A friend has had his CR 140  4x4 estate serviced (90000 kilometres) 2 days before driving down to Spain with 1500 kg of caravan, 1250 kilometres. When 50 kilometres short of the site he stopped to fill up with fuel and on restarting, the oil pressure light stayed on and there was what he describes as a digital ding or ding dong! from the dash. He checked the oil level and found there to be nothing on the dipstick. Almost 4 litres later he was up at maximum. There was no sign of a leak anywhere and the oil pressure light and ding were no more. He drove the last 50 kilometres to the site and this morning checked the oil level and found it at maximum. He rechecked for oil leaks and there is no sign of one.

 

I have given him advice to contact by email the servicing Skoda main dealer and ask for their advice in writing with someone's name as a contact. What I cannot understand is, why if they forgot to put oil in, it has not illuminated the oil pressure light and activated the warning ding dong before he had driven 1200 kilometres or even during that journey. If they did fill it with oil, where the hell has 4 litres gone? The car does not use oil normally between services so it would seem a stretch to suggest it is a coincidence that it went wrong immediately after a service. We do not expect the garage to admit they forgot o put oil in that would be too simple. I have been an engineer for over 40 years on and off and a time served mechanic albeit in the days of points and condensers but cannot understand how he has got so far with no oil or if not where has it gone. His caravan is still spotless so no evidence of it appearing down the exhaust due to failed turbo seals etc. The car is more or less dry underneath.

 

Does anyone have any idea what happens if the oil gets down to the last litre, does the ding dong (please excuse the description) come on at a certain point and when would you expect the oil pressure light to illuminate. To me, both should be on long before they were if in fact the dealer has forgotten to fill it. The car apparently ran faultlessly throughout, no over heating or other warnings. Oil temp has been around 114 degrees I think he said (since refilling it).

 

Thanks in anticipation

 

Kevin

A 'Low Level' warning light should appear on the dash in yellow, which is fine, just asking you to check and fill it up as it's registered its getting a bit low. A red oil level warning is disaster.

When ever mine came on (last car 2.0TDI Passat so same/similar engine) it only took one litre to go from min to max on dipstick. As he's put in four litres something seems very wrong, it must have been almost completely empty or he's misread the dipstick and overfilled it.

 

You can view the Superb manual here, look near the bottom of the page ref the low level warning http://new.skoda-auto.com/en/mini-apps/owners-manuals/Pages/superb.aspx?requestOwnersManualOnlineVersion=en/Superb_3T/11-2014/Manual/Superb/online&requestOwnersManualLanguage=en&requestOwnersManualEditionDate=11-2014#!pageId=00513

Edited 7 January, 201511 yr by cnc

As above a red light would have me worried.

A yellow light and a top-up I'd be much happier with.

The biggest issue here is that he's had to put 4 litres of oil in to get it back up to MAX on the dipstick.

This suggests that the sump was all but dry.

The dealer who carried out the service seems to have some explaining to do.

4 litres of oil does not disappear that quickly without obvious evidence of the loss, either in the engine bay, under the car, out of the tail pipe, up the boot lid or all over the front of the caravan.

Edited 7 January, 201511 yr by silver1011

If there's now a danger that your friend has now overfilled it, then you should advise him to stop driving it and get it towed to a garage to get the excess oil removed.

Edited 7 January, 201511 yr by JakeBlade

Reading you original post, what does your friend mean by 'oil pressure light'. Was it the yellow 'top me up as soon as you can' or the red 'too late' light?. 

Deffo get the level checked,

 

Either he's lied and driven for some time with the light on or it's got 3L too much oil in it now (favorite) he's probably not taken into account how long it takes to hit the sump and the dipstick is as good as it's name tbh,

 

It's important you let him know asap or he'll be popping seals and worst still contaminating the dpf beyong repair.

There was no sign of a leak anywhere and the oil pressure light and ding were no more. He drove the last 50 kilometres to the site and this morning checked the oil level and found it at maximum. He rechecked for oil leaks and there is no sign of one.

