How do you read the oil dipstick? no matter at what mileage, or when the oil has changed i always read the same amount of oil, and by reading i mean the dipstick is always wet on oil, never ever had a problem on any car i owned reading the dipstick, now this! any advice?

 

I'd look in the manual but not owning a Mini yet I'd venture a guess that the level should be between bulges with the upper and lower limits being a 1-quart swing.

 

It is hard to see, especially with new synthetic oil. I check the oil cold, wipe the oil off the stick and put it back in the dipstick tube and pull it out after it is seated, then I hold it in the sunlight with the bottom of the stick pointing down wards. The oil is shinier in the sun. When the dealer changed the oil the level was in the middle of the upper bulge on the dipstick.

Dave

 

Boy, does the dipstick in our 2011s suck the big one. The manual shows two marks on the red plastic part and says level should be between the the two marks but there a no marks. I sure can't figure it out

 

I always check oil on my 2011 MCS between those two RED ARROWS... oil looks more shiny and since I got my car in April 2011 till today, stays at the purple arrow level.. Right now I have 4300 miles on my MSC

 

i just look at it with the sunlight on it, although it's not the best way.

btw, does anyone know if there's an aftermarket dipstick with better readout?

 

Cub,

You're about 1/2 qt. low. Keep a quart around the house and top off. Over my 7 months of ownership, I've had to add about 3/4 quart total over 13k miles.

CCC,

Try this....

http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop..._dipstick.html

 

I keep quart in car for sure just in case.. and within 700 miles will do my first oil change.. You said I am to low, but this is exactly same level I had since I got this car with 48 miles on clock... now I am at 4300 miles and nothing has changed... dunno what to think about it?

 

That's exactly the same level mine's at and it's been like that since I drove it off the lot with 8 miles on it.

 

There is nothing wrong with the dipstick, clean synthetic oil is hard to read on any dipstick.

The two marks are the plastic bulges on the stick.

Dave

 

I think everyone is right on the dipstick level guesses.
And I have had synthetic oil in a lot of cars but a damn MINI dipstick is made (to be easier) to read. But it definitely isn't. Sad story

 

I took a look at mine today and swiped it with a rag, little did I know the whole orange part is particularly rough that every part of it ripped out tiny fibers off the rag and I had to liberate those fibers before returning it from which it came. (sorry for the run-on.)

Wassup with the texture? Lame.

 

I know what a joke, I read the same thing....I think (DneprDave) has it right...At first I had know idea..Looked real dumb at first because I said "honey let me show you how to check your oil in your new MINI"....

 

Whatever you do - don't complain to the dealer - BMW's answer will be to eliminate the dipstick on future MINIs.

 

^^^Audi did the same damned thing. At least they left the tube in place so you can add one...although it's not officially sanctioned by Audi.

 

I am so glad to read this thread. I felt like a darned idiot! The dipstick looked nothing like the one in the manual and I've put almost 9k miles on my car so far (purchased it in May!) -- I've been scared to death that its low and I'll burn it up.

Mine seems to be sitting in the midway point as well, so I guess I am ok. I am seriously considering going to the dealership, though, and asking a service rep to show me how to properly read it. Might as well, since I want to buy some extra emergency oil anyway.

Thanks so much for starting this thread...

 

One thing I have done on other dipsticks that are a PITA to read is drill a small hole a 1/16" or less at the "full" side of the dipstick. That way the oil will cling to the void and present itself a bit easier. You could also cut a small hash mark with the same results. I have not done anything to mine yet. If the top bulge is wet, it's good to go!

 

Mine always reads just over the "full" mark (i.e., top bulge), but as that's how much oil the dealer put in, I haven't worried about it.

And the level refuses to drop, BTW. Even after a 1300 mile road trip earlier this summer, the oil checks out right where it was when we left. I'm not sure if I should feel good about that (not using oil) or suspicious (using oil, but the dipstick's not showing it.) At any rate after wiping and reinserting, the entire plastic bit is wet, and I'm trusting it.

Spridget

 

exactly! thats my same thought

 

I check my when stone cold on the morning before I leave. I pull it out and wipe it clean then back in the tube. Once its seated I wait about 3 secs and then pull it out and check. Mine stays right at the middle of the top bugle all the time. I do use the sunlight to check the lever since it makes it easier.

 

Is the consensus then that the oil level should NOT be so high that it is hitting the top bulge? Our manual on page 118 shows an entirely different dipstick than the one that we got with the car (we got the one pictured by the OP)!! I searched a few threads and it appears that the distance between the low mark and high mark is 2 cm/almost 1 inch and I can clearly see the low mark because of the drilled hole. If the high level is 2 cm/almost 1 inch above the low mark then if the oil level is hitting the top bulge then there's too much in there. Just wrestling with this as our '11 Clubman S has had it's yellow engine light come on twice (though it may be because I was in the habit of tightening the gas cap past the first click)... Regards.

 

my check engine light came on too! where the digital speedometer is, just for like ten min, my dipstick says i have more than enough oil, weird cuz we only put 4.5 quarters of oil in it, maybe is cuz i was driving it aggressive but not passed 4k rpms right after turning it on, or because its too hot here in az or who knows

 

This seems ridiculous that we are all guessing and assuming. You know what they say about "Assume", and whose fault will it be if your Mini runs low? Why isn't there an update from Mini USA? I see the same picture in the manual for my 2011 with an entirely different method of measuring than I have available on my dipstick. I've tried to watch the youtube videos as well. I'm asking my dealer before I have a problem. I'll let you know. This is crazy.

 

for 2012 model, does anyone know if mini listened to their customers and changed to a better dipstick?

 

Take your dipstick out and clean it really well and at the edge of both bulges you'll see a hole somewhere. The hole on my bottom bulge was far more pronounced but I did see another hole on the edge of the upper bulge and it just needed a little cleaning to make it more visible. The dealership confirmed that with the '11 dipsticks the upper bulge is the upper limit and the lower bulge is the lower limit (furthest from handle). Picture is wrong in the manual.

Now if I could just get my dang "check engine light" to stop going off once a week (4 x in 4 weeks)!!!


Cheers!