What's on your DIS

[Amchlolor]

LOL

So you dont think that the warning is telling you to top up at the next opportunity, but more like pull over right away, stop driving and call Audi assist before the engine blows?

So what is the next opportunity then?
Given that their beloved long-life oil can be hard to get, how far would you chance your car with the low-level warning light on?
This isn't even the crux of the argument.
The crux is that it's an easy and USEFUL thing to do, to save you the bother of dipsticks and rags.
Yet they choose to give you poxy DIS instead.
I know what DIS stands for though.
I knew as soon as I first used it.
"I won't be using DIS piece of crap again, that's for sure"

 

[mitch78]

:thumbsup:

 

[normski]

It would appear that the low level oil light comes on before the oil level reaches minimum on the dipstick...

It would appear that the tyre pressure sensor comes on with the loss of about 5 PSI, not when it is down to running almost flat...

Neither of these conditions are dangerous for the car or the user...

Why oh why is this not good enough for some?

 

[Amchlolor]

So would you like to point out exactly how the Renault system is any different? Surely if it says "Oil Level OK" (as I know it does, my brother drives a Megane 230) you just ignore it. Then when the oil level isn't ok, it tells you. This is then when you'd check the level yourself and top it up. Exactly the same as in Audis, but without the annoying and pointless message every time you get in the car..

In my wife's Clio, the level is demonstrated by bars, as well as the 'oil ok' message.
Just as her fuel gauge works.
So you get an indication when it's starting to get low.
Not that it's used a drop in 9000 miles, unlike my piece of two-stroke ****.
I guarantee you most owners will, in the case of Audi, panic when the oil level warning light comes on, accompanied by the loud and regular BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
Some may mock their apparent ignorance and insinuate it's safe to ignore the light for hundreds of miles, but the fact is most owners will plop their pants and panic.

 

[Amchlolor]

It would appear that the low level oil light comes on before the oil level reaches minimum on the dipstick...

If Audi are claiming that, it's crap.
I know it's crap.
When my light comes on, you're lucky if ANY oil registers on the dipstick.

 

[magnus911]

I use everything...the 2 journey average mpg's I find very useful - along with the miles to empty and the current mpg...

I hate the compass thing though - I had it stuck on there after fiddling with my RNSE once and couldn't remember how to put it back...also, the switch controls on the stalk wouldn't cycle past it, i had to disable it in RNSE setup...

Basically the DIS info and functions have kept me interested a lot longer than my paddle shifts - I used those for about the first 2 weeks and now always leave it in 'D'!

For Bowfer though, if you think about it, once you've (Audi) gone to the expense of installing a screen and the necessary computer for mpg, it's only extra lines of code in the software which give you the info about driving time, miles to empty, mpg etc. That means they might as well bundle that functionality because it doesn't cost them anything. So they're not going to let you trade it in for nicer seats...

 

[s3mike]

Surely the oil level should be treated just the same as brake fluid or coolant.

No need to tell us what the level is all the time, just if something is wrong - pretty much what the DIS is doing.

I'm sure the oil warning light does not mean your engine will immediately explode ( unless it has a leak ! ), I would bet they build in a good safety margin.

There is probably no need to check the oil with the dipstick but it doesn't stop myself ( and everyone else ) doing it every week!

Personally I find the DIS very useful, especially the auto-reset mode so I always know how far I have gone and how long my current journey has taken.

 

[Amchlolor]

There is probably no need to check the oil with the dipstick but it doesn't stop myself ( and everyone else ) doing it every week!

Who's this "everyone else" you speak of?
I don't know many people who check the dipstick every week, unless they are VAG drivers.
I know it's only VAG drivers in our fleet that have become paranoid about oil.
The rest stay blissfully unaware of their oil levels from service to service.

Bottom line is though, wouldn't you rather this archaic system was consigned to history and it was done for you electronically, or do you hold some kind of sentimental reason for wanting to continue to do it the same way Mr.Miggins did in his 1943 Humber?

 

[Amchlolor]

I'm sure the oil warning light does not mean your engine will immediately explode ( unless it has a leak ! ), I would bet they build in a good safety margin.

Yet they deem it important enough that you get a very loud and very irritating BEEEEEEEEEEP every 2 minutes.
Wouldn't be the first I've screamed "I F*CKING KNOW YOU NEED OIL" in my car, after the umpteenth warning in one journey.
I'd rather I knew it was getting low before the warning light and without having to ****** about with level ground, dipsticks and rags.
Very simple request, very easily sorted (as can be seen by the likes of Renault).
Unless, of course, Audi decide to start building proper engines that don't use oil.

 

[s3mike]

The point is you don't NEED to do it!

The light tells you when you need to take action and top the oil up.

I just check it out of habit, and 99% of the time find it has used no oil!

I don't really see the point of VAG adding extra sensors to monitor something which hardly ever changes.

It does sound like there is a problem with the / your Diesel engine though.

I've had two 1.8 20V Turbo and a 2.0 16V Turbo VAG engine and I have used about 1 litre of oil in 6 years / 80k Miles.

 

[Amchlolor]

I don't really see the point of VAG adding extra sensors to monitor something which hardly ever changes.

Yet there is a point to seperate average speed displays?
The point is I bet the vast majority of people would rather have something that alleviates a tedious and messy maintenance routine than DIS.
Ideally though, you're right.
Ideally the oil level wouldn't change.
Until Audi can build oil-tight cars though, it would be nice of them to make it a bit easier to check the level.