 

 

 

This really sounds strange, and if correct does not suggest "overfill" If you drive 50KM and it is still on max then it sounds like there was little oil in.. There must have been some as he did the distance before the light came on... As stated, take a trip to the nearest dealer asap and let them check... 

 

I would suggest if the service was carried out by an authorised Skoda dealer, then let an authorised Skoda dealer do the check.. 

 

May be difficult to claim against the original garage if needed if an independent looks

I doubt the garage is to blame Stu, some (luck of the draw) TDi's eat oil without any real reason evident.

Where in spain is your friend now, I took my old MK2 Octavia to Safa Motor group in Marbella when I had suspension problems after driving from the UK. They sorted the car for me no problem and with a courtesy car provided for free whilst they had it. They also have a branch in Fuengirola if thats closer. If you want piece of mind, get the car recovered to an authorised service agent in Spain for a check over.

I doubt the garage is to blame Stu, some (luck of the draw) TDi's eat oil without any real reason evident.

 

I would have thought to use that much in a short time is a bit much 1250KM? 

 

Err... better check mine the weekend... been a while since I did it :(

I would have thought to use that much in a short time is a bit much 1250KM? 

 

Err... better check mine the weekend... been a while since I did it :(

 

 

I had a PD that would do 1L in 2000 miles, kinda put me off tbh, up until then the worst derv engines I'd ever owned we're 10% to 10k miles which is what I call acceptable but to get home from picking it up and have the light come on destroyed that car for me, I actually felt cheated leaving the forecourt and my old Superb behind at the time, as I'd had a 300 mile trip to go get it I nearly turned around halfway as I'd decided I didn't want to part with the Superb by then but went ahead anyway,

 

I don't know what goes on in the factories but it seems like Skoda bolt them together properly and VW simply slings em out whether they are finished or not.

Thanks everyone for all the replies, I will try and answer them all although I am waiting for him to make contact after he emails the dealer and the dealer replies.

 

CNC he has put the 4 litres in and confirmed the level was at MAX when I spoke to him the following day. Obviously I can't see it but he checked it twice while I was on the phone, pushing the dip stick fully home after the car had been sat and not started overnight and says it is bang on level with the MAX mark. I don't know which colour light came on at the moment, phone reception is not good he had to walk to the opposite end of the site to ring me but I will ask.

 

Jake Blade, as above not over filled.

 

Superbia, I know you didn't mean to be disrespectful to him but he is a 70 years old retired head teacher and I doubt the man has lied in his life. Although he is not mechanical or very practical, he can follow instructions and did exactly as I asked of him confirmed by his wife at several hundred decibels. I am as perplexed as anyone how almost 4 litres of oil has either disappeared or how it has gone such a distance without ending up as a smoking lump.

 

Mannyo he is in Javea between Alicante and Valencia the nearest dealer which I had to visit when there last year with the horn sounding on its own half the time, is at Denea about 20 mins away so not too far.

 

When the dealer who did the service has replied to him then the main dealer is the next port of call, we just want the servicing dealer to make the decision it is safe to continue in writing (fat chance) even such a short distance. I am of the opinion it would be better to have it recovered until such time as someone can give it some form of OK for use. Have to say if it was me it would be recovered back to the servicing dealer back in France but having driven down there for a 3 month holiday, there and in Portugal, he wants things to be corrected so he can stay which is understandable if a bit short sighted.

 

Neither of the two possible scenarios make sense and I would think if the car had actually used the oil the front of the caravan would be coated with it at the exhaust side which it apparently isn't.

 

Watch this space for the next thrilling instalment.

Please excuse me (i cant believe this) but I have a twin axle Steling Europa at 1400KG empty and 1700KG max

 

there is no way I would towing with any Skoda, I keep a Land Rover TDV6 for towing it, and yes when crusing I cant feel it on the back, but when I feel the pull of a coach or lorry or I am going down hill - I am happy i am in a land rover.

 

I would only tow a trailer from halfords to the tip even in a 170 4X4 ~(part time 4x4) skoda

 

I am not surprised that the engine has let go, I reckon you are lucky to have made in there alive - buy a lottery ticket- quick while you luck is running.

