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done 11K in 5 months and today was reminded by the car to check the oil. Did so and found it was black and about on min. Added the free litre they gave me and it now reads max and still black. It it time to visit the main dealer. The sticker on the windscreen says longlife servicing.
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Added the free litre they gave me and it now reads max and still black.
Not being funny, but did you expect the oil to return to a golden colour? You probably had 3 litres or so remaining in the sump, so by adding a litre wouldn't have magically changed the colour.
Is it time to visit the main dealer.
Depends if the car is still under warranty or not. Any garage will be able to do an oil change for you.
The sticker on the windscreen says longlife servicing.
But what does the handbook say?
As the car has done 11k since it's last oil change, it wouldn't hurt to get it changed ASAP. In fact it'll probably do it some good.
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Diesel engine oil always goes black quickly.
Nothing to worry about.
What are the service intervals on the car? Might be wise to consult your service book or a 'helpful' dealer
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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dealer who sold it (very reputable) said that the car would tell me when the first service was needed. Could be 2 or 3 years he said dependng on my driving style.
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As your Passat is on variable service intervals it is absolutely essential that you top up the oil in future with oil to VW specification 506.01. Do not be persuaded that any other oil will do. Unfortunately it costs about £10 per litre from your 'friendly' VW dealer! If you've still got the container that you topped up from you should find this spec on it.
As has been said, oil in diesel engines goes black almost as soon as it's put in - nothing to worry about.
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I don't recall what the passat TDI manual says, but its prudent to check oil level at each fill-up, or so. Sister has a Renault with 18,000 OCI: thinks that she doesn't need to check the oil as there is a warning light. I don't know what will convince her, short of a large bill, as talking about oil pressure etc gets an automatic glazed expression! She knoews she should take an interest but its not on her agenda.
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called at the main dealer today and got their official view. No need to check oil regularly; wait for car to tell you that the level is low, then top up with the expensive oil. No need for an oil change, wait until car tells you a main service is due. This could be anything up to 30K miles. Only one litre of oil in 11K miles was considered a good result - apparently some engines use a litre every 600 miles. They did admit however that the longlife service regime is new to them and they were feeling their way...
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I have a Skoda on variable service, and at its next service, it is going back to fixed-interval services.
Here are a couple of pieces of information that are correct to my belief that may be of use to anybody with a VAG engine, (petrol or Diesel)
1- the only way to check if you have variable or fixed interval servicing is to connect the car to a diagnostic computer - there should be an indicator in the cars service schedule, but it has been known for cars to be changed from variable to fixed and the book not updated (I don't think you can go from fixed to variable)
2- a degree in logic is necessary to deconstruct the handbook
3- not many dealers or Skoda Customer Service staff have degrees in logic
4- there is a time/distance limit for the first oil change, which may come up BEFORE the variable service indicator calculates a service is due - not many dealers seem to be aware of that (2 yrs, 18750 miles(petrol) 31250 miles(diesel))
5- if you top up more than once with the wrong spec of oil, the engine needs to be reset to fixed interval servicing
6- the variable servicing system allegedly measures the acidity of the oil - if you have an oil change before the service indicator comes on, it will prolong the interval before the service indicator comes on.
With my driving style, my car would only be serviced every 20 months or so, which is why it will be going back to fixed service shortly !
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When my Passat had it's first service, the service guy asked me how many miles I wanted to have put on the computer for the next "variable" service.
Borasport20 says the computer allegedly messures the acidity of the oil, I think he is right to be suspicious.
I think the variable service interval on VWs is just guesswork, fancy leaving oil in a new car for 31000 miles, it is cruelty and madness.
My car has done 25000 miles, and I have had the oil changed twice, using SLX11. I would change it myself but I can't find the filter.
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