Hi folks, I have a 1.5TSI SE Octavia, 2019. Recently I've had the 'check oil level' message and warning, after a short drive, and mid-way through a long drive. I've checked the levels several times recently, including after waiting for the oil to settle after driving, and it seems fine. The act of checking with the dipstick somehow seems to make the warning go away for a short while but then it comes back.

I've had issues in the past with it using more oil than it should, so I keep some of the correct oil to top up when needed. Otherwise I do get it serviced on schedule. I only do about 8k miles per year.

Does anybody have any ideas as to what might be going on? Cheers!

Opening the hood will temporarily cancel the low oil warning even if nothing is added.

You say oil level 'seems fine' but whereabouts between the dipstick marks is it?

If the warnings persists while oil level is fully at the max. level mark. it is probably a faulty sensor.

Good practice to regularly check all fluid levels manually - not rely on warning indicators.

Edited Friday at 14:435 days by Warrior193
clarification

3 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

You say oil level 'seems fine' but whereabouts between the dipstick marks is it?

Thanks for replying. It's slightly above halfway between the markers.

Where is the oil level when the engine is at normal operating temp and stopped a few minutes , 4 or 5. Compared to when all in the sump and cold. The owners manual way is a hot check for every engine but 1. The 1.2 44k engine with 2.8 litre capacity.

Edited Friday at 14:515 days by Evolution13

Opening the bonnet can cancel the warning for 62 miles / 100 km.

Does the warning indicator stay off if you top up the oil to the Max. mark? If so, just keep the level at that, as it's possibly not worth the expense of replacing the sensor.

Edited Friday at 14:545 days by Warrior193
typo

I got that warning when cruising along on the M25 in a 2l diesel 150PS Octavia. Three solid lanes of traffic at ~75 mph. Pulled into a petrol station. Dark by then. Level was down to half way between max/min. Waited for 10 minutes and it was still down bought 1l of oil at enormous expense. Topped up. Ok.

I now wonder if the steady high speed running pumped a lot of oil to the top half? Got through about 1l between annual services.Warning never recurred, sold it at 145,000 miles.

10 minutes ago, gregoir said:

I got that warning when cruising along on the M25 in a 2l diesel 150PS Octavia. Three solid lanes of traffic at ~75 mph. Pulled into a petrol station. Dark by then. Level was down to half way between max/min. Waited for 10 minutes and it was still down bought 1l of oil at enormous expense. Topped up. Ok.

I now wonder if the steady high speed running pumped a lot of oil to the top half? Got through about 1l between annual services.Warning never recurred, sold it at 145,000 miles.

Most likely just a slightly over sensitive oil level sensor.

At least these two examples tend to suggest that they're erring on the safe side - but I maintain there's no substitute for regular physical checks of all fluid levels.

I think I was measuring at the wrong time - I had previously done it when the engine was cold, not when still at running temperature. I got a much lower reading when the engine was hot and topped up accordingly yesterday.

Now that the engine is cold again the reading is over the max marker but would I be right in thinking that's fine?

Yes. Now before starting the engine the check cold means enough oil. As long as the at oporating temp is not above area A on the dip stick.

Edited Sunday at 09:173 days by Evolution13

25 minutes ago, Evolution13 said:

Yes. Now before starting the engine the check cold means enough oil. As long as the at oporating temp is not above area A on the dip stick.

I'd disagree, the oil level should never be allowed to be significantly above the Max. line on the dipstick.

Nonesense. When cold it can be with oil filters on top of engines and the correct quantity of oil. Just go check. Too many cars leave oil services with low oil. PS. Go check Area A, dip stick. Owners manual. Cross hatch area and how to check oil and at normal opating temp VW engines.

Edited Sunday at 09:483 days by Evolution13

You would think it is Rocket Science not Basic Car Maintenance or just vehicle checks.

37 minutes ago, jlush2 said:

I got a much lower reading when the engine was hot and topped up accordingly yesterday.

How soon after stopping the engine did you check the level and was the car on level ground? If you did it too quick there could be too much in.

I would be worried if my reading was over max when cold whatever the instructions on filling it were.

Run the engine until at temp, park on level ground, wait at least 5 min then check the level. If it is still more than 1mm or 2 above max i would be looking for a way to get some out

1:The danger is that if you overfill it hot. when you check it cold the level could read lower

2: It should be lower when cold because liquids expand when heated.

The confusion in all this is the drain down factor. Overnight a lot more drains down than in 5 minutes so the manufacturer wants the parts lubricated and below the max as a goal.

Too much oil can be as bad as too little.

Filling to max is not necessary the reading needs to be "Between" under the circumstance explained in the handbook that's the point of the dipstick and the instructions.

It will say check the level is between and don't go over max it doesn't say check the level and fill to the max.

15 minutes ago, Evolution13 said:

Nonesense. When cold it can be with oil filters on top of engines and the correct quantity of oil. Just go check. Too many cars leave oil services with low oil.

Usually because the apprentice didn't start it before checking after changing the filter. Then the level drops because the filter gets loaded up.

And then not checked as the owners manuals show or tell owners too. Because they add a measured amount of oil. The journeyman never does. Road tests are not done then the oil checked again. But when i served my time my bossss were strict even though it was simpler days and engines and checked cold.

An engine running ticking over and stopped is not normal operating temp. Likely not indicating 50*oC. But likely fine. But still check when up to 90*oC and stopped on the flat that not overfilled. PS, The worst Overfilled & also underfilled posts are there in the Fabia Mk2 section regarding vRS 1.4 TSI Twinchargers where the official oil quantity is 3.6 liter and 3.9 liter is actually required. Then Mk2 Fabia 1.2 TSI,s when the changes in 2011/12 had the quantity change from 3.6 litre to 3.9. Different filters as well. Dealerships fitted the wrong filters and under filled oil for a long time, and some still do. EDIT. For mk2 Fabia vRS oil checks there is the Zoomba check. Cold engine. Dip it. Then Start engine. A few seconds. Stop it. Dip it. If it is the Silver OEM fiter there is 0.5 litre oil in it. After a drive if you check you have the same dip stick level as from the engind start and oil circulating.

Edited Sunday at 10:493 days by Evolution13

7 hours ago, Stonekeeper said:

How soon after stopping the engine did you check the level and was the car on level ground? If you did it too quick there could be too much in.

I would be worried if my reading was over max when cold whatever the instructions on filling it were.

Run the engine until at temp, park on level ground, wait at least 5 min then check the level. If it is still more than 1mm or 2 above max i would be looking for a way to get some out

I've just done it, 7mins after turning the engine off. The oil is about 3/4 up within the range it's supposed to be. So now I'm just concerned about the measurement at cold, but perhaps I shouldn't be as the manual makes no reference to this?

Thanks for all your advice so far.

There was a member posting about spurious oil level warnings on a new car of about the same vintage, a few years ago, I think.

Dealer had several goes at fixing it.

Wish I could remember the member's name.

Don't worry about the cold level, just remember how it relates to operating temperature level, for convenience.

Some people swear the level will be higher when cold. My experience is the opposite.

Damn, google is good sometimes

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/497627-oil-sensor-fault-octavia-vrs-2019/