2010 1.2 Oil Low Help!

[muffty]

Hello!

I am after some advice please! I bought a second hand 1.2 Yeti in April, on 70,000. Last serviced by Halfords   in August 2015.

Yesterday I got the low oil level light (not had it since?!) and the oil level is just above in the hatching on the dip stick...

The service history doesn't say which oil was used so not sure which oil to top up with? Previous history in the book says its had Quantum Longlife III 5W-30 but obviously not sure what Halfords use...do you think it would be OK to get a litre top up and use that?

 

I need to do 100 miles this week, so hope I won't do any damage? I will book the car in and get the oil changed to Quantum Longlife III 5W-30, but it won't be an instant job as I'll have to wait for a slot...

 

Thanks in advance!

[Zarniwoop]

I suspect Halfords use their own brand oil.... they do sell one at the right specification for the 1.2TSi,  and that can be mixed with any brand of the correct spec.  The Quantum Longlife III will be fine.  BUT if the oil level is OK as you suggest,  DO NOT add more as overfilling can do lots of damage.  The low oil light may have been spurious...especially if it has not appeared again and as the level is correct (i.e. up to the top of the mark.  So I would keep an eye on the level,  do nothing else as long as nothing changes,  and hope for the best.  

[logiclee]

I wasn't aware the 1.2TSI has an oil level light.

 

It certainly has an oil pressure light and if oil pressure has been low while the oil level is OK I'd be a little worried, especially as Halfords did the service.

 

As a minimum I'd have the oil and filter changed at a reputable VAG specialist and the engine checked over at the same time.

 

Lee

[freedie]

i think you have made a mistake in the way you have written about the oil level. However, if I have understood correctly, it sounds like the oil level is OK and should NOT be topped up. Get help from someone in the know before you do anything.

[muffty]

sorry guys I mean the hatching at the bottom end of the dipstick

e.g.

 

end of dipstick ---########-------------------top of dipstick

oil level is here   ^

 

the message was definitely check oil level, was a yellow message, not red.

 

thanks!

Edited 26 June, 2016 by muffty

[ernieb]

If I read your diagram correctly and the cards on the level it looks like t he oil level is at the low end of the band. It could be that the car was travelling on a slope and that triggered the alarm light?

[Zarniwoop]

OK, that's much clearer...your oil level IS low if its at the bottom end of the hatching,  i.e. near the end of the dipstick nearest the ground  (my spellchecker keeps wanting to type lipstick!!!).  So put some of the Quantum Longlife III in....start with half a bottle,  then see how you go.  

As your engine obviously uses some oil,  keep an eye on it.... some 1.2 TSi's use a lot if they weren't treated correctly in their early miles.  You don't say how old your Yeti is, but if its still in warranty it would be worth flagging up high oil consumption to a VAG garage, but if you haven't had the car long it may be too early to say its using excessive amounts of oil.  If its only dropped to that since the last service 10 months ago then there's probably nothing to worry about if its done a fair mileage in that time.

So top up,  and keep an eye on it.

Edited 26 June, 2016 by Zarniwoop

[muffty]

thanks all, its a 2010 (as in the title     !!!)  and had the revised chain in 2014, obviously never knew how much Halfords put in, its done about 9k since the change - I think I'll top up with Halfords own and then book in a full oil and filter change.

[Zarniwoop]

 Sorry!  Missed your Yeti year in the title.   Do you know what servicing regime is set on your car:  fixed or variable?  If its fixed you'll get a service flagged up towards the end of next month;  if it was mine I'd wait 'till then for the service,  since they don't come cheap!  

If you want to do an oil and filter change, its a dead easy DIY job on the 1.2 of your vintage,  especially if you use a suction pump to remove the old oil.  The oil filter is perched right on top of the engine in easy reach... no need to get under the car,  all accessible from above.

If you're anywhere near me (Cambridge) I can lend you a suction pump.... pop round and we could do the whole job in 20 mins for the cost of the oil and filter.

[Rooted]

Are you describing the Oil level when you are checking with the car on the flat and stone cold oil.

 

Where is it when checked as Skoda say which they use 'warm'  but VW say Operating Temperature.

ie After the oil is above 50*oC, but really nearer 80*oC plus.

 

Only the 1.2 44kw Engines are checked as a cold check.

 

The cold check if you have the correct quantity in has the oil higher up the dipstick.

The VWG check has the oil hot and the car stopped on the level 'a few minutes'.

Bad instruction,  but a few is 3,4 maybe 5 minutes, not 10 or 15 minutes or they would say that.

[muffty]

thanks again especially Zarniwoop, Car is on variable servicing so not due one until 2017 apparently! 

I went to Skoda in the end and bought their litre top up as it was cheaper than Halfords (!!!) - put 500ml in and its almost near the top now of the dipstick, so will be keeping an eye on things.

Zarniwoop - thank you for the kind offer I'm all the way down in Kent, but thank you anyway, might be worth me investing in one of those pumps! Do you still need to drain from the sump when you have one?

Thanks again!!

Edited 28 June, 2016 by muffty

[Zarniwoop]

No need to access the sump plug....oil is extracted through the dipstick hole.  Particularly useful if,  like me,  you don't trust the oil to last for the very long service intervals listed these days, and want to do an intermediate oil change for safety's sake.  Probably still advisable to have a proper sump plug type drain at full servicing,  in case there's a little bit of sludgy oil left in the sump after the suction extraction process.  However,  an intermediate oil change should ensure the oil never gets that dirty in the first place.