KOMPCOUPE03

I know this is going to sound like a stupid question but I'm stumped. Where is the oil level dipstick on my 2003 C230 K?

I've looked all over the stupid thing and the owners manual shows a diagram for last years model 2.3 engine and its not the same.

I see the oil fill cap on top and standing facing the engine two dipstick type tubes on the left rear of the engine. One I'm sure is for the trans and one looks like it goes to the oil pan but when I pull the cap off it has stick that is only about one inch long.

Help please- I'm going crazy!!

KOMPCOUPE03

Guess I should have done a search for "dipstick"- apparantly my car doesnt have one- it's electronically monitored. I dont know if I like that or not- oh well can't do anything about it.

levelr123g

yes you can, order the dipstick from mb. the one for the 2003 c320 is part # 111-010-11-72 and costs 16.54. now this dipstick is for the 2.3 litre engine but it works with the v-6 also. what i do is check the electronic measuring, if it says it is ok then insert the stick and measure where the oil os on it. this is your full mark. now on the v6 engine, the full mark happens to be at the top of the red part of the dipstick. i only use it to check the oil, i do not leave it in the tube.

amdeutsch

A little minor correction here. The dipstick PN posted is the one listed for a MY02 C230 coupe 2.3L engine. There is no listing for a c-class V6. This dipstick is about 3/4" too long based on the measurements posted on this forum. Link to my original POST.

patrick

Why need a dipstick? The electronic system works fine and measures correctly.

amdeutsch

Too coarse. Unless of course someone likes to go in 1/2 qt steps. If your statement is true please explain why even MB finds it necessary to supply their techs with a tool/dipstick. It is a well known fact that the sensors are not that accurate. Don't you think its funny that the electronic systems in ML and E-class (03 at least) V6 engine is backed up by a dipstick supplied with the car.

patrick

Can you tell me in which document MB says that?

Can you tell me why it should be necessary (e.g. technical reason and not "just knowing") for the driver to know the oil level more accurate than per half a litre?

Between min. and max. is OK, From the moment on the level is only half a liter away from min. it will be announced by itself.
If you want to know it before you leave for a long trip you can check the level electronically. From the moment on that the level is half a liter under max. then it will be told. Why need the dipstick? Many people cannot even read the dipstick.

However it is not meant for the driver you also have a workshop menu in the instrument cluster. It can tell how many oil there is per 0,1 litre, but then you should know how many there must be in the oil pan.

Exact oil level can also be known with the Star Diagnosis laptop, but this is for troubleshooting. But if no trouble...

patrick

There has been a problem with sensors produced at a certain date. All dealers should be informed how to recognize them. But these sensors were produced already a few years ago.
There are no "known" problems with the sensors now. If it is a "well-known fact" it just means that the talking of the people is way behind the actual situation.

amdeutsch

No I can not. I don't work for MB and don't have access to their books. I just know that every MB dealer in the USA has that tool. That implies to me a requirement of some sorts.
Don't you have one for use?

Its not a question of necessity but rather of right to know. Maybe the difference here is the difference of philosophy (sp?) between European and American. Maybe we all are technical. Give us credit for intelligence. You want technical; here goes. As I already stated; these sensors are not that accurate and putting it what the MFD calls has been known to cause a reading of *Overfull-remove* or something similar to that. technically speaking how much do you remove now. Do you take out this and that til it is read as OK by the electronics. Please rethink you response her.

I don't think that is a fair judgement. If that is the kind of people you have to deal with so be it. Please allow yourself to give others some credit for intelligence.

We on this forum know about the *Dyno Mode* feature. Unfortunately it does not work on the 03 C-class vehicles. if you have the instructions it would be very nice of you to share those with us. We already know the 02 instructions and they will not work on 03. Many of us have tried. My dealer has tried. As of this week he is still waiting on MB to supply him the correct instructions. I proved it to him that they did not work. All he gets from MB is that it should work because they did it on an SL.

