oil Change lights on my bmw 98 323is

[cds51494]

How are the oil change color lights supposed to work? They come on right when you turn the key along with the rest of the lights, but then i haven't ever seen them.i have put over 10 000 miles on it, the dealer still says wait till the lights come on but i still haven't even seen the green.? thank you for any help.

[jeffreyb4me]

depending on the cluster you have [high or low] guessing you have a 4-door E46, you'll have either a segmented LED display that 'counts' down from green to yellow to red [red meaning the time has come] OR a digital display that will read, say, 'OIL SERVICE +2,000 MILES' which means in 2,000 miles your car will be due. A '-2,000 MILES OIL SERVICE' means your overdue by that amount. hope that helps.

[cds51494]

i have the ones that are supposed to countdown, from green to yellow to red, but after the initial start i never see them again, not even the green. so i don't know what is happening.

[jeffreyb4me]

they're only displayed with the key on & engine off OR when you start the car they will go out after about 3 sec's. sounds like yours function correctly.

[kazzoo]

Hi,you only ever see the service lights illuminate when you first turn on the ignition and goes out once engine has been started,you won't see them again until you switch of engine and turn on ignition again,you should get 5 green lights illuminate if vehicle has just been serviced,dropping down to a yellow light informing you to have it serviced,then to a red light telling you that service is overdue.

[cds51494]

thanks so they shouldn't always have all the colors show up.

[jeffreyb4me]

that's correct, only when you first start it.

[cds51494]

thanks a bunch