RS7 Please Reduce Oil Level?

[LaCross]

Hey all,

My 2016 RS7 w/ 45k miles recently had a warning light come on that said "please reduce oil level". Really confused as to why

Context:
Was driving in very cold temperatures and the light came on.
Note that my last oil change was a few hundred miles ago

This day the light came on any time I started the car

Parked the car for about a week and this time wiped off the oil cap & threads (recommended by a forum)

Was also very cold this day, light was off for about 25 miles then came back on.

This time when i restarted it the light was off for about 20 miles and then came back on.

Currently its at my mechanics. The oil level is exactly where it should be.

I took some pictures of the oil cap, the darker one was after sitting for a week. The lighter one was immediately after driving about 45 miles.
220294220295

[orphancrippler]

Does your oil smell like gas? If so, you could have a HPFP leaking into the block, diluting the oil and raising the oil level. If this is the case, some will vaporize and burn off when the oil heats up, but if it's consistently leaking, your oil level would likely continue to rise.

If that's not the issue, I'd say possibly your level sensor or maybe even the PCV could have something to do with it.

Sent from my Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

[RAF_S7]

Well I would say that “mayonnaise” on the filler car is a classic sign of water in the oil, forming an emulsion.

Have you noticed any drop in coolant level? You may have an internal gasket problem. Hopefully the garage should carry out a cylinder pressure test to try and identify the culprit[wrench]

[Alabama]

Well I would say that “mayonnaise” on the filler car is a classic sign of water in the oil, forming an emulsion.

Have you noticed any drop in coolant level? You may have an internal gasket problem. Hopefully the garage should carry out a cylinder pressure test to try and identify the culprit

Maybe an unfortunate diagnosis but a smart observation. Maybe not enough anti-freeze in the coolant?

[LaCross]

Does your oil smell like gas? If so, you could have a HPFP leaking into the block, diluting the oil and raising the oil level. If this is the case, some will vaporize and burn off when the oil heats up, but if it's consistently leaking, your oil level would likely continue to rise.

If that's not the issue, I'd say possibly your level sensor or maybe even the PCV could have something to do with it.

Sent from my Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

It does a bit but apparently that's normal on these cars?

[LaCross]

Well I would say that “mayonnaise” on the filler car is a classic sign of water in the oil, forming an emulsion.

Have you noticed any drop in coolant level? You may have an internal gasket problem. Hopefully the garage should carry out a cylinder pressure test to try and identify the culprit[wrench]

I haven't noticed explicitly, but I didn't mark and check the level or anything

[orphancrippler]

It does a bit but apparently that's normal on these cars?Well, it may be somewhat more common on these cars, but it is not normal. And if it is the case, it is an issue that needs to be fixed sooner than later. I didn't look closely at the two pictures you posted, as I am on mobile, but after looking more closely, that second picture is concerning. That whiteish, bubbly material on the cap should definitely not be there. As another member said, that is a clear sign of coolant in your oil, which absolutely would need to be fixed, for several reasons. It has nothing to do with the level of antifreeze or anything else in the coolant, it means you have a point or points in your engine where coolant is able to enter the oil passages or otherwise mix with your oil. On lesser engines, this is not good, but it isn't necessarily life or death, but on these engines, things like this need to be taken seriously. I would definitely ask to see if your mechanic is doing a cylinder pressure test, as that is a great way to start narrowing down the source of the issue.

Sent from my Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

[5000S]

Hey all,

My 2016 RS7 w/ 45k miles recently had a warning light come on that said "please reduce oil level". Really confused as to why

Context:
Was driving in very cold temperatures and the light came on.
Note that my last oil change was a few hundred miles ago

This day the light came on any time I started the car

Parked the car for about a week and this time wiped off the oil cap & threads (recommended by a forum)

Was also very cold this day, light was off for about 25 miles then came back on.

This time when i restarted it the light was off for about 20 miles and then came back on.

Currently its at my mechanics. The oil level is exactly where it should be.

I took some pictures of the oil cap, the darker one was after sitting for a week. The lighter one was immediately after driving about 45 miles.
220294220295

I think you may be overthinking this thing. How did you perform the recent oil change ? Did you do it yourself or was it done by who? The oil may
not have been drained completely and so it could have been overfilled. If you really want to know about the true level of oil in your engine, then you need a dipstick.
Do you know what that is ? A dipstick in the Audi engines is easy to acquire, and it lets you not just trust but verify the engine computer.

The photos of the oil filler cap mean nothing. In cold weather condensation on the filler cap showing milky is normal.

I think garages like guys like you, low on information, and liking to take some bills out of your wallet.

