Oil level after main dealer service

[doog442]

I hate having to check after a main dealer service but can anyone explain why they wouldn't fill it to the maximum mark. Does that also look a bit dirty to you for fully synthetic oil? 

After the previous two services it was basically transparent although having serviced cars for 35 years I'm aware that running it down the road can alter that. I'm even struggling to locate the oil filter to determine if its new  (which is a decent indicator of an oil change having taken place) . I'm feeling slightly cynical as on the service check list they ticked having done a hybrid health check on a non hybrid car 

 

 

 

 

[dutchie01]

always good to have a healthy dose of doubt towards all dealers i thin. Can you ask how much oil they put in the car, if it is an oil change it will be the to the max level after which you can confront them.  Not sure if the bottom of your dipstick is a bit dirty as the oilcolor gets darker but if it isnt this does not look like brandnew oil to me. Maybe there was no oilchange and they just looked at the oil, looks ok level ok so all well? was ther any form of oilchange on your invoice?

[rich1068]

Are they getting their engines mixed up? Does the IS300h have a smaller sump than the 200T?

[doog442]

1 minute ago, dutchie01 said:

always good to have a healthy dose of doubt towards all dealers i thin. 

Absolutely.

The oil should be changed every year according to the service book and they've ticked drain engine oil / replace filter and refill engine oil but as I said above that means little as they ticked hybrid health check as well - best of luck with that one on an IS200t  🙂

  

[doog442]

1 minute ago, rich1068 said:

Are they getting their engines mixed up? Does the IS300h have a smaller sump than the 200T?

You could be onto something

A quick google is showing IS200t as 4.6 compared to 4.5 for IS300h....

[dutchie01]

Bizarre if that is what really happened. Only other alternative is they did not fill up to the max. In both cases i would be on the phone tomorrowmorning!

When i bring my car in for service i always top up fluids before and last time the BMW dealer invoiced me 2 ltr of windowfluid. When i asked they apologized and when i continued asking how this could happen they said sorry sir but we always put that on the invoice???

Anyway in your case maybe not deliberate but not sure what is worse, thinking you are working on a hybrid while it clearly isnt or trying to squeeze the last penny out of you?

[doog442]

It appears the oil filter is an element that fits inside a housing so no chance of confirming if that's been changed. 

I'll pop down tomorrow.

[reeac]

That oil certainly doesn't look clean enough. Possibly they didn't leave it draining for long enough or drained it when cold. I assume that the level shown is after the car has been standing for an hour or more .... if so then that level is too low. I used to do all my own car maintenance but apart from my tractor I leave it to garages now....either my local or else the appropriate dealer , and I've never seen evidence of such shoddy work.

[ColinBarber]

This is my oil, taken yesterday before it was serviced. 12 months old, but only a few thousand miles. Looks similar to your picture.

Having driven 25 miles home from the dealer after its service, an hour in traffic,  it is almost impossible to see the oil on the dipstick. I'd say yours hasn't been changed.

[Britprius]

Possibly the best way to tell if the oil has been changed is to look at the sump plug area. This should show clear signs of being wiped after the plug was reinstalled with a new gasket.
If the area is dusty, and dry like the rest of the sump the plug has not been removed.

John. 

[ColinBarber]

4 minutes ago, Britprius said:

Possibly the best way to tell if the oil has been changed is to look at the sump plug area. This should show clear signs of being wiped after the plug was reinstalled with a new gasket.
If the area is dusty, and dry like the rest of the sump the plug has not been removed.

John. 

Unless they extract it via the dipstick hole that is.

[Britprius]

1 minute ago, ColinBarber said:

Unless they extract it via the dipstick hole that is, although to be fair that is more of a DIY method than a main dealer.

If they have the car on the ramp with cover removed for the filter it would be quicker, and easier to open the sump plug. The sump plug gasket should also be listed on materials used.

John