Anyone else have difficulty reading the oil level on the dipstick? Why on earth do they make it with black shiny metal!

My wife's Jazz's stick is made of silver metal and is a doddle to see.

Very strange design I reckon Skoda.

Yes. I find it easiest to read at night using a torch which highlights the 'wet' part of the dipstick.

I noticed that as well. VAG engines have a habit of burning a little oil early in their lives and I have been religiously checking my oil level every week since the car arrived new. I have to dip it multiple times before getting a level that I am confident that I can read.

Edited 23 December, 201213 yr by Pesmog

I find if you take a bit of kitchen towel out with you when testing your oil, just hold the stick on the towel and compare it next to mark left, Had this problem with most of my cars not just VAG,

Edited 23 December, 201213 yr by bryanp

I don`t see any reason to check the oil level. The car has a warning system if the oil level is low, that`s more than enough for me. I never check it.......

It's a huge PITA. I'd love to know why they decided to use black...

I don`t see any reason to check the oil level. The car has a warning system if the oil level is low, that`s more than enough for me. I never check it.......

'If the (engine oil level) warning light lights up, the quantity of oil in the engine is probably too low.' Too low and low are very different scenarios.

The other reason for testing it is that I want to understand the rate that it burns oil, being told that the level is too low when it happens is only half the story.

I don`t see any reason to check the oil level. The car has a warning system if the oil level is low, that`s more than enough for me. I never check it.......

I do hope you dont live to regret that decision!

I don`t see any reason to check the oil level. The car has a warning system if the oil level is low, that`s more than enough for me. I never check it.......

Why check the oil level using the dipstick? Because oil level monitoring systems tell lies - well at least they used to. Ask any past owner of an XR3i, or a Ford mechanic who used to work on them.

Not at all uncommon to get them brought in with a crankcase full of oil, with the owner adamant that "it said 'low oil', so I put a litre in". There again, maybe they have improved - I'm sure they have.

I still check my oil once a week - be sure to use a lint-free cloth to wipe the dipstick. Even when my Mondeo TDCi had done 100K miles (and was dropping less than a quarter of the mark on the dipstick between 6,250 mile oil change intervals), I still checked it every week.

Checking the dipstick on a diesel is particularly important as on some engines, injection or turbo seal problems can lead to diesel mixing with the oil. This will be seen in a raising, not lowering, of the level on the dipstick, and needs to be investigated immediately. Can also arise through some DPF cleaning strategies, but not sure if that applies to VAG engines.

I do hope you dont live to regret that decision!

Why on earth would I regret that ? When the level is TOO LOW, I must put some more. If it`s just LOW, there`s enough oil......And if the oil runs out without warning, the car has a warranty that covers it.....the only information that I need is that I don`t have to use any extra oil when service interval is roughly 30 000 km......

So is Superb warning low oil LEVEL or low oil PRESSURE? Most vehicles are low oil pressure, not level.

Your warranty Skodaman will be invalid if you fail to correctly maintain the vehicle. Not checking, and if necessary filling would be considered this way. Car monitoring systems are there to monitor the vehicle not compensate for the person behind the wheel.

All too often car manufacturers are accommodating for the lowest common denominator. An example of this is on manual Superbs, where you have to depress the clutch before you are allowed to start the engine. I have the mental capacity to check that the car is not in gear before starting, yet because Skoda allows for lowest common denominator I have to depress the clutch everytime.

Cheers

Steve

I don`t think that my car`s warranty demands me to check the oil level manually, it`s enough if the car is serviced when told. I think that I`ve driver at least 2 million kilometres without checking the oil level.....

Your warranty Skodaman will be invalid if you fail to correctly maintain the vehicle. Not checking, and if necessary filling would be considered this way. Car monitoring systems are there to monitor the vehicle not compensate for the person behind the wheel.

Cheers

Steve

You tried, Steve. You tried.

Anyway...back to my OP.

Glad its not just me that has difficulty seeing the level!

You tried, Steve. You tried.

Yes, better luck next time...... I drive a skoda, not some freaking FORD......

My dad has the same issue with his Audi A3. I suggested buying a spare dipstick and painting it white then using it just to check the level.

I don`t think that my car`s warranty demands me to check the oil level manually...

Have you read what the Owners Manual has to say about frequency of manually checking the oil level?

The warranty includes the following conditions:

- Damage caused by your failure to take all reasonable steps to prevent mechanical damage from occurring, for example, taking appropriate action in the event of warning lights appearing.

• Damage or defects caused by improper use of the vehicle, neglect, or use of the vehicle for motor sports activities.

Allowing the oil level to become too low could lead to mechanical damage. And failure to carry out regular oil checks as detailed in the Owners Manual could arguably be regarded as neglect. JMTPW.

`JMTPW`?

`JMTPW`?

Just My Two Pence Worth

Just My Two Pence Worth

Thanks

I don`t see any reason to check the oil level. The car has a warning system if the oil level is low, that`s more than enough for me. I never check it.......

O.M.G. You must be joking, anyone who rely's on the electronic systems for checking oil level etc. is asking for trouble. You are not taking reasonable care,

If you wreck the engine and despite what you have posted it is quite possible, you would demand rerpair or eplacement under warranty if your vehicle is still in warranty.

If you have a diesel and it is regularly self regenerating excess fuel can pass the rings and contaminate the oil, this is easily recognised, maybe not by the majority of owners but after over 40 years in the motor trade I have seen the results hundreds of times.

I class your post as next to a customer who claimed his engine lost compression on right hand bends, and hope that no others are stupid enough to do the same as you claim in your post.

IIRC if you're on variable servicing, quite apart from the very valid advice above, there's another good reason to check oil manually: I think the ECU knows if the bonnet has been opened, assumes you've checked, and adjusts the service interval upwards. I'm not 100% on this, but I think I've read it's a factor.

FWIW a BMW 1 I had on hire didn't have a dipstick, just electronics. I personally would like a dipstick, and (back on-topic) not a stupid black hard-to-read one.

Spectrum, don`t have a heart attack, man.... .I won`t change my behavior and will keep on relying on car`s own systems. It has worked beautifully so far and every time that the oil level has been low, there has been a red light burning right before my eyes. And with my current car, it has never started to flash....

Edited 24 December, 201213 yr by Skoda-Man

Why on earth would I regret that ? When the level is TOO LOW, I must put some more. If it`s just LOW, there`s enough oil......And if the oil runs out without warning, the car has a warranty that covers it.....the only information that I need is that I don`t have to use any extra oil when service interval is roughly 30 000 km......

the light comes on if the oil is critically low, and if the engine is damaged skoda might put it down to neglecting the oil level in the car and you have to pay to repair it if any damage is done