No reply necessary here.

patrick

"That" tool, is that:
a dipstick with marks for whatever type of engine?
the dipsticks for specific types of engines?
dipsticks for other purposes?

We have different kinds of dipsticks in our workshop. But it certainly is not common that we check the engine oil level with a (workshop) dipstick from cars that have not any dipstick anymore. If the level is not accurate we fix the problem.

That explains a lot!

The biggest difference is:
In Europe you can trust on your MB dealer, but as I have already seen on this forum, the knowledge, attitude and mentality of the average USA MB dealer differs a lot! Also many things are just "normal" for USA dealers...

amdeutsch

To the best of my knowledge, and verified by numerous members, it is not engine/car specific. It is graduated in *mm* nad with a corresponding chart and be use for all MB engines.

That is good to know. But what if you you just have to *top off*? That does not imply a problem. Your statement also implies that we run to our dealer for evereything. But then again you know about US dealers from this forum. Don't you?



Please answer all of my post. You just picked and choose what you wanted. That will give a completely differnt meaning.


A lot of people here value your advice. I think? But yet you still not answered most of my replies. I have also noticed from your replies that you may not know exactly what is being asked. I don't want to be offensive but rather I believe it is a language barrier.

I again will ask you.

Please provide this membership the instructions for the *workshop menu* that will work on 03 C-class cars. If you do not want to then please say so.

levelr123g

well i like to see it in analog, not digital. as for it being a 1/2 inch to long, i dont know. is all i know is that when the computer says oil level ok , the oil is at the top of the dipstick (the little red part), so i am assuming that this is full so i will ontinue to use it.

patrick

OK, I understand. You're right about that.

Yes indeed. It is very difficult to me to explain technical things in English. From time to time I cannot make myself clear (enough)and that is also the reason why I do not respond that much on the forum.

tony-r171

Hello all!!!
This my first thread and and i want to say that i am really happy to finally be a member of this forum. My car is an SLK R171 200 Kompressor (1800 cc) 163hp of 2004 and as many other MB owners i just opened the hood to realize that there is no engine oil dipstick available.I know about the electronic way of checking the oil level but i want the freedom of changing my oil whenever and wherever i want without having to go to a Mercedes service shop. Do you know if i can find this dipstick in the market or if it is a part sold by mercedes. If so it would great if i could have the part number and perhaps an approximate price.
Thank you very much and i will be anxiously awaiting of your replies!!!

lars

I'm another unhappy not to have a dipstick. I'm not unhappy enough to order the MB tool, though. The issue for me is not oil level, it's oil colour and appearance. I like to be able to see how dirty my oil is.

lkchris

So if they decide to add oil they will add the correct amount.

This is not intended to be user serviceable. And you won't have to.

lkchris

This will never happen.

Oil color is meaningless and NO ONE can say anything with certainty about motor oil by looking at its color. If you use the proper-spec oil it will be fine for Mercedes' specified change intervals. Period.

f1_mimmo

I spent the last few minutes searching the web for a diptsick and happened upon this thread.

This past Sunday while driving home i get a stop at a shop msg you're a 1 QT low. The oil had been changed by MB a week prior. I pull over, confirm no leaks and soon recall i can’t physically check my oil, so off i go. A few miles later i get another msg only this one is a bit more colorful to stop your 1 QT 1/2 low. There's no oil leaking, burning or in my water so i honestly did not suspect the oil was low, but had it towed anyway. Needless to say the oil sensor was the culprit and replaced by MB.

So for those of you wanting to know how much oil is in YOUR car, you have legitimate reason to do so.

Lee Wireless

I like most of you wanted to know the oil level in my 05 SL500 by sight. I purchased this dipstick that was supposed to fit into my engine. It may work in some engines, but only went in so far and hit an obstruction. I'm not about to force it so I rely on the sensor. It's worked fine for a year. http://www.asttool.com/detail_page.p...&manf=MercedesOr check this site. They list a dipstick too. I've had good luck with there tools. http://www.samstagsales.com/mercedes.htm