sell BMW oil. I've specifically asked my dealer before and all they stock is their own oil.

Multiple posts on BMW forums about stealerships using M1 5W30. Keep looking mate!

Reckless Rob: Im having the same problem. Did you change both oil sensors? Level and pressure?

Originally Posted by BusinessDrive

I'm having some difficulties with my 2003 325i sedan. The car has almost 90,000 miles on it and recently the red oil pressure light came on while idling at a red light. The light would turn off once I accelerated. I've done a lot of searching on here but don't know what else to do. I brought the car into my local BMW dealership and had they performed a pressure test ( results came back that pressure was good). They said I needed a new oil pressure sensor (located in the engine). I replaced the sensor, however, the light came on the first time I drove it a few days later. I noticed the light only comes on when the car is idling in Drive or Reverse and that the RPMs seem to be hovering around the 500-550 mark at this time. If I put the car in Park the RPMs increase slightly and the light goes out. I called the dealership again and they want me to bring it back in to be examined again. They mentioned it could be another sensor located in the oil pan? Im just wondering whether or not it is just the ICV. Any suggestions?

Im having the same issue!!! What should we do?

BMW I6 engines have long had very low oil pressures at idle. The M54 (according to Bentley) runs around 7 PSI at idle. It's not uncommon to see 5 PSI at idle on BMW I6 engines. This is very low in the great scheme of things. I'm not sure what the threshold for the light is. It wouldn't surprise me if it was around 2 PSI.

Did they give you the pressure readouts? I'm assuming they followed the BMW protocol and put a pressure gauge in place of the pressure sensor on the motor and verified the pressure. What was it at idle and at elevated RPM? Again, 7 PSI is what you're supposed to be seeing at idle. It should be 59 PSI at elevated RPM.

Raising the idle speed is a bandaid if there is a real problem. The light is there for a reason. Putting a bandaid on the issue to make the light go away doesn't solve this. It just creates a false sense of security.

-Verify the correct oil is being used
-Verify the correct filter is being used
-Verify the oil pressure readings they got and how they were obtained

It seems unlikely that you got a bad oil pressure sensor right out of the box. The more likely explanation is that you actually have a pressure issue, and this should not be taken lightly. It can destroy your engine in short order. Causes can range from a bad oil pump, to the oil pump nut being off the shaft, to worn internals, to clogged oil passages.

Get some more info. I wholeheartedly disagree with the suggestions to raise the idle speed to mask this issue. If the pressure is actually low at idle, it will be comparatively low at elevated RPM. If the pressure is out of spec, the reason behind it needs to be diagnosed.

Originally Posted by fiveightandten

BMW I6 engines have long had very low oil pressures at idle. The M54 (according to Bentley) runs around 7 PSI at idle. It's not uncommon to see 5 PSI at idle on BMW I6 engines. This is very low in the great scheme of things. I'm not sure what the threshold for the light is. It wouldn't surprise me if it was around 2 PSI.

Did they give you the pressure readouts? I'm assuming they followed the BMW protocol and put a pressure gauge in place of the pressure sensor on the motor and verified the pressure. What was it at idle and at elevated RPM? Again, 7 PSI is what you're supposed to be seeing at idle. It should be 59 PSI at elevated RPM.

Raising the idle speed is a bandaid if there is a real problem. The light is there for a reason. Putting a bandaid on the issue to make the light go away doesn't solve this. It just creates a false sense of security.

-Verify the correct oil is being used
-Verify the correct filter is being used
-Verify the oil pressure readings they got and how they were obtained

It seems unlikely that you got a bad oil pressure sensor right out of the box. The more likely explanation is that you actually have a pressure issue, and this should not be taken lightly. It can destroy your engine in short order. Causes can range from a bad oil pump, to the oil pump nut being off the shaft, to worn internals, to clogged oil passages.

Get some more info. I wholeheartedly disagree with the suggestions to raise the idle speed to mask this issue. If the pressure is actually low at idle, it will be comparatively low at elevated RPM. If the pressure is out of spec, the reason behind it needs to be diagnosed.

And use oil that meets ACEA A3,B3 minimum if not LL01.

Dear baltimore,
Did the problem got solved by changing the sensor? When was this? How many miles does your car have?

