Tsi - engine oil top up

[bruster]

Hi there,

i have a MY11 TSI 118 passat wagon and for the last two days the little warning sign popped up in the
information screen. its asking me to check Oil Levels..
i have only done 10,000 kms and the service is not for another 5,000kms... this is the first new car i have had to ask me for oil so soon..

is this normal? or is there something wrong? any one who experienced this appreciate your feedback.

[brad]

Crazy idea but the search button might be helpful. Something simple like "oil usage".

Welcome to the world of modern, low fuel consumption, European engines.

Executive summary as you are obviouysly a busy person.
Yes, it's normal & the owners manual warns you of this. It also tells you to check the oil level regularly (every fuel fill) until you get a feel for the rate of burn.

So have you bothered to check the oil level or do you refuse to head the warning light because the car is too new?

Your dealer should give you a top-up FOC. The sales dude should have brought your attention to oil usage during engine break-in.

The Passat has the 1.8 litre doesn't it? I have the same in my Octavia. Great engine.

[bruster]

Crazy idea but the search button might be helpful. Something simple like "oil usage".

Welcome to the world of modern, low fuel consumption, European engines.

Executive summary as you are obviouysly a busy person.
Yes, it's normal & the owners manual warns you of this. It also tells you to check the oil level regularly (every fuel fill) until you get a feel for the rate of burn.

So have you bothered to check the oil level or do you refuse to head the warning light because the car is too new?

Your dealer should give you a top-up FOC. The sales dude should have brought your attention to oil usage during engine break-in.

The Passat has the 1.8 litre doesn't it? I have the same in my Octavia. Great engine.

thanks for your reply and the answer to your question is YES, i did use the search button but could not find it.
Although after posting my thread i used google and what you know it brought up an old thread in relation to oil usage...gotta love Google.

Yes i am a busy person and it is a new car after all, first time owner of VW so its only natural for someone like me to ask
such a question. I did check the oil level but given that im driving the car all the time and have to juggle two kids to school everyday (you might not know how its like or maybe im judging you too early just like you did) is very hard to get a proper reading when the engine is warm.

But i'll take your advice and call the dealer service if indeed they offer a free top up, maybe they can squeeze me in for a 5 minutes.

yes the 1.8l turbo is great engine, i was getting excellent fuel consumption around town but its gone up 2lt/100 so dont know if the low oil usage has anyting to do with it...

[brad]

thanks for your reply and the answer to your question is YES, i did use the search button but could not find it.
Although after posting my thread i used google and what you know it brought up an old thread in relation to oil usage...gotta love Google.

Yes i am a busy person and it is a new car after all, first time owner of VW so its only natural for someone like me to ask
such a question. I did check the oil level but given that im driving the car all the time and have to juggle two kids to school everyday (you might not know how its like or maybe im judging you too early just like you did) is very hard to get a proper reading when the engine is warm.

But i'll take your advice and call the dealer service if indeed they offer a free top up, maybe they can squeeze me in for a 5 minutes.

yes the 1.8l turbo is great engine, i was getting excellent fuel consumption around town but its gone up 2lt/100 so dont know if the low oil usage has anyting to do with it...

My search was the integrated search bar in the forum header. Truckloads of results.

Yes, I know all about getting kids to school. I have been Mr Mom for the last 15 years. I do drop-offs & pickups 5x a week & get them to activities & cook & clean & iron & buy groceries & hold down a full time job & occasionally I get to socialise with other adults rather than kids.

If the dealers too far away, call into an auto parts store. Ask the guy for some VW 504.00 compliant oil. Expect to pay somewhere between $65-$85 for 5L.

I've averaged 6.7L/100km for the 90,000km I've done. It's 90% motorway driving. Around Sydney's gridlocked suburbs it spikes to 10L/100km. It uses no oil but in the first 1000km I used to deliberatley load the engine up to get gas pressure behind the rings & bed them in quickly. I'm sure yours will seal up but it might be a protracted process. Given that it's taken 10,000km to get the warning light, I'd be inclined to check the levels every 5,000km. First thing Saturday morning while the little bastards are still asleep works for me.

Take the time to read the manual as these vehicles have so many hidden bells & whistles & it would be a shame if you were only accessing half the features available.

[bruster]

My search was the integrated search bar in the forum header. Truckloads of results.

Yes, I know all about getting kids to school. I have been Mr Mom for the last 15 years. I do drop-offs & pickups 5x a week & get them to activities & cook & clean & iron & buy groceries & hold down a full time job & occasionally I get to socialise with other adults rather than kids.

If the dealers too far away, call into an auto parts store. Ask the guy for some VW 504.00 compliant oil. Expect to pay somewhere between $65-$85 for 5L.

