I did an interim oil and filter change (DIY) on our 2024 GLE450 recently. (Genuine Mercedes oil and filter.) Before the oil change, the oil level indicator bar was solid green and was at "max." This was the first oil change for this vehicle.

The owners manual says the oil capacity is "about 9 U.S. quarts." I initially added 8.5 quarts, figuring I would keep adding small amounts of oil until the level reached "max". Definitely don't want to overfill.

I have been periodically adding oil in 2 to 3 ounce increments, checking the oil level afterwards. The total amount of oil now added is approximately 9.25 quarts. What is concerning is that throughout the process, the green oil level indicator has not changed. It's reading the same at 9.25 quarts as it did when I added the initial 8.5 quarts. That small area of white at the end of the indicator bar has remained the same.

And yes, the oil level readings are done on level ground, with the engine at full temperature, engine idling and the car in Park.

Has anyone else encountered this? Does anyone know the actual oil capacity amount? I am hesitant to keep adding oil, but I know the indicator is able to read "max", since it was at max from the factory.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

 

I believe it doesn't reflect immediately. Have you checked it after taking a trip or just idling after adding more oil?

 

I've checked it multiple times, each time after a 30 to 45 minute drive. The level indicator never changes,

 

I don’t own this car but are you sure that it is meant to be measured at idle vs 5 minutes after shutdown. That’s the procedure for the three amgs I’ve owned, especially if it’s measured by an electric sensor vs dipstick.

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From the "checking the engine oil level" section in the owners manual:

Requirements:

• The engine has been warmed up
• The vehicle is parked on a level surface
• The engine is running at idle speed
• The hood is closed

I'm following the procedure, but I'm still stumped as to why the level hasn't reached "max" yet.

 

I am not sure if I am reading it correctly but isn't it already at max? I mean the glare part is already at the max point.

 

It's not glare, as much as I wish it were. Above the word "Max", the oil level indicator bar has an area of white. It should be solid green all the way to the Max hash mark. I don't have a picture, but I'm 110% positive it was that way prior to the oil change.

 

You're good, it's already on "Max". For whatever reason, I though your picture was before the oil change.

Here is a picture of mine, it was like this from the factory, at "max":

 

Hmmm, I see that is strange indeed.

 

Ah, life without a real dipstick. As long as it says OK, you're good.

 

Go into the workshop menu, Under vehicle data it should show the oil reading in realtime. The gauge you're looking at is there to make people feel comfortable, not give an exact reading. The workshop one will give you what you want. I overfilled our 580 by .5l (misread the capacity) and it showed it immediately while the regular gauge didn't complain until two weeks later.

 

Interesting, I guess just like the coolant gauge on how it is constantly showing at operating temperature when it reaches that but in reality it fluctuates.

 

Thank you jkaetz! Workshop menu! Yes! I found a video on how to access it. Also tells you 12v battery voltage and 48v battery voltage and level of charge. Excellent.

I drove the car for an hour, so oil was very hot - 100 degrees C or 212 degrees F. Then parked with engine idling and the workshop screen said I was at 8.8 liters (or 9.3 quarts). If you scrolled down from that screen, it said I was overfilled by .8 liters (or 0.85 quarts). Yet the engine oil level in the Service menu still isn't at Max. Go figure.

I changed the oil about 350 miles ago, and have not seen the "overfilled" error message on the main screen. At this point I'm tempted to just ignore what the workshop screen said. Maybe it thought oil was overfilled because it was super hot and at idle? I noticed if you raised the rpm's at idle, the overfill amount dropped. Maybe I'll check the workshop menu again when the oil is warmed up but not super hot and see what it says. Or check it while driving around and see if it reads differently.

Or I may crawl under the car and loosen the plastic drain plug slightly and let some oil drain. Perhaps I'd sleep better at night.

