Oil change needed 3 months after service?
Discussion
Hi all
My 2009 Ford S-Max had a service in July which included an oil change. Now the car is telling me I need to change the oil. Does this make sense? How does the car know that an oil change is needed anyway?
A related issue is that when the 'oil service' message first popped up I checked the dipstick and found the oil was at the 'min' mark, so I assumed the car had been trying to tell me I needed to top up the oil. I topped up with one litre, after which the oil level on the dipstick was about 10mm above the 'max' mark. I then drained off 750ml, but the level on the dipstick is still above the 'max' mark. I am completely confused!
Many thanks for any advice.
Gareth
My 2009 Ford S-Max had a service in July which included an oil change. Now the car is telling me I need to change the oil. Does this make sense? How does the car know that an oil change is needed anyway?
A related issue is that when the 'oil service' message first popped up I checked the dipstick and found the oil was at the 'min' mark, so I assumed the car had been trying to tell me I needed to top up the oil. I topped up with one litre, after which the oil level on the dipstick was about 10mm above the 'max' mark. I then drained off 750ml, but the level on the dipstick is still above the 'max' mark. I am completely confused!
Many thanks for any advice.
Gareth
And you do often find....many "services" dont actually seem to include actual service work.
The amount of cars that people have bought for example that have had a full service...but on inspection after purchase probably havent seen a service in 30-40k...is unreal.
Some garages etc out there are truly shocking
The amount of cars that people have bought for example that have had a full service...but on inspection after purchase probably havent seen a service in 30-40k...is unreal.
Some garages etc out there are truly shocking
S-Max...assuming a diesel, not only would I be getting it serviced, but I'd be making sure all belts are changed.
Especially if it is that s
tty engine with a bloody timing belt INSIDE the engine covered in oil !!! What stupid bloody design, that fails often and before service intervals.
Especially if it is that s
tty engine with a bloody timing belt INSIDE the engine covered in oil !!! What stupid bloody design, that fails often and before service intervals.gmtfd said:
2.2 TDCI ... is that the one you mean? Belts are meant be changed at 125,000 miles / 10 years. Vehicle is currently at 85,000 / 8 years.
I think it's the 1.8 engine, but there are different types, as some later models use a chain instead of that silly internal belt. So at some point even they realised it was insane.Two possibilities:
1) Service light wasn't reset when you had it serviced. This assumes when it was serviced last time, the warning wasn't being displayed and it has now reached the threshold where it is.
2) The car is doing to many DPF regena and putting a lot of dispel into the oil.
My wife had the later with a Focus. The car said it needed a service, I serviced it and I reset