[rabbitdog]

Strangely same thing happened on my RS7 after my oil change in mid Jan, last Saturday it gave the warning to reduce oil (also in freezing temps). I did it at an Audi dealership so will call again to ask what I should do as covid restrictions just being lifted in my area. Haven’t checked the oil cap yet.

[Alabama]

It has nothing to do with the level of antifreeze or anything else in the coolant, it means you have a point or points in your engine where coolant is able to enter the oil passages or otherwise mix with your oil.

OP noted the problem began in very cold weather as did post #9. If the proportion of antifreeze to water (not total coolant volume) is inadequate for the ambient temperature conditions, does that not increase the likelihood that damage may occur such that "you have a point or points in your engine where coolant is able to enter the oil passages or otherwise mix with your oil"? Of course the relationship of developing the problem to the weather may be coincidental, but regardless I wanted to "egg on" RAF-S7 and the observation about the fluid on the filler cap. I did not mean to imply that changing the coolant would solve the now existing problem. I was taught that when living in cold climates it is prudent to check the antifreeze properties of the coolant as winter starts. Is that not still good advice?

[orphancrippler]

OP noted the problem began in very cold weather as did post #9. If the proportion of antifreeze to water (not total coolant volume) is inadequate for the ambient temperature conditions, does that not increase the likelihood that damage may occur such that "you have a point or points in your engine where coolant is able to enter the oil passages or otherwise mix with your oil"? Of course the relationship of developing the problem to the weather may be coincidental, but regardless I wanted to "egg on" RAF-S7 and the observation about the fluid on the filler cap. I did not mean to imply that changing the coolant would solve the now existing problem. I was taught that when living in cold climates it is prudent to check the antifreeze properties of the coolant as winter starts. Is that not still good advice?You are absolutely correct, and I was really referencing the source of the problem, not necessarily what could have caused it to present in the manner or at the time that it did.

Making sure you have adequate antifreeze in the coolant is definitely good advice, especially in more northern climates. I probably just skipped over that part in my mind, as most use premixed coolant and unless you're fiddling with it yourself, it should be good to go as far as not freezing inside your car.

If that condition exists, however, it could definitely cause what may have been only a potential issue, or a weak point, to become an actual problem that can cause damage if not looked into.

I've seen some condensation mixed with oil into a bubbly emulsion before, but that first picture literally looks like there is mayo on the underside of the cap. At least we seem to be on the same page about that!

Sent from my Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

[LaCross]

You are absolutely correct, and I was really referencing the source of the problem, not necessarily what could have caused it to present in the manner or at the time that it did.

Making sure you have adequate antifreeze in the coolant is definitely good advice, especially in more northern climates. I probably just skipped over that part in my mind, as most use premixed coolant and unless you're fiddling with it yourself, it should be good to go as far as not freezing inside your car.

If that condition exists, however, it could definitely cause what may have been only a potential issue, or a weak point, to become an actual problem that can cause damage if not looked into.

I've seen some condensation mixed with oil into a bubbly emulsion before, but that first picture literally looks like there is mayo on the underside of the cap. At least we seem to be on the same page about that!

Sent from my Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

Fwiw, I'm fairly confident that that's condensation. The darker image was after sitting for a week in <20 degree temps.

I don't know if the milky cap is relevant at all tbh, I just include all of the information I have.

I guess the big question is, why are RS7 oil overfill warnings coming on in the cold?

[Alabama]

You are absolutely correct, and I was really referencing the source of the problem, not necessarily what could have caused it to present in the manner or at the time that it did.

Making sure you have adequate antifreeze in the coolant is definitely good advice, especially in more northern climates. I probably just skipped over that part in my mind, as most use premixed coolant and unless you're fiddling with it yourself, it should be good to go as far as not freezing inside your car.

If that condition exists, however, it could definitely cause what may have been only a potential issue, or a weak point, to become an actual problem that can cause damage if not looked into.

I've seen some condensation mixed with oil into a bubbly emulsion before, but that first picture literally looks like there is mayo on the underside of the cap. At least we seem to be on the same page about that!

Sent from my Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

Whew! Glad I'm not way off base. But, help me understand the following. I also thought coolant leaking into the oil could cause "white smoke" out the exhaust. When does one get emulsion versus white smoke? Does presence of one but absence of the other mean anything?

There are other threads about the oil overfill warning; I don't recall one specific answer. Maybe 5000S is on the right track?

[Valpo A7]

Coolant leaking into the cylinder will cause white smoke out the tail pipe. Coolant leaking into the crank case and mixing with the oil will cause the oil to look like chocolate milk You can get the white smoke without the chocolate milk oil.

