Thanks JCL,

I will have a look at that info.

I don't think condensation is a problem, the car only does trips of 200km or more at highway speeds - never any less. My wife checks the oil with the iDrive, which says 'max', and then I pull the dipstick and it says 'min'. Which one should I believe?

And therein lies the problem, I need to know that she will not have a problem and not have a warning light come on in the middle of nowhere!

I guess I just expected that the iDrive might give me some warning that I may need to add some oil soon. I have never seen the level anything other than all green bars - even when the dealer had to add a litre. Should I get the sensor checked? The software was updated a month ago - but that's another story.

Cheers, Maddog.

I would get the sensor checked at the dealer, if it doesn't match the dipstick indication.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, as the i-Drive warning should come on when it is down 1 litre, and there are still 7+ litres of oil in the engine. The add oil warning has been interpreted as the engine being out of oil by some, but in reality it is just a reminder to top it up. Mine doesn't take any more than one litre when the light comes on.

you might want to throw a few bottles of oil in the back just in case.

My wife says the X5 is running rough, sounds bad. I go out and it's the sound of hydraulic lifters not pumped up.

The computer says it can't read the oil level.

No warning light for low oil at all!!!!

(Oh, but it does tell me I have a rear stop light out!)

I dump in a quart of oil (20-50 Castrol synthetic I use in my Porsche 928).

Still can't read the level.

I go to the Mobil station and buy a couple quarts of 5-30 M1.

Dump one in and the computer says the level is now normal.

I swear I have a knocking rod now.

Engine light is on. And engine running rough off idle. Surely have some sensor malfunction.

Hasen't used a drop of oil in 4 years!!!

Just had it fully serviced in July.

Oh well.

Warranty?

Two things. It is very common for the new BMW's at start up to not read the oil level. It usually takes some time for it to read properly. I know when my X5 was at min, as soon as I started the car it warned me.

Now that you dumped a few different oils in, you may want to get an oil change and have them check out the sounds.

Last service in July was just before the warranty ran out.

Thought about trading it in, but then decided to keep it.

The general maintenance agreement was pricey.

The extended warranty agreement was outrageous.

Passed both up.

Will schedule a service to have them check it out.

I think the noise is the lifters, not bearings.

Running rough is probably some sensor that needs replacing. Just rough until off idle.

one bad coil. 5 cyl's run rough. makes a racket too. ;O)

dealer replaced those. and an oil change.

all is now right in my X5 world.

whew!

And oil level indicator working. maybe I panicked a bit?

So its normal to have oil level goes down one bar after 2000 miles?

I'm sure I overfilled the oil.

I didn't ask the tech to measure the oil drained when they changed it.

All is still good with it.