I got a Mk3 Superb (2.0 diesel 150hp) with 178k km on it (110k m) and topped up the oil in beginning of June, did around 1000km. Now the light is on again and the dipstick shows just under half. Im 99% sure its something wrong with the car but just in case... is this much oil usage normal?

Are you sure properly topped up when you do put in oil. (and be sure not to over filled),

checked when engine at operating temperature.

(not the cold level.)

Are you checking the oil as needed when hot, as well as when stone cold?

No idea what your driving is, longer trips or lots of shorter cold start trips.

How long have you had the car, and before topping up in June when was the oil change or top up?

PS.

Even if you had not topped up, just opened the bonnet, the warning goes off for 100 km / 62 miles.

0.5 litres in 1,000 km is too much oil used under normal weather conditions in a car not towing.

VW have had this showing for decades.

Edited 3 July, 20253 Jul by Ootohere

2 minutes ago, Ootohere said:

Are you sure properly topped up when you do put in oil. (and be sure not to over filled),

checked when engine at operating temperature.

(not the cold level.)

Are you checking the oil as needed when hot, as well as when stone cold?

No idea what your driving is, longer trips or lots of shorter cold start trips.

How long have you had the car, and before topping up in June when was the oil change or top up?

Lots of questions, thank you!

I think i properly topped up? Followed guides but maybe overfilled? First time doing it

I did check at cold temp, can definitely check at warm temp as well.

Most of my trips are long ones (40km and over)

Ive had the car for a few months now, and garage said they did all the works but Im doubting it more and more...

Not WARM. Skoda said warm. VW, AUDI, SEAT said Hot. Lost in Translation, CZ, German, English.

Normal operating temperature of 90*oC is HOT, too hot to dip a hand in.

Oil up to Area A, top of crosshatch.

Edited 3 July, 20253 Jul by Ootohere

3 hours ago, Ootohere said:

Not WARM. Skoda said warm. VW, AUDI, SEAT said Hot. Lost in Translation, CZ, German, English.

Normal operating temperature of 90*oC is HOT, too hot to dip a hand in.

Oil up to Area A, top of crosshatch.

I said warm but yes at 90c. Checked it at running temp and was just above the minimum on the dipstick. No oil coming out of the exhaust either (friend suggested it so just throwing that in there)

Who knew checking oil level could be so complicated. I always check mine when cold or tepid and aim for top end of area B on the stick. Never failed me yet.

Luckily my 1.6tdi uses next to nothing between 12k mile oil changes, maybe half a litre or just a touch more.

@Gammyleg Not complicated, so where does that cold / tepid level then show on the dip stick when checked at operating temperature?

The thing is, different engines, oil capacities then oil filters up top or below.

So it is total common sense to check oil cold and know there is oil in, but that is not how VW describe how to.

Global temperatures, height above sea level etc etc.

They have dip sticks with markings where the suggest where the level should be at 'Normal Operating Temperature'.

They were just the biggest car manufacturer in the world once, but we all know better than them...

They had real engineers at some point, but they were blamed for VW cheating emissions.

Even putting diesel in engine oil for the old NEDC testing on rolling roads.

7 hours ago, gunneh said:

I got a Mk3 Superb (2.0 diesel 150hp) with 178k km on it (110k m) and topped up the oil in beginning of June, did around 1000km. Now the light is on again and the dipstick shows just under half. Im 99% sure its something wrong with the car but just in case... is this much oil usage normal?

If the dipstick is showing just under half the oil light should not be coming on, the yellow low oil warning usually comes on when the oil level is right at the bottom end of the dipstick.

Perhaps there is a problem with the oil level sensor or the dipstick is the wrong one for the engine.

Having said that if it has dropped half way down the dipstick in 1000km the oil use is quite high in my opinion, but just within the 0.5 litre/1000km that Skoda suggest.

For comparison I have the 150 TDI which currently has 95,000 miles (153,000km) and between 30,000km longlife services I may have to put in 1/2 litre to keep it topped up (it would go the whole 30,000km without topping up but I prefer the oil to be at the higher end of the dipstick).