I've averaged 6.7L/100km for the 90,000km I've done. It's 90% motorway driving. Around Sydney's gridlocked suburbs it spikes to 10L/100km. It uses no oil but in the first 1000km I used to deliberatley load the engine up to get gas pressure behind the rings & bed them in quickly. I'm sure yours will seal up but it might be a protracted process. Given that it's taken 10,000km to get the warning light, I'd be inclined to check the levels every 5,000km. First thing Saturday morning while the little bastards are still asleep works for me.

Take the time to read the manual as these vehicles have so many hidden bells & whistles & it would be a shame if you were only accessing half the features available.

LOL, thanks Brad.
I called the service guys at Sutherland they were very nice actually and offered a free top up.
so i will be seeing them this afternoon on the way home...
Im currently getting 10.3L/100 which is still fantastic comparing to my previous car Toyota Aurion was i getting 14l/100 around town. But the first 4-5 tanks i was averaging 8.5-9l on my passat i was over the moon with that.

on a trip to canberra i got down to 5.9l at one stage...with a light load that is, i was by myself in the car.

overall very happy, but i'll have a closer look at the manual.

Cheers
Bru

[Guest001]

thanks for your reply and the answer to your question is YES, i did use the search button but could not find it.
Although after posting my thread i used google and what you know it brought up an old thread in relation to oil usage...gotta love Google.

Yes i am a busy person and it is a new car after all, first time owner of VW so its only natural for someone like me to ask
such a question. I did check the oil level but given that im driving the car all the time and have to juggle two kids to school everyday (you might not know how its like or maybe im judging you too early just like you did) is very hard to get a proper reading when the engine is warm.

But i'll take your advice and call the dealer service if indeed they offer a free top up, maybe they can squeeze me in for a 5 minutes.

yes the 1.8l turbo is great engine, i was getting excellent fuel consumption around town but its gone up 2lt/100 so dont know if the low oil usage has anyting to do with it...

If your car is in the garage at home Put the bonnet up when u put it away at night It only takes a minute to check the oil before moving it in the morning. By far the best way as all the oil will be at the bottom. The oil is something like $15-$23 a litre and your 15,000k service will be over $400

When we were travelling I used to have a pattern EVERY MORNING Check oil, water, tyres, battery, towbar, chassis bolts.

Worked for me.

[Mountainman]

Coming from an Aurion he would almost certainly never had to check the oil level so habits will have to change. I have a Golf that needs 1L every 3000km and a Forester that uses nothing. It adds $80 to each service cost that is already a bit higher than I've been used to. I have just got into the habit of checking every week as it gets used regularly, doing about 1000km a week.

[Diesel_vert]

the little warning sign popped up in the information screen - its asking me to check Oil Levels.

i have only done 10,000 kms

is this normal?

Yes... from Volkswagen's point of view.

is there something wrong?

No... from Volkswagen's point of view.


Oil consumption should settle down as the mileage increases, but it is common for VW engines to consume oil. And they consume it at a faster rate than what you're used to.


The advent of longer service intervals means that trips to service centre are less frequent. However, this doesn't negate the need for the owner to make routine checks (a lot can happen during 15 000 km or 12 months), but the job is made at little easier by electronics, thanks to the oil level sensor, coolant level sensor, tyre pressure sensor, brake pad wear sensor, etc.

At the same time, the nature of electronics in cars means that you can't depend on them 100%. So once a month you should open the bonnet and verify the levels yourself, check tyre pressures while your at it, etc.

Despite their general excellence in engineering, you'll find that European cars are much less forgiving and tolerant from improper maintenance than Japanese cars, so don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!

If your car is in the garage at home, put the bonnet up when you put it away at night. It only takes a minute to check the oil before moving it in the morning. By far the best way as all the oil will be at the bottom. The oil is something like $15-$23 a litre and your 15,000k service will be over $400.

If you want to check the oil level accurately for a 1.4 TSI:

- Engine oil temperature must be at least 60°C
- Vehicle must be level
- Wait a few minutes after switching the engine off to allow oil to flow back into the sump.

[bruster]

Yes, now I'm more aware of the oil consumption. I'll be sure to take the time to check it on a regular basis.
I have owned quite a few cars in my time and never had this issue but if it's a trait of VW then I have to get use to it.
I took Brads advice and called the dealer and received a top up for free.

Although I this is my first euro car, all before have been Japanese brands.

My parents have owned a jaguar xtype 2.1 for almost 10 years and nothing has gone wrong with not even asking for oil top ups.
Still with them and running strong, service intervals was 20,000 kms I think...

The aurion, my previous car was fantastic in regards with maintenance on the engine but everything else was shocking
Rattles, drive shaft replaced twice and transmission issues too.

So I thought VW cant be worse than this...and so far has been fantastic apart from a little oil top up.