 

I posted a picture for you earlier in this thread. Your oil IS at max, it's not supposed be all blue/green, the white tips are just MBUX decor. When holiday time comes, these tips may turn into Christmas socks or hats at various parts of the interface. Their meaning won't change though.

 

You are absolutely correct. I did drain some oil and the Workshop screen now says oil is 0.1 to 0.2 liters underfilled.

The Service screen oil reading did not change. Lesson learned for future oil changes. Thanks to all for helping me figure this out.

 

I wouldn't go that far unless the message comes up. There has to be an over/under range for the messages. I was going to let ours be at .5l over until the message came up. It will absolutely read different while driving. Acceleration, stopping, and RPM all change the sensed oil level as one might expect.

 

I believe the level indication for every day use only shows to the nearest 1/4 liter. Something the user manual doesn't tell you. Found this by observing the oil level in my 2024 GLE 450. It would go from 3/4 to 1/2 and back between drives for a few weeks until finally settling at 1/2. When I stopped by the Mercedes dealership one of the folks in the service department confirmed this observation. The maintenance level is the place to see the actual level as a previous reply said. I've written Mercedes and complained a couple of times about the lack of information and wrong information in the owner's manual to no avail. When I asked the Mercedes dealership for information to access the workshop maintenance data, I was told that it was proprietary information and they would not share it with me. Like you, I found where someone made a video on how to access the maintenance workshop data. I can't believe Mercedes is so secretive with this information.....makes my blood boil. You'd think purchasing their high price vehicle would at least entitle you to basic information on the car! One other item I was going to mention. My owner' s manual did not have the oil spec for my car....Indicated it was not available at press time. Also, it showed that the oil fill was 10.5 quarts, which was 2 quarts too much. When I changed oil, I was uncomfortable enough that I measured what I drained from the car and only added that much back to the engine. I'm glad I didn't blindly follow the information in the owner's manual or I might have done some damage. Mercedes didn't seem to be too upset when I apprised them of the error. I know you have already found out what you were looking for, but I'm still hot about Mercedes being so tight lipped about sharing information and wanted to share some of my frustration.....and vent a little. I'm sure the main reason for not sharing the information is so that we will bring our vehicles in for them to do the maintenance on them. This has stiffened my resolve to not take it in for service even more (I also live 150 miles from the nearest dealership). This is my first Mercedes and I like it, but it may also be my last since they refuse to share basic information on servicing the vehicle.

 

These sound like comments made a few decades ago when manufacturers en mass changed from guages to idiot lights.

Then, the reason was to reduce concern from drivers who didn't understand how gauges work - such as different temperatures. Lots of customers were visiting dealerships, complaining about how their gauge didn't match their neighbor's gauge.

Now we're talking about an oil level gauge, and I'm not fully understanding how it could be accurate unless the engine has stopped for a minute or two, on a level surface.
The driving around level gauge must be an algorithm.

 

I have two MB's. Both 4.0 but one is an AMG with the M178 dry sump and the other has the M176 wet sump. I have noticed on the AMG when watching oil level in the workshop menu while driving quite a bit of level fluctuation so the algorithm hypothesis makes sense.

 

I suspect this as well. I've watched our M176 while driving and it is all over the place until you come to a stop on level ground. I'm sure there are some immediate thresholds like multiple liters low or high but when talking about measuring for the "normal" capacity I'm sure you're right about it taking measurements only while at the proper temp, idle, and level surface. Likely why the service menu "gauge" can take a while to update. We're probably the rare MB owners who actually understand that the oil level measurement is only valid under specific conditions. The critical value that I don't think I've seen anywhere is oil pressure. Oil level is mostly there to keep the pickup submerged and to extend the OCIs.

 

My 2024 GLE 63S oil level went from full (where it stayed for 2700 miles) to half. After driving enough to warm up, it sometimes went back to full. About a quart burned less than 3k not good. The oil and the stop/start shaking the car were enough to get rid of it. After 4 months the Dealer has dropped the price to what they gave me and it still sits.