Friends BMW 525i Oil problem

Got this from a mate today and he's getting worried about his car.
I didn't know they actually made cars without dipsticks!!..  
Anyone come across this sort of thing - and is it likely to be a faulty sensor?
Any suggestions? Am I going to have to drain the oil to actually see what's in there?


Hello mate, I have in a bit of a pickle with the car....

I have a 2005 bmw 525i. Got it a few months ago around one month ago the oil yellow warning came on, so as I said I added one litre of oil. I have done a few hundred miles and it came on again, so added half a litre, couple of days came on again. I have no dipstick. So, I checked the car and so did a garage and it is not leaking oil, nor it it blowing blue smoke, in fact there is barely and exhaust smoke at all. The exchaust is dark, no oil present. In fact no oil to be seen anywhere. So they have suggested replacing the oil sensor which isn't cheap. No oil drips under car.

My first questions, is there any way through a emissions test or another way to see if oil is being burnt though the engine? I can't even talk about the fact it doesn't have a dipstick. Issue is I cannot afford to lose the value of the car due to the engine being knackered, which it obviously would be if it's burning that much oil. Can anyone suggest any tests I can run. When I last added oil, I got the idrive up and added half a litre and I didn't see the indicator move, it made no difference.

Thinking sensibliy the only way to know the oil level is to drain it off, but I don't have the means to do it, I am very worried as if the engine is burning that much oil that's it for the car and I lose 5k. Garages will just drain me dry trying things,I really just wanted some decent advise, i went out just now and the level is fine via the idrive. Sensor, fucked engine, oil leak, but I promise you there is no oil coming out, it's not leaking...

Been digging about on the subject it seems the only true way of knowing is to drain the oil out and refill it with the correct amount .... it seems quite a few people are having the same problems ....but with no true answer other than the above .... there should be a menu in the idrive wich tells you the level in bars so to the left will be low and to the right will be full ... hope that helps abit ...

What a cock design; no dipstick   

Yes, what idiot thought that would be a good idea...
Thanks Nomad, He said you can view it in the idrive but it only gives a full or empty, nothing in between. I idrive said min and after adding 1 litre it still says min. Don't want to over fill it either...
Will have to get it round and drain the oil - seems the only answer.

2words john
'Burn it' rid the world of another horrible 3letter car   

I would - if I hadn't got one myself.
But at least mine is old enough to have a dipstick.   

No the new BMW don't come with dip sticks....

Am not going to lie I've not read most of the post but best think to do is drop all the oil an top up with new the orange light will come on as standard when first started an should knock off after 30secs maybe longer

Also these cars are known for shit sensors don't hold me to it as a friend of mine had the same problem

Plenty of info on bimmerfest for reseting the oil/service light aswell ...

Yep there is good shout Leighton

Dump the oil an make sure it's right tho

Burn it
Fill it full of fuel and ignite from distance  

Can you please let everyone know what the first car was in my unit please?? Can you also add what you told me today...quote from Bobs mouth I like this bmw

Who's unit? - you taking over already Dave....

Had it round this morning and dumped all the oil out. Only had 4.5 litres - and that's after he'd added 1.5 litres... Should be 6.5 So we filled it up properly and it looks OK at the moments.
See what happens next.
Thanks for the comments.  Except for Bobs.....  

Mmm hopefully just been underfilled, the BM's with no manual level stick are absolute shite, only good thing is many will die early ridding the world of the shit.
would expect if leaking or burning that amount of oil you would know about it.

Make sure he gets an OEM sensor, aftermarket ones leak via the crap gasket and as oil for those is bloody expensive he'll pay for it in the long term.

Been there before >.<

It does seem strange to adopt this no dipstick thing seems all the n series engines have got the sensors although some have the actual level indicater on the idrive ... what i dont understand is the diesel version has a dipstick ....anyway hopefully your mate is sorted   

It's designed to be checked from cabin as people these days don't check engine fluids at all as engines are dirty?
I think bmw isis tells you the actual level providing the sensor is good but that's another topic entirely.

& do you fill the oil from the cabin too ! No .
Although sensor idea is very good for those owners who find it hard open a bonnet, but a basic dipstick would be a huge long term benefit & reduce cockups on oil level & help identify bad sensors, too much tech & not enough common sense engineering !

Totally agree. When you're topping up an engine a simple dipstick give immediate answer. The idrive thing take about 10 mins to give a reading - and that's after you've started the engine.
As said before , seems a good way to wreck an engine.

my cars got an oil level indicator but retains the good old fashioned dipstick

how hard is it to put a bloody dipstick in when they design an engine, many things now as said are so high tech but the fundamentals have all been overlooked which to me is a step backwards

I agree with most of that i think the idea of having an onboard indicator is good but the basics of having a dipstick should also still be there .... hopefully they will see this is a monumental fuck up for the future and revert back to maybe a combination of the two ...

combination of both is good idea as many people don't check oil frequently so a quality sensor gives fast report of issue but certainly is fooking useless on it's own. oil level sensors go way back to early 80's rover so nothing super new but obviously the electrics/electronics have moved on in ability.
At least Nissan done it right Bob, fooking Germans :-/ no wonder they lost the war :-P

They may have lost the war
but its pay back now  

similar not sure if it has a early warning light but no water temperature gauge on the gaffas new Vauxhall vivaro  van stupid

My daughters vxr doesnt have a water temp gauge either ....