RS6 Oil Sensor Issues: Warning Light Mystery Explained

I had a nearly identical issue with my 2011 RS4, also experiencing erratic oil gauge readings and pressure warnings. With some experience working on these engines, I can say these symptoms often point to electrical issues rather than actual oil problems. In my case, the oil sensor was reporting incorrect readings due to a damaged wire connection. The engine oil level and pressure were actually fine, but the faulty connection was triggering false warnings. The oil detection system was essentially getting confused signals. Had it fixed at a workshop where they found a corroded plug connection at the oil sensor. Total repair cost was 95 Euro, mainly for diagnostic time and fixing the connection. The sensor itself was working properly, just not getting proper communication to the control unit. Before you head to a workshop, could you share: Current mileage on your RS6, Whether the warnings appear when the engine is cold or warm, If the oil gauge reading fluctuates or stays consistently wrong, Recent oil change history This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced with the sensor connection problem.

Latest oil service was done at 75000 KM and now showing 76363 KM on the odometer. Thanks for the detailed response. The warnings tend to appear out of nowhere, regardless of engine temperature. The oil gauge fluctuates wildly, sometimes dropping to zero then jumping back up while driving. This car maintenance situation sounds similar to what you experienced. Your mention of electrical issues rather than actual oil problems makes sense, especially since my engine runs smoothly. The sensor issue symptoms match perfectly, erratic readings and unusual warnings without actual performance problems. Looking at the reasonable repair cost you mentioned, I will have the wiring connections checked first before replacing any parts. The oil monitoring system is probably getting confused by bad electrical signals, just as you described.

Thanks for providing those details about your oil gauge behavior. The unusual fluctuations you describe, especially the gauge dropping to zero then jumping back, strongly confirm my initial suspicion about an electrical connection issue affecting the oil signal transmission. After fixing my RS4s sensor connection issue, I encountered zero false warnings over the next 20000 km. The automotive oil monitoring system returned to normal operation immediately after the repair. The fact your engine runs smoothly is another indicator matching my experience, actual oil pressure problems would cause noticeable performance issues. Your oil change interval is well within spec, so the erratic readings are almost certainly from corrupted sensor signals rather than an actual oil system problem. One quick test you can try: when the gauge acts up, notice if gentle pressure on the wiring harness near the oil sensor causes any change in readings. In my case, this helped the workshop pinpoint the exact location of the connection fault. Would recommend getting this checked soon, while its likely just a connection issue like mine was, proper oil detection is critical for engine protection.

The oil monitoring symptoms you described match my situation exactly. Good point about testing the wiring harness, I will try applying gentle pressure around the sensor area to see if it affects the readings. This could help locate the problem spot before taking it to the shop. Your suggestion about checking connections first rather than replacing the entire sensor makes a lot of sense, especially given the oil signal issues are intermittent and the engine performs normally. The car maintenance costs you mentioned for fixing the connection are much more reasonable than I expected. Will schedule an appointment this week to have the sensor connections inspected. Really helpful to hear about your actual experience with such similar symptoms. I feel more confident now that this is likely just a sensor issue with the oil detection system rather than a serious mechanical problem requiring major repairs. Thanks for the detailed guidance on troubleshooting these unusual warning messages. Will update once I get it sorted out.