2005 E320 CDI oil level message while driving
 

Hi guys

My wife has been using my 2005 E320 CDI while I am repairing her 1999 E200D

While driving on the highway a red message displayed briefly “ Reduce engine oil level OR reduced engine oil level”.

She is as unable to discern whether it said reduce as in remove done if the engine oil OR if it stated Reduced engine oil meaning that the oil was low,

That said, I changed my own oil about four months ago and have not until yesterday receive and oil level alerts.

Now, I attempted to research what the oil level should be if using a dipstick and found varying opinions. So prior to draining the old oil I used a curtain rod to measure the existing oil level and marked it at approximately 6 1/2 inches.

This morning prior to rushing off to work I did the automatic oil measuring procedure that displays on the dash and it said ok.

Nevertheless, my intuition told me to add about a quart and so I did,

She drove the car today, received the same message in red and after pushing the reset button later received 3 of the same message but this time in white.

I got home tonight, removed the cover and used my homemade dipstick that was previously marked st about 6 1/2 inches and in my opinion it it over an inch lower which should equate to at least a quart of oil low,.

My common sense tells me based upon the dipstick reading that the oil is a bit low despite what the car is stating.

I gind it hard to believe that the oil level sensor is telling me to remove oil when it appears to be lower on my homemade dipstick

Any advice Wilber greatly appreciated

The message is REDUCE engine oil, as in your level is too high.

Do you know how to measure the oil level (i.e. the actual numerical value) via instrument cluster? If so, let us know what the value is. If not, I can tell you how to do so.

FYI on my CDI my reading is 7.5 quarts after having been brought to operating temp and then sitting for three hours.

Never noticed if the exact value was displayed in numbers, what I did see is that it said the level is ok

So, I suspect that my question is what numerical value is normal and how might I see the current value?

Also, should there be a measurement that can be used for a dipstick???.... How would I know that the system is malfunctioning and not properly reporting the oil level?

I would not want to reduce the oil and risk damaging my engine

Also, for the last four moths since I changed the oil this message hadn’t displayed, so how could the oil level have gone up since the last oil change?

From memory....when looking at outside temp, turn key to position 1....click button on left three times, 12.x v will display....arrow up or down to oil measurement screen....turn key to position 2. After a few seconds level will display.

Anywhere in the 6.8 to 7.5 range should be fine.

There is an oil measurement tool you can buy if you have questions about the accuracy of the computer reading.

Your "intuition" was wrong when it told you to add oil.

Yes Rocky, my intuition was really wrong...…. Would not be the first time!!

I attempted several tried to get the actually quarts value via the display, I was able to get to the point where it showed "Quarts _ _ " but once I hit most left "square windows symbol looking button" it would only display the following "Service Overdue 11,634 miles".

I used my topsider oil changer and removed approximately a quart and a half.

Any suggestions???

After you see Quarts __, you need to turn the key to Position 2...don't push the button anymore.

If you want to PM your cell number, I will make a video and text it to you.

Just saw your comment about the red message....it must have been significantly overfilled.

I wouldn't monkey around with your curtain rod anymore...just use the computer to measure the oil.

My E320 CDI has gone 9k miles since last oil change. It was reading 6.5 quarts and I was getting no low oil warning and standard oil ck. reading said "level OK". I suspect 6.5 quarts may be close to low level and 7.5 quarts may be full level.

I am going to drive to 10k before next oil change so I added 0.5 quarts. I am using the new 0w 40 M1 designated "FS".

I'm sure you're correct. When I changed my oil, it was slightly overfilled. When I removed a very small amount, it reads 7.4 or 7.5.

It is interesting that MB thought providing "OK", "add oil", "remove oil" was the only information the average driver really needed.

I am estimating my vehicle lost about .7-1 quart of oil over last 9k miles. I know I have a small leak around the filler opening assembly.....the gasket that seals that area. Some of my oil loss is from there.