BMW X1 Oil Sensor Issues: Warning Light Mystery Solved

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2013 BMW X3 (had it before switching to a 3 Series). I've got some experience working with cars, mainly basic maintenance and troubleshooting. Funny enough, I faced almost identical symptoms, oil warnings popping up and the sensor not reading levels properly. After driving myself crazy checking the actual oil level with the dipstick (which was fine), I took it to my regular workshop. Turned out it was just a faulty connection to the oil level sensor. The cable had some corrosion and wasn't making proper contact. Total repair came to 95 Euro, mainly labor costs for accessing and fixing the connection. Much better than replacing the entire sensor unit, which I initially feared! Could you share your mileage and whether you've had any other electrical issues? Also, have you noticed any actual oil consumption or leaks? This info would help determine if you're dealing with the same problem I had. Quick tip: While you get this sorted, keep checking your oil level manually with the dipstick to be safe.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm at 60314 KM and just had my service last month. Haven't noticed any oil leaks or consumption issues, which made these warnings even more confusing. The dipstick readings are normal, just like in your case. This is really helpful to know about the corroded connection, gives me hope it's not something major. I've had zero electrical issues before this, which makes me lean towards your theory even more. Did your mechanic mention how long the repair took? I need to plan my day when I take it in. Really appreciate the dipstick tip too, been doing that religiously since these warnings started!

Hey again! Happy to help follow up on this. You're right about the mileage being a good sign, mine was around 65000 KM when I had the issue, pretty similar to yours. The repair actually only took about an hour and a half total. My mechanic said he could've done it faster, but he wanted to clean the connection point thoroughly to prevent any repeat issues. Since you mentioned having your service last month, that's another thing that matches my situation. Sometimes these sensor issues can pop up after routine maintenance if something got knocked slightly loose or if there was a bit of moisture that got in during the oil change. Just thought I'd add, after my repair, I haven't had a single warning light come on in the last 18 months. The connection fix really did solve everything. Your symptoms are matching mine so closely, I'd bet good money you're dealing with the same thing. Keep us posted on what you find out when you get it checked! Always good to know if our experiences match up to help other BMW owners who might run into the same thing.

Thanks so much for all this detailed info! It's super reassuring to hear that our situations are so similar, especially the mileage part. Knowing it's potentially just a connection issue that popped up after maintenance makes total sense, I was starting to wonder if the timing was related to my recent service. An hour and a half repair time sounds totally manageable. I'll definitely book it in for next week. Really relieved it might not be the massive repair bill I was dreading! And it's great to hear you've had no issues for 18 months after the fix. I'll update this thread once I get it sorted. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, you've saved me a lot of worry. Fingers crossed it's just that pesky connection needing a good clean!