Porsche and the mysterious oil check dance

blueline · #11

@Bill in Bama

Have you been able to get an oil level reading yet? Or is the oil level display still not showing?

Also curious if you had the tool to reset your oil change interval indicator and/or if you've done that. Regarding the oil level display, the reset shouldn't matter, Just trying to think of any angles.

As you know, the 718 rear hatch requires firm force to close completely. Any chance that something is preventing the hatch from fully closing and latching?

Bill in Bama · #12

No oil reading yet, im gonnna try again this afternoon.

I have an iCarsoft Por v.2 but won't reset since I'm letting the dealer do the scheduled oil changes.

The hatch is closed, that's for sure.

blueline · #13

Bill in Bama wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:54 am No oil reading yet, im gonnna try again this afternoon.

I have an iCarsoft Por v.2 but won't reset since I'm letting the dealer do the scheduled oil changes.

The hatch is closed, that's for sure.

Well, maybe it will work for you today. I'm pulling for it!

Bill in Bama · #14

Still no reading, just returned home, oil temp was 200, parked, shut off, came back maybe 5 minutes later, "not available " was the message.

blueline · #15

Bill in Bama wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 6:26 pm Still no reading, just returned home, oil temp was 200, parked, shut off, came back maybe 5 minutes later, "not available " was the message.

Sorry to hear that Bill. As you've said, a simple dipstick would be sensible for something as critical as checking the oil level.

Starting to look like a trip to the dealer may be the only way to solve the issue. Even though it seems like all it needs is a simple reset/reboot, going to the dealer is, without a doubt, the safest plan. Personally, that would be my only option at this point.

However, for what it's worth, Danial at JetFuelOnly has a great video on the 718 oil change. He went through the process on his '21 GT4. (I've linked it below.)

After the oil change, he went to Crazy Eddie's and used Ed's iCarsoft v2 diagnostic tool (same as what you have I imagine) to reset the oil interval indicator. Danial was also still planning on going to the dealer for his first (free) annual oil change and inspection when the time came, but opted to reset his indicator when he changed the oil at the car's first 2k miles.

The whole video is really good - there is much to remove underneath before changing the oil and he goes through everything thoroughly, but the iCarsoft part at Ed's starts at the 19 minute mark if you only want to see the interval indicator reset part.

https://youtu.be/IZ5UNu9Dk0s

Tom · #16

Sorry about that Bill. Maybe tomorrow will be the day! The dash is kind of a computerized artist rendering of the oil level. If you google around a bit, the 'no reading' thing seems to be a common complaint, and often it's not even related to an oil change. I'd be calling the dealer pretty soon too though. If nothing else, they can hook up their PIWIS and confirm the level is ok, even if the car's computers are still working on just the perfect reading.

Ed and I figured out how to use the iCarSoft on the fly (and I tried to capture the process in the 981 oil change write up here on Carpokes) -- since the 'documentation' that comes with it is crazy-bad, comical actually. I'm about 99% sure, however, that we got an oil reading on the dash (in his 981 GT4) even before resetting the service light.

I sure miss that good old fashion dip stick. I bet it would be fairly easy to make an electronic dipstick based on the raw reading of that sensor. Just tap into the signal without disturbing the circuit and get the raw value....

Bill in Bama · #17

Yeah, I'm planning to call the dealer tomorrow just to run this by them. They likely will tell me it will be two weeks before I can get in, but I think I can convince them that a ten minute appointment can be squeezed in, seeing as how they replaced my first engine and probably don't want to see anything happen to this one.

Larry C · #18

When I was due for my first oil change I was told that there was a five week wait. After talking with the service manager about how disappointed I was and that I always got next day appoints with my BMW’s and Audi’s, he got me in the next day. The service area was almost empty. Go figure.

Tom · #19

Larry C wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:44 pm When I was due for my first oil change I was told that there was a five week wait. After talking with the service manager about how disappointed I was and that I always got next day appoints with my BMW’s and Audi’s, he got me in the next day. The service area was almost empty. Go figure.

Based on everything you've said, I think it would be worth driving further to another dealer. There must be oodles of them in SoCal, and some of them must be good! Fremont Porsche knows me now and is incredibly helpful to me, but I have to say they treated me the same from day one -- when they didn't know me from Adam.

Larry C · #20

Tom wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:50 pm
Larry C wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:44 pm When I was due for my first oil change I was told that there was a five week wait. After talking with the service manager about how disappointed I was and that I always got next day appoints with my BMW’s and Audi’s, he got me in the next day. The service area was almost empty. Go figure.
Based on everything you've said, I think it would be worth driving further to another dealer. There must be oodles of them in SoCal, and some of them must be good! Fremont Porsche knows me now and is incredibly helpful to me, but I have to say they treated me the same from day one -- when they didn't know me from Adam.

You’re totally right. I’m going to reach out to my GTS buddy @Leader and see where he takes his current car and past Porsches.