Oil Level Sensor: Description and Operation

Oil level sensor

The oil level sensor is a PULS (Packaged Ultrasonic Level Sensor) sensor. Among other things, the advantage of this sensor is that it can detect both a minimum and maximum oil level as well as overfilling. It works according to the principle of ultrasonic measurement.

The ultrasonic sensor is a continually operating sensor system for detection of the engine oil level. The determined fill-level data is supplied via a pulse-width modulated signal.

The displayed oil level is calculated from a long-term mean value. The mean value is calculated over 30 miles (50 km) and 3,600 measured values. When the mean value has been calculated, the last mean value is stored and mean value calculation starts all over again.







Only measured values that were obtained within certain temperature, engine speed, vehicle speed and lateral acceleration thresholds (enabling signal from DME) are used for calculating mean values.

The last mean value is always displayed in the Oil menu; oil level display is always possible except for after opening the hood.