Dealer Service - Have I Been Had?

[Eddie Twadds]

Just collected my Kia Optima 1.6 diesel after it's 2 year service. Oil changed by main dealer at 24 months/20,000 miles according to the schedule.

The picture shows 2 dipstick samples.

One is from my wife's Peugeot 208 petrol (5w30) that I changed 10 months/5,000 miles ago (this is the lighter of the two for the sake of comparison).
The other is from my main dealer, oil changed today Kia (also 5w30 and less than 20 miles driven on the new oil). This is the one that looks like 20,000 mile black stuff.

Questions:
Is oil in diesel engines normally darker?
Does anyone else think they've done a fast one and just topped it up and charged me for 5 litres of new? (unfortunately can't get it on my axle stands due to bad back so can't check if they've actually changed the oil filter or sump plug).
Depending on the above, do you think I've got a reasonable gripe that they didn't actually change the oil - just topped it up and hoped I'd not check?

Thanks
Martin

[MiseryStreak]

Yes, Diesel engines tend to make oil darker much quicker than petrol engines. But it shouldn’t be black after 20 miles unless they didn’t drain the oil very well.

Check the oil filter, you will see if it’s not a brand new one straight away. You can’t really replace the filter without draining the oil (it would make a hell of a mess if you did).

[anonymous-user]

yes diesel oil will always turn darker and impossible to tell from colour alone, you would need it analysed.

[rriggs]

As has been said already, if you can see the filter that’s going to be your best clue

[BobsPigeon]

I've had a petrol engined cars that even after 10,000 miles the oil is golden brown and diesel cars that turn the oil black after 10 minutes running. What you've observed is normal in my experience.

[anonymous-user]

Easiest way for future just mark oil filter.

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

If the Kia's diesel engine has run on the same oil for the last 20,000 miles I'm not surprised that a fill of fresh oil has turned black straight away.

[Eddie Twadds]

Appreciate the input.

I'll climb down off my high horse for now and give the dealer the benefit of the doubt (at least it was full on the dipstick). Not able to jack the car at the mo so can't check the filter but I will do in due course. I also think I'll do an interim 10,000 mile oil change just for my peace of mind.

Martin

[finlo]

You can’t really replace the filter without draining the oil (it would make a hell of a mess if you did).
[/quote]

[Robmainstgarage]

Probably a combination of engine not up to temp, oil not drained for long enough and no flushing agents used. We always put a oil flush in and run the car for 20 mins or so whilst doing the inspection, removing wheels, removing under trays, stripping brake etc. Which helps but diesels are never as clean as petrols

[Swoxy]

I used to service my Fabia 1.9 SDI myself and the oil was black by the the time I turned the engine over and checked the dipstick.

[MiseryStreak]

finlo said:

You can’t really replace the filter without draining the oil (it would make a hell of a mess if you did).

I was serious, but I wasn’t thinking, it wouldn’t hold any more oil than after draining. I’ve just never done it. But I suppose a dodgy garage could save a few quid by just replacing the filter and topping up. Hard to believe though.

[was8v]

Nobody pulls the sump plug anymore.

Tube down the dipstick hole and pump it out.

Change oil filter. Most cars nowadays the filter is accessible from the top of the engine.

Chuck new oil in.

About 30 mins simple effort, no need to raise car or even get dirty hands.


Pumping the oil out means they don't get quite all of it.

[anonymous-user]

was8v said:

Pumping the oil out means they don't get quite all of it.

that's a myth.

[stevemcs]

We always drain the oil out and there are still a lot of cars where the filter is a pain to get at. We also serviced a 1.0 golf last week and when completing the dsb there is a note from vw not drain the oil and not suck it out.

[Evoluzione]

stevemcs said:

We always drain the oil out and there are still a lot of cars where the filter is a pain to get at. We also serviced a 1.0 golf last week and when completing the dsb there is a note from vw not drain the oil and not suck it out.

How do they expect you get it out?

[Captain Answer]

MiseryStreak said:

finlo said:

You can’t really replace the filter without draining the oil (it would make a hell of a mess if you did).

I've changed oil and filter separately before, had ordered all the parts and drained the oil already then getting the filter out the box realised they'd sent the wrong one, needed the car the next day so put in fresh oil then did the filter the next week - was a paper filter in the top of the engine so no difference in the amount that came out on changing normally howerver it's not ideal and now check the filter and oil before doing the job

Edited by Captain Answer on Tuesday 30th March 12:56

Edited by Captain Answer on Tuesday 30th March 12:56

[petercam]

We had a 2013 Rio diesel that had leaking injectors. It took me a long time to realise there was a problem (it was a lease car my Mrs had and I did not pay much attention to it). I initially noticed that after every service, the oil was black. I checked it a few weeks after one service and noticed the oil level was higher than the max - and this is when I started to look into it, especially as my mate did the service at his garage, and I trust him to know his stuff.
The Kia forums were full of lots of people with rising oil levels in their diesels, and it turns out the injectors leak slowly, drip down the cylinder and into the sump increasing the oil level over time, and turns the oil black pretty quickly.
We did get them replaced under the 7 year warranty (it was 6 yrs old at this point) but we got shot of it soon after. I'd never buy another Kia diesel after that. One of my other mates also had a Kia Rio with the same black oil and rising level issue.
Check your oil to see if you can smell diesel from it, it should be easy to detect.

Edited by petercam on Tuesday 30th March 12:10

Edited by petercam on Tuesday 30th March 17:16