So we became owners of a 2012 ML350 with 65000k miles about a year ago. I changed the oil about 3000 miles ago and recently a “check engine oil at next fill up” light came on. I checked it and found it was so low it didn’t register on the dipstick. Filled the oil and read in the manual that it’s normal to burn .9 quarts every 600 miles (I think). I thought that was odd but if it says it, ok. Today when it was started the engine rapped for a second before the oil made its way up through the crankcase. It’s my wife’s daily driver so no clue how long it’s been doing that but it is concerning to me. I used 0w-40 euro Mobil 1. Is that and the consumption a product if the oil I used? Any help or insight is appreciated.

mobil 1 is the worst oil you can use for our mercedes, as admitted by mobil 1 themselves.

It is the oil your dealer will use so if you care about this don't use them.

I see you diy, so best to become acquainted with fcp euro and their lifetime replacement warranty on everything including oil!

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...61800009-7l-ml

If you don't like Liqui molly, although they really are the best, castrol sells a 0w40 that is mb approved 229.3 and 229.5

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Castrol-E...-5-QT/35931146

I would drain and refill with these two oils then report back about oil consumption.

This preventive maintenance kit will also help.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/6-c...i-moly-lmk0003

As well as this https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/lub...dditive-lm2020

I assumed you have a gas model. Otherwise you might have a whole other myriad of issues lurking.

Is there a specific reason the Mobil oil is no good? If the dealer uses it and it’s approved by MB, I would expect it to be ok. I have no problem switching to another brand, just wondering the reason behind it.

there are a lot of reasons why it is bad,

But simply put the mobil 1 oil is a compromise between mercedes and the epa to procure a formula for the first fill (and every dealer fill) that emphasised fuel efficiency and whatever the epa sought to squeeze out of mercedes.

Mercedes didn't want to fight with the epa; and thus there are now multiple conflicting reports from mercedes and mobil 1 detailing the use and inadequacy of the oil.

The mobil 1 oil, coupled with many other design failures, is one of many reasons Sludge occurs so regularly in bluetec enginea, and increaswd wear occurs on all others.

Have you ever noticed on cold starts and you floor the engine that a high pitched whine occurs?
I did. And I had the car maintained at the dealership every time...every I dotted. Every 't striped.

The second I did my first diy oil change at 80k with castrol 0w40...there was an amazing change. The engine was smoother. No whine. Amazing smoothness and the car was more responsive and quieter.

No whine...the whine whihh meant inadequate protection at low temps caused by improper oil flow to the required parts of the engine. Again the mobile 1 formula extolled epa requirements at the detriment of the longevity of your engine.
The whine is your engine being mashed.

Mercedes does know what they're doing. Thats why they post bullttins that show that there are other companies that provide better protection. Castrol l, Liqui molly being the best.
The problem is the language is so convoluted and filled with legal prattle that it is indecipherable to the general and mechanical public.
Mercedes is too scared to publicly move against the epa.


Thus long story short.

If you want to do your engine a solid.

Swithx to Liqui molly. Castrol or even pentosin.

Anything is probably better than mobil 1

Thanks for the intel. I’ll switch oil and see what happens. Kartergreg, I totally agree but the manual says it’s normal.

I know there are a bunch more I'm missing, but here are a few. Oil is something that gets debated endlessly ; but really it is something you need to try out yourself first and make the decision. Anything with 229,5 approval should be fine ;

I just know that once I changed the oil and preformed a full engine flush the car quieted and drove much smoother.

http://www.stephensservice.com/oil-r...res-to-engine/


https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum...Number=2151718

You also have to remember, most ecstatic reviews of mobil 1 are from people who keep the car under the warranty period and who dealer maintain the car ; under this time period all this deferred maintenance and extra wear from oil builds up.

http://www.stephensservice.com/oil-r...res-to-engine/


That's oke. We don't have to agree nor do you have to take my word for it.






Stephens service as well as other mb techs have written extensively about the issues of the bluetec 229.51/2 oil that also plaguesethe mb 229.5 mobil 1 spec.

If your interested, you can read up yourself.
It can take a while to read through all his posts though.
It is quite interesting.

Will do. I just ordered the Castrol this morning.