Keep us posted. It is starting to sound like the engine didn't have its full complement of oil at the outset, or the sump plug wasn't put in properly and all the oil peed out when it got warm.

Perhaps your friend can put some white paper towels down under the car, to see if anything drips off the undertray - can see what colour it is.

Please excuse me (i cant believe this) but I have a twin axle Steling Europa at 1400KG empty and 1700KG max

there is no way I would towing with any Skoda, I keep a Land Rover TDV6 for towing it, and yes when crusing I cant feel it on the back, but when I feel the pull of a coach or lorry or I am going down hill - I am happy i am in a land rover.

I would only tow a trailer from halfords to the tip even in a 170 4X4 ~(part time 4x4) skoda

I am not surprised that the engine has let go, I reckon you are lucky to have made in there alive - buy a lottery ticket- quick while you luck is running.

Are you for real or is your post a genuine wind up?

niv,

 

The filling procedure isn't easy for a non mech minded person, the dipstick is unreadable (that's what I think has caused the 4L overfill tbh) I wasn't calling him a dipstick btw lol, the bloody things are horrible to get a reading from, plus he's probably not let it stand 20 minutes so gravity could do it's job, if you can contact him tell him to stop driving it and if he checks the oil after it's stood all night I bet the level is 6 inches up the stick now.

Update this morning.

 

The light was a red one accompanied by the bleeping so that's not good. The oil has remained at MAX Superbia after the first night standing without being started and again this morning, 36 hours after the oil went in, it is at MAX. There are no drips on the floor which is crushed white stone so would show readily although he daren't move the car. The garage who did the service are sending Skoda Assist out to have a look at 10 this morning Spanish time, they have not commented on the lack of oil. More to follow when I get to know. 

 

Twin Hatch Tony, good luck with your vertebrae driving an agricultural vehicle.

He states he has let it stand overnight  Towing does put much higher strains on engines, and so do long journeys. A 140 hp would have to work hard; you don`t state its age.  I have had to add over a litre after that length of journey, having never used any oil, and with nothing to tow; there was also nothing on the dipstick. So all is not lost; it may be a combination of oil use under load, and overfilling. Listen to the original dealer, then get it looked over out there; presumably  he has breakdown cover at the least. 

Are you for real or is your post a genuine wind up?

I was wondering the same thing..... The Superb 4x4 wasn't voted tow car of the year 2014 for nothing!!  The 1500 kg weight that the OP quoted doesn't appear to be excessive....

I'm following this thread with interest but somewhat confused. The handbook suggests that there is an orange oil level warning (oil can with waves underneath) and a flashing red oil pressure warning (oil can). I'm surprised that the orange warning didn't come on sooner especially as the quoted oil capacity is only 4.3 litres?

I'm following this thread with interest but somewhat confused. The handbook suggests that there is an orange oil level warning (oil can with waves underneath) and a flashing red oil pressure warning (oil can). I'm surprised that the orange warning didn't come on sooner especially as the quoted oil capacity is only 4.3 litres?

 

My version:

 

- engine started to consume excessive amounts of oil during the journey. As it went out through exhaust system - it was not noticed

- oil level warning either was malfunctioning or somehow not noticed (if it is possible not to notice?)

 

The greatest mystery is how car was still running on 0,3L of oil?

Good idea though that much oil getting burnt would make the front of the caravan black in my experience. The orange light, according to him, has not come on, he is a bit of a worrier so I am fairly sure he would have noticed it but who knows. Skoda Assist have taken it away somewhere and left them without a car at the moment so is a bit fed up.

My version:

 

- engine started to consume excessive amounts of oil during the journey. As it went out through exhaust system - it was not noticed

- oil level warning either was malfunctioning or somehow not noticed (if it is possible not to notice?)

 

indeed. I wonder how "good" the DPF is at catching burnt oil particles too? and actually being a diesel, will engine oil get more completely burnt anyways? A faulty oil level sensor is supposed to flag a warning (flashing oil can) in the maxidot too.

I think there is a very simple answer to this ...

Which you've forgotten to post?