Originally Posted by BMW320-007

Dear baltimore,
Did the problem got solved by changing the sensor? When was this? How many miles does your car have?

Yes, for me it did. problem started at 70k but I just ignored it since the problem would only happen when the car was really warm or over 6000 miles on the oil. I replaced the sensor at 100k and since then I haven't seen the oil pressure light. Its been over 9000 miles since my last oil change.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=713945

This should help. And I suggest everyone check your Bentley manuals, 500-550 rpm at idle is tooooooo low. It needs to be in the 700 range.

Originally Posted by sprintman

Multiple posts on BMW forums about stealerships using M1 5W30. Keep looking mate!

You can keep saying that, but you've yet to post a single link that proves it. Please show me some of these posts.

Originally Posted by ptrcd003

You can keep saying that, but you've yet to post a single link that proves it. Please show me some of these posts.

Ive worked at many dealerships and can confirm m1 5w30 is used unless otherwise specified. Cheaper for them = money saved.

Hi, I have the same issue. The oil pressure sensor was changed but still there. The light goes on after about 20 minutes of driving meaning this happens when the oil is already hot and thinned out. My idle is fine about 600 to 700 RPM. Any suggestions where I should look?

Originally Posted by Jesse M

Ive worked at many dealerships and can confirm m1 5w30 is used unless otherwise specified. Cheaper for them = money saved.

Correct as many posts on U.S BMW Forums confirm

Just an update, I had the idle increased at my local BMW dealership for no charge. Red light has not illuminated since.

I was at my local dealership on Thursday, 07/19/2012, and of the oil on display in the parts department, not one bottle claimed to be LL-01. All if it was BMW-branded oil, and not a single bottle of any of the various weights said that it was LL-01. Maybe they hide the LL-01 in a secret room, although I seriously doubt this is actually the case.

They had both full synthetic and dino oil, and there were several different weights. My guess is that some was for mortal cars, some for the M cars, and some for BMW morotcycles, although the part about the bikes is just a guess because I don't recall that this dealership carries the bikes. It could, I just don't remember seeing any.

PS
My dealership is owned by a consortum of Boris Said and Hendrick Motorsports. I saw Boris the other day when I was there. I did not know, but he's something like 6'6".

So many stealerships are clueless!

I own a BMW e46 from 2003 with M54B22 engine with 90k milles and i have the same problem. Low oil pressure at hot idle. Since then i changed the oil pressure sensor, oil, filter, filter hausing, oil pump, main and rod bearings(machined the crankshaft at the correct spec for the bearings), pressure reliefe valve in oil pump, lower part of engine gastets kit, oil separator,oil squirters(all 6 of them.....the spring in 3 of them was weekl) but the problem still persist. The pressure was mesured with a gauge every time and the readings are around 0.4 bar at hot idle (idle is around 700 rpm). At 1000 RPM the pressure increases very fast, around 1 bar and so on.....at high RPM reaches the maximum spec 4 bar. At cold idle(when i first start the car) the pressure is around 1.1 - 1.2 bar. I also did the VANOS seals from beysan systems with no improvement. The engine temperature is normal....no overheating and starts and runs fine, the idle is rock solid...

Originally Posted by BusinessDrive

I'm having some difficulties with my 2003 325i sedan. The car has almost 90,000 miles on it and recently the red oil pressure light came on while idling at a red light. The light would turn off once I accelerated. I've done a lot of searching on here but don't know what else to do. I brought the car into my local BMW dealership and had they performed a pressure test ( results came back that pressure was good). They said I needed a new oil pressure sensor (located in the engine). I replaced the sensor, however, the light came on the first time I drove it a few days later. I noticed the light only comes on when the car is idling in Drive or Reverse and that the RPMs seem to be hovering around the 500-550 mark at this time. If I put the car in Park the RPMs increase slightly and the light goes out. I called the dealership again and they want me to bring it back in to be examined again. They mentioned it could be another sensor located in the oil pan? Im just wondering whether or not it is just the ICV. Any suggestions?

Normal idle speed is in the region of 725 RPM on my 2003 320i. Sounds like your idle speed is too low for some reason and, since that determines oil pump speed and pressure, that would seem to be your problem. What should your idle speed be on a 325?