On most engines the typical pathway for coolant into a cylinder is a blown headgasket.


In regards to the picture of the chocolate milk on the oil filler cap, it is hard to say if that is just from condensation or if the oil has been compromised. Without taking an oil sample from the dipstick or a dump and refill of oil its hard to say what is happening.

[westcoastrs7]

Happened to me a few months ago when the weather first turned cold.
I had done my own oil change a few months earlier and the level was fine both on the dipstick and mmi.

My oil cap looked like yours , I wiped it off and was worried about a coolant leak. There was no change in the level of the coolant reservoir.
The oil level on the dipstick was a little above full but it does vary with temperature, time after shut down etc.
I removed about 120 cc oil via the dipstick tube and the oil looked fine ( I did not do an oil analysis).

At the time my search turned up a post that suggested this was a common problem in cold weather when the car is only being driven short distances.
The oil never gets hot enough to burn off condensation which triggers the sensor.

I haven't had the warning come back even with colder weather, although I am trying to flog it more often especially with the DS1 tune ;)

A long rambling thread from the other place discusses TSB s but I could not find the actual document.

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/audi-a5-s5-rs5-coupe-cabrio-b9-220/please-reduce-oil-level-2939529/page2

[eurospek]

Sub for outcome

[moosehead1]

.....

[LaCross]

The conclusion right now is that there's nothing we can find wrong with the car. I'll update this thread if anything else happens but the light hasn't come back on.

I did find a TSB for this issue on B9 S4s https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10138311-9999.pdf

It's probably not too crazy to think that our cars have the same issue.

[rabbitdog]

Strangely same thing happened on my RS7 after my oil change in mid Jan, last Saturday it gave the warning to reduce oil (also in freezing temps). I did it at an Audi dealership so will call again to ask what I should do as covid restrictions just being lifted in my area. Haven’t checked the oil cap yet.

Got an appointment to drop the car off at Audi for an inspection. The oil cap smells of gas.
I hope whatever it is gets addressed now before my warranty runs out next year.
Will update with the dealerships findings.
Top pic cold, lower pic warmed up.
220902

[LaCross]

Thanks please let us know if they come up with any conclusions.

Apparently the smell and looking like that is normal.

[rabbitdog]

Thanks please let us know if they come up with any conclusions.

Apparently the smell and looking like that is normal.

I guess this means I just had more oil?

CORRECTION: CONFIRMED REDUCE OIL LEVEL WARNING ON DASH. SCANNED VEHICLE
NO FAULT CODES STORED. CONFIRMED OIL LEVEL ABOVE SPEC ON VAS
MEASURING TOOL. TSB 2048392/3 APPLIES. READ MEASURED VALUES
OF OIL TEMP COMPARED TO FUEL MASS FLOW FUMIGATION FROM ENGIN
OIL, AND READINGS EXCEEDED 75MG/S. CHECK SOFTWARE LEVEL OF
ECM AND PERFORMED SVM 01A225. CONNECTED BATTERY CHARGER.
FINISHED SVM. CORRECTED OIL LEVEL. OK

[daytona rs7]

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10157120-9999.pdf

"Increased engine oil level. Short distance journeys, particularly in low temperatures can result in the sporadic behavior of the vehicle (increased engine oil level).The injected fuel cannot completely evaporate on the cold cylinder walls and therefore gets into the oil circuit. In short distance journeys, the engine oil temperature does not rise enough (min. 60°C) to remove the fuel from the oil. Even in oiltemperatures over 60°C it can again be supplied to the combustion via the crankcase breather. That is why there is a warning lamp "warming-up request" which is shown in the instrument cluster according to the defined operating conditions. Together with the display "Please reduce oil level"."

[rabbitdog]

My oil level now looks 3/4 full when warmed up. 221108

[Alabama]

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10157120-9999.pdf

"Increased engine oil level. Short distance journeys, particularly in low temperatures can result in the sporadic behavior of the vehicle (increased engine oil level).The injected fuel cannot completely evaporate on the cold cylinder walls and therefore gets into the oil circuit. In short distance journeys, the engine oil temperature does not rise enough (min. 60°C) to remove the fuel from the oil. Even in oiltemperatures over 60°C it can again be supplied to the combustion via the crankcase breather. That is why there is a warning lamp "warming-up request" which is shown in the instrument cluster according to the defined operating conditions. Together with the display "Please reduce oil level"."

Slick! So the problem is related to ambient temperature as OP observed. The computer doesn't have an exact error message to display so chooses "increased engine oil level". Is it reasonable to assume that a car with an engine block heater would not experience this issue?