Hi guys and gals,

I look after our office's pool cars, both Panda 2018 4x4's. Which is strange as I'm the only one in the office who doesn't drive but I seem to know more about cars than the rest of them put together :shakehead: but unfortunately not about this ….

One of them had a message about the oil level being low. Checked the oil (once I'd found the blooming dipstick which was staring me in the face - I hate new cars!), topped it up but can't get rid of the low oil message.

Does anyone have a clue how to get rid of the message before I take a lump hammer to it or will I have to get someone to take it to the nearest dealer which is 35 miles away please?

TIA

On the 0.9litre petrol engine (the TwinAir), a message will show up every 5000 miles suggesting that you should check the oil level (it doesn't actually know if the level is low, the message is purely trigger by distance covered). To confirm that this check has been done, with the message showing, press the 'set' button on the dash, to the left of the red hazard light button. Then, press the 'up' or 'down' arrows to either side of the 'set' button to select 'yes' (see the car's instruction book, page 38 in my edition)

Jinger said:

Hi guys and gals,



Does anyone have a clue how to get rid of the message before I take a lump hammer to it or will I have to get someone to take it to the nearest dealer which is 35 miles away please?



TIA

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You have to go in to the dashboard menu and scroll through to find the reset and select... and then select confirm. All a bit of a bind really, best to read the handbook. Why it can’t self detect its been refilled, if it can detect its low in the first place [emoji53]

Does it really detect? I suspect its mileage based between service resets on management system?

The cars came to us new with delivery mileage only in February this year, they're the 0.9 litre petrol engine (Twin Air). It's only done around 5K miles since then. So if the message is set to show up every 5k miles then it makes sense it's appeared. Coincidence then that the oil was on minimum when I checked it. I've checked the other Panda (hasn't done 2k miles yet) and it's oil is still on max. Who on earth designed those dipsticks anyway, they're awful!

Herts Hillhopper - I've passed your instructions onto the ladies that are driving the car tonight and I'll see how they get on clearing it. If they can't, I'll have a look at it myself on Monday when I'm next in work.

Thank you for your help guys, much appreciated.

MuddyPaws said:

You have to go in to the dashboard menu and scroll through to find the reset and select... and then select confirm. All a bit of a bind really, best to read the handbook. Why it can’t self detect its been refilled, if it can detect its low in the first place [emoji53]

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Because it doesn't detect that the level is low... there is no 'electronic oil level detector'. The message pops up based simply on number of miles travelled

Herts Hillhopper said:

On the 0.9litre petrol engine (the TwinAir), a message will show up every 5000 miles suggesting that you should check the oil level

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Mine doesn't do this (2015 Cross TA). Is it a more recent development?

gar074 I believe this is since 2018. Slight oxymoron if handbook still quotes the fortnightly or 625 mile lights and levels check and the 2017 note to check oil every 300 miles?!

MuddyPaws said:

You have to go in to the dashboard menu and scroll through to find the reset and select... and then select confirm. All a bit of a bind really, best to read the handbook. Why it can’t self detect its been refilled, if it can detect its low in the first place [emoji53]

Click to expand...

Lump hammer is MUCH more fun, but ear gloves and goggles if your at work...
its elf and sayfty

Al D said:

gar074 I believe this is since 2018. Slight oxymoron if handbook still quotes the fortnightly or 625 mile lights and levels check and the 2017 note to check oil every 300 miles?!

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I may be old fashioned, but anyone who leaves it 5000 miles before checking the oil... words fail me.

Weekly without fail, and before every leg of every long journey. If you don't carry out such basic checks, don't complain if you end up with engine damage, which of course includes unnecessary premature wear, overheating, potential head gasket failure, bearing failure and engine failure. Gearboxes too should be checked. My Laguna bought in 1996 went 20k before I decided to change the oil inits gear box only to find that , 1) the gearbox had a manual dipstick to check the level, and 2) That it had almost no oil in it. In spite of complaining about poor gear change quality this was not picked up by the dealer. It shows you really do need to do this sort of check yourself if at all possible.

Engines develop faults and gaskets can fail. Fools can fail to refit the filler cap (oops), and breather pipes can fall off leading to rapid oil loss. Most of the firms I have worked for for the last 20 years would fire someone for not checking the engine oil on both vehicles and machinery and for good reason I think.

Whom ever is responsible for this idiotic message should find a job in a more suitable industry. It is the most total and complete nonsense. In a high mileage company car this is about a fortnights use and with high speeds and long distances that's too long. In my B car the Panda it could be 6 months and that's plain stupid. Which ever way you look at this is beggars belief.

May be parachute manufacturers could use their skills. They could design a small sign and fit it in the centre of the parachute canopy - probably on the outside.... ... "Please pull the rip cord before hitting the ground" ......

Modern engines are very good and many use no oil at all, but its just like elf and safety.. a balance between the level of risk and the cost of a catastrophe, and the pain and suffering of precautionary measures... Fiat will get a letter of protest when this message appears on my car. They ought to get a bill for turning it off too. Rant rant rant rant ..................................................... .......................................................................................................... etc etc

The Panda Nut said:

I may be old fashioned, but anyone who leaves it 5000 miles before checking the oil... words fail me....

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Very true.
But either way, even if you do check the oil weekly, this message will still show on the dash display at 5000 miles because it is triggered only by miles covered, not by the actual level of the oil, and the car has know way of knowing that you've already looked.

I suspect Fiat added this (as per earlier dates) owing to the very sensitive oil level requirements for the TA and a number of 'issues' caused by owners who don't check

I check my oil weekly, and the tyre pressures too, and walk round the car everytime I get in so I can see that a tyre has not gone down overnight (eg by a puncture).

The POWER check – Petrol (or fuel at least), Oil, Water (and other fluids), Electric (bulbs etc) and Rubber (tyre condition, tread and pressure) should be done regularly (how often depends on vehicle use)

Fionam the thread you need. How many miles has your Panda done? The message may turn off when the car cold rather than warm. Hope it's sorted.