E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

Is it necessary to check the oil level on a E500 via computer on a regular basis?

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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 07:51 AM
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Is it necessary to check the oil level on a E500 via computer on a regular basis?

Or will it tell me automaticallly when it needs refilling?
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 08:37 AM
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It will tell you automatically via the message screen--it will also advise you of overfill.
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 09:14 AM
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I think this thing is a POS. It asked me to add 1 litre which I did. Now it tells me to take some oil out!
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 10:32 AM
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2004 E500
Originally Posted by Fastbuck
I think this thing is a POS. It asked me to add 1 litre which I did. Now it tells me to take some oil out!
Did you have the vehicle on level ground when measuing the oil?
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by MadManAboutTown
Did you have the vehicle on level ground when measuing the oil?

I'm afraid so.
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 03:46 PM
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No dirty fingers, no oily rags...and MB says its accurate (enough) and good (enough)!
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 05:18 PM
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Does the system refuse to tell you whether you need oil or not if it decides that the car isn't level enough? I'm in a flat part of the world and can't easily check that. I know that the system refuses to give a reading until the car is warmed up.
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 05:48 PM
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No. It will give you a reading no matter what position you are in, hot warm or cold. Like in a car with a dipstick, nose down will read High, rear down will read low. Assuming the dipstick is in the left front part of the engine.

Last edited by Barry45RPM; Sep 5, 2004 at 07:52 PM.
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by DWP
I know that the system refuses to give a reading until the car is warmed up.
That's not the case with my 2004 E320. I just returned from a long trip and always checked the oil before I started the car in the morning.
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 07:54 PM
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It may have to do with the ambient temperature, rather than whether the engine is warmed up like I said. The previous time I tried to take a "cold engine" oil reading and got refused, the temp was around 60. I just tried again; the car said the outside temp was 91F (which it is, or higher) and it gave me an oil level reading without also making me (further) warm up the engine.
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Old Sep 5, 2004 | 11:22 PM
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I've checked the oil in the NY winter @ 17 degrees. Dont know why you couldnt.
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Old Sep 6, 2004 | 09:22 AM
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The engine needs to be off, off course, but I believe the engine must also have been off for a given period of time, something like 15 minutes, in order for it to give a reading. That allows time for upper crankcase oil to settle in the pan for an accurate reading.
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Old Sep 6, 2004 | 10:21 AM
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was '03 E320 - now - '04 S4
I just check every time I fill up the car.

Can't really say I trust it though... level ground blah blah... it told me right after Service B that it had too much oil.

Took it in and they said it was pretty much o.k. but removed a touch anyway.

Shortly after that it said it needed oil. I let it go for a while.

Now it says "o.k."

Give me a manual dipstick.
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Old Sep 6, 2004 | 10:26 AM
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I think you can buy a dipstick from Mercedes but that they have put a rediculous price on it. I suppose they want to discourage people from going back to the dipstick.

When I bought my new E320, I stuck the tube from a Topsider extractor down the dipstick tube and measured the depth of the oil. At least now I'll have a rough idea about what it should be after I change oil or if I get an indication that I need to add oil.
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Old Sep 6, 2004 | 11:16 AM
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Once every few days is a lot. So just check it before you go to work, or come home... whatever routine works.
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Old Sep 6, 2004 | 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Barry45RPM
Once every few days is a lot. So just check it before you go to work, or come home... whatever routine works.
Checking oil is far less important with these M112/M113 engines. First of all, they aren't likely to use much oil and secondly, they have as much as twice the oil capacity as most domestic and Japanese cars.

I checked it daily when I was on vacation because I was driving long distances but I have only checked it once since I got home. It appears that I didn't use much oil on the 4,600 mile trip despite starting with only 200 miles on the clock.
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Old Sep 6, 2004 | 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Fastbuck
I think this thing is a POS. It asked me to add 1 litre which I did. Now it tells me to take some oil out!
Did it say April fool straight afterwards?

A litre would seem a huge amount to put in considering the system is supposed to continuously monitor the level.

I reckon it was an April fool and the computer just could not wait until April

John
Absolutely sweltering Torquay
(I'm off swimming)
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Old Sep 6, 2004 | 02:02 PM
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2003 E-500
After 10,500 miles without changing or adding oil in my E-500, the maintenance indiator suddenly said I had too much oil and needed to remove some. It did this on a hill while moving about 80 mph. Later it went out. I talked to my service advisor and he said they would replace the indicator the next time I brought the car in but it was not a problem to drive it. The indicator continued to cycle on and off for next ~1000 miles and then I brought the car in for the routine oil change and service. They changed the indicator at this time and it's never shown I need to remove oil since. I think they had a bad batch of sensors in some of their vehicles. No car will MAKE oil while you drive so I wasn't too concerned about it.

Recommend you get a new oil level sensor and DO NOT remove any oil.
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