 

[s3mike]

True, thinking about it, it's a bit strange that they give you a supply of oil when you buy the car!

Do other manufacturer's do that or are Audi expecting them to use oil?

When I picked my car up the salesman said 'Don't worry about the spare oil, the petrol engines are nowhere near as bad as the Diesel's' which does make me wonder if they know there is a problem.

Does anyone have a 2.0 Diesel that doesn't use oil?

 

[Amchlolor]

Does anyone have a 2.0 Diesel that doesn't use oil?

Some say they do, but the likelihood (as witnessed by your dealer's comments) is that most use it to varying degrees.

 

[Twizzler]

Well, re oil consumption, I have done 1000 miles in my new Audi. So far it's not used a drop. I think the oil consumption over an engines lifetime shows a correlation with the way the car is driven during the first 2000 miles or so. I run my new cars in carefully in accordance with what is written in the owners manual. I'm on my 7th new car now and to date have never had to add oil to any of them between services.
One thing I do think is bad on my Audi is the dipstick design. It's the type with the sort of dumbell on the end of a long black plastic flexible rod. Trying to discriminate the level of black oil against it is not very easy. In fact it's the worst I've yet encountered.

 

[Amchlolor]

I think the oil consumption over an engines lifetime shows a correlation with the way the car is driven during the first 2000 miles or so.

One thing I do think is bad on my Audi is the dipstick design. It's the type with the sort of dumbell on the end of a long black plastic flexible rod. Trying to discriminate the level of black oil against it is not very easy. In fact it's the worst I've yet encountered.

I completely disagree with your first point, but I agree with your second.

 

[Twizzler]

Perhaps I've just been lucky. The makers of the cars seem to agree with my first point.
Out of interest Bowfer, re the 'bleeding awful gearbox' Is that a generalisation or specific to yours?

 

[Amchlolor]

Perhaps I've just been lucky. The makers of the cars seem to agree with my first point.
Out of interest Bowfer, re the 'bleeding awful gearbox' Is that a generalisation or specific to yours?

With regard to running in, I've had around 15 company cars of various makes.
Alfa, Saab,Rover, VW,Ford, Peugeot,Audi etc.
Alll driven the same way, all from new.
NONE have used oil like my 2.0tdi, even the 1.9tdi A4 before it.

With regard to DSG, I've driven a few to make sure the problems weren't restricted to mine.
Nope, they're all the same.
Crap.

(to save others bothering, some think it's the best gearbox ever).

 

[Twizzler]

Crap?

 

[Amchlolor]

Crap?

Yup, crap.
Uncooperative, pedantic, jerky, crap.
Again, I'l save others the bother and say some think it's brilliant.
I concede it COULD be brilliant, but it needs vast improvements first.

 

[Twizzler]

what year is yours?

 

[Amchlolor]

March '05.
No hardware or software updates to DSG that I'm aware of.
Just a change of name, because Audi wanted to distance themselves from VW.
Haven't driven a later model to see if any difference.
TBH, if I never drive another DSG car it would be too soon.
Can't wait to get rid and move on.

Noticed the 'DSG delay' yet, when accelerating away from junctions/roundabouts ?
While the car 'has a meeting' to decide what to do, while that bus approcahes you at an alarming rate?
Noticed the auto change-up at high revs, even in 'manual' mode?
Like the car knows better and you're a naughty boy for wanting to rev it?

There you go....

 

[Twizzler]

Well, no I can't say I've noticed any serious failings, although I must admit I haven't tried diving under the wheel of an approaching bus yet. Any delay I've encountered is less than I would introduce myself in a manual. As I slow down to a junction etc the gearbox just changes down with me thru the gears. I would hope the gearbox does protect the engine when in manual mode and pressing on.

 

[bacardi]

oil beep on mine's been going for two weeks - still seems ok, off to the garage tomorrow so hopefully they'll put some more in, along with 3 more wheel bearings.....................................

 

[Amchlolor]

I would hope the gearbox does protect the engine when in manual mode and pressing on.

Why?
Are you incapable of deciding when to change gear yourself?
How did you ever cope in a manual?
Are manual tdi's blowing up left, right and centre, without the protection of DSG to over-ride their incompetent drivers?

With regard to the delay, you will notice it at some point.
You'll see a gap in the traffic, there will be a delay and you'l swear at it.
Good luck with it though.

 

[tris88]

I've been reading this forum for a fair few months but only posted a few times. I own a 54 reg 2.0tdi and have done since the end of july. Since then i've only done 5000 miles but it hasn't drunk a single drop of oil so far (touch wood) and I do drive it quite hard. However I do agree that the black dipstick to check oil is just daft. And back onto topic I mainly use average MPG and miles left to tank.

 

[smee]

Yet they deem it important enough that you get a very loud and very irritating BEEEEEEEEEEP every 2 minutes.
Wouldn't be the first I've screamed "I F*CKING KNOW YOU NEED OIL" in my car, after the umpteenth warning in one journey.
I'd rather I knew it was getting low before the warning light and without having to ****** about with level ground, dipsticks and rags.
Very simple request, very easily sorted (as can be seen by the likes of Renault).
Unless, of course, Audi decide to start building proper engines that don't use oil.

I agree, my previous merc had the very civilised message "please add one litre of oil when you next fuel up"

It only got more insistent if you ignored it!

On the DIS subject I use all of the Trip 1 settings, just wish there was a way to have them all on screen at the same time (again like the Merc).

My point is if one german manufacturer can get it right how come the others cant?