Oil change at dealers!!

[Muna34]

Hi all,

I serviced my car at Mercedes dealers in Coventry in March this year.

I happened to check my oil over the weekend (I should have done this before) and it is only just above the minimum. My question is have they been a bit tight and not filled up more? maybe more to the maximum! I will be calling them up to ask them, but before I do I just wanted to know what you all thought about it.

I own a C220 CDI Sport, W204, 2011 (pre-facelift)

Thank you
Mo

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Cold engine when you checked it ?

 

[kwk]

What mileage have you done since the service? Has it used oil? I would fill it now and keep an eye on the consumption.

 

[brucemillar]

Engine should be at running temp, then stood for ten minutes (switched off) car sat on level ground.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[Muna34]

Cold engine when you checked it ?

I checked it first thing in the morning before i drove it.

 

[vijilants]

I've just had the same issue today at the main dealers after a service. When the car came back the dipstick is showing about 80% on the markings.

I called them and they claim that the put 8 litres in to the engine as that's what it takes and that they never fill it to the full mark on the dipstick.

They were quite adamant about it, especially when I went to argue the fact.

 

[whitenemesis]

As long as it's above minimum then no problem.

There's a significant risk of damage if the sump is over-filled, so I guess they will err on the side of caution.

 

[vijilants]

There is absolutely no way that the dipstick should be showing just above the minimum if you had the service done in March.

If it was topped up properly there should be more oil in it or you are losing it somehere, or you have done a mega amount of miles in the past 8 weeks.

 

[rorf]

Keep the oil halfway between min and max and you can be guaranteed of an oil leak free engine:bannana:

 

[brucemillar]

There is absolutely no way that the dipstick should be showing just above the minimum if you had the service done in March. If it was topped up properly there should be more oil in it or you are losing it somehere, or you have done a mega amount of miles in the past 8 weeks.

This is possible and may well be correct.

If checked cold or hot.
Car sloping.
Poor checking.

The difference between min & max may well be less than .25 of a litre. Overfilling is not good. Garages will fill to the Merc spec volume.

Between the two marks is fine.

AMG's burn up to a litre every 1500 miles. I do that in a month.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[Deleted member 6183]

My recollection from when I had to this kind of thing myself:

There is about a litre between min and max on the dipstick.
You should aim to fill up to the mid-point.
Half a litre is not a lot in context.
Test from warm, engine off and on a flat surface.

 

[markmifsud]

I checked it first thing in the morning before i drove it.

theres your (most likely) answer, you checked it cold. recheck after you have been for a drive and left the engine off for 10mins.

 

[sc3992]

Oils well that ends well........

 

[Rory]

The difference between min & max may well be less than .25 of a litre.

It'll be a least a litre on the OPs engine, and might even be 2 litres.

Agree with the rest of what you said - midway between the marks is fine.

 

[190]

W204 owners manual says approx. 2L between min and max.

My experience with changing oil is that the stated capacity falls some way short of reaching max on the dip stick whether the oil is hot or cold. If I put in the stated volume even when the oil is hot it comes to no more than half way between min and max. When cold it's no more than 1/4 of the way between min and max.

All of which is fine. I don't have a problem running at those levels.

 

[Muna34]

Thank you all for your kind responses. I checked the car when it was cold, and I have done 800 miles since the last service. I will check again tomorrow before I go to work and try the Brucemillar way. I will report back if any changes.

I didn't want to call the dealers as they probably would have just fobbed me off.

 

[Muna34]

I've just had the same issue today at the main dealers after a service. When the car came back the dipstick is showing about 80% on the markings.

I called them and they claim that the put 8 litres in to the engine as that's what it takes and that they never fill it to the full mark on the dipstick.

They were quite adamant about it, especially when I went to argue the fact.

That's what I thought! I should have checked before and after the service to see if there was any difference.

I have always been told by friends the the oil should be nearer to the maximum. This is the first Mercedes I have owned so don't know if it is different with the Mercedes. I will check the oil again tomorrow and see if there is any difference!

 

[moonloops]

Ideally you should be checking the oil once a week...

 

[Yugguy]

I've had a couple of merc techs tell me that they dont fill right to the max. Should be nearer the max than the min though.

 

[zenman63]

Does it not have oil level on the cluster to check it?, warnings will then come up, add oil if it needs it.