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Dipstick!!

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the X6 (E71).
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X5Sport
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Dipstick!!

Post by X5Sport » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:17 am

No, not the ones we so often find behind the wheel, but the Engine Oil level checking variety.

According to theOwners Manual for the E71 X6 there is no dipstick fitted, and this has worried or annoyed more than a few Owners who possibly like me have a healthy mistrust of computer systems and like to see 'real oil' on a 'real dipstick'.

Well there's some good news for the 40d, and possible other variant owners of the E70 too - there is one!! On the E71 X6 40d it is to the right side of the engine at the back of the bay. As per the images below. I can only assume it is to allow the BMW Service folks to fill the cars back up after a oil and filter change without needing to faff about with the iDrive. Confirmed by my dealer.....

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Hope it's of use to others.............
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Bungie
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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by Bungie » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:51 am

You saying i cannot top up the oil in my x6 09 3.0d.

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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by X5Sport » Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:58 am

You can, but if your manual is anything like mine it says do not put any oil in until iDrive tells you and then it only tells you to put a litre in. If like me you'd rather just check the level via a dipstick, some models apparently no longer have one which makes checking and filling a bit of a pain as you need the iDrive to tell you what the levels are.

The X6 was reported as having no dipstick any more when in fact it does, but BMW don't tell you about it instead expecting you to use the iDrive. My Dealer thought that the dipstick availability was kept quiet as it was to help their Service folks and not the customer. Perhaps they never expected Owners to open the bonnet or have any mechanical ability of their own.
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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by Minda » Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:37 pm

Yep found it right where you said :thumbsup: thanks
Current 2010 BMW X5 40d Msport E70FL 2014 BMW 435d Cab 2016 Mercedes Vito 119 Sport LWB

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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by Pgf » Thu Apr 28, 2016 5:47 pm

Just purchased a 2012 X6 4od and noticed next day that engine oil level was above max. I checked with dealer who had it serviced few days before i purchased and garage put in 8.2 litres. BMW dealer advise max is 6.7 litres, so today got local garage to take out 1.5 litres. They say that the xdrive showed engine oil within max but when i drove later it was back above max. I left car for an hour on level driveway and checked again and it is still showing above max. Any ideas what I should do? Would it be a faulty sensor and if so, should dealer I bought from be liable? Any ideas on how much one costs to replace? Its taken quite a bit of the shine off this purchase, really appreciate any advice guidance..  :'(

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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by X5Sport » Thu Apr 28, 2016 6:24 pm

Get the supplying dealer to sort it out.  Sounds like it had way too much out in, and even 6.7L is probably dry change inc filter.  You had a 'wet' change so needed less.

My dealer said it was overfilled once and having pointed out they were the ones that did it, they sorted it. :)
Last edited by X5Sport on Thu Apr 28, 2016 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by AdamsX5 » Sun Sep 30, 2018 5:44 pm

Does the X5 4.0d 2011 have the dipstick or is it hidden too??


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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by marti » Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:22 pm

[quote="AdamsX5"]
Does the X5 4.0d 2011 have the dipstick or is it hidden too??


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[/quote]

Dipstick on my 35d is to the right (looking at front)  just remove the middle engine top cover and you should see it well you can see it without removing cover, you need to remove cover to withdraw it, I would have thought the 40d is the same?

As X5sport has explained in post #1......
Last edited by marti on Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by snrbrtsn » Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:29 pm

[quote="AdamsX5"]
Does the X5 4.0d 2011 have the dipstick or is it hidden too??


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[/quote]
Same place

Image

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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by X5Sport » Sun Sep 30, 2018 8:03 pm

The level sensor for the iDrive won’t necessarily agree with what the dipstick may tell you though!  Mine says overfilled if I go by the dipstick.  I think others on here have found the same.  Not sure which is the better, but as long as it’s nearly full on the stick, I’m happy.
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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by snrbrtsn » Sun Sep 30, 2018 8:17 pm

As per above, it’s not uncommon for the idrive / electronic Sensor to be faulty leading many to overfill
I prefer to use the dipstick, primarily as the electronics require sufficient run time to accurately read the level
Whilst it’s important to constantly for multiple reasons, I always do so by the dipstick,
Oil change on my 4.0d requires 6.5litres

Capacity is circa 6.7L though you never get it all out.

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Re: Dipstick!!

Post by Leslie » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:46 pm

Was glad to find there was a dipstick fitted under the engine cover on my x5sd looked like they tried to hide it out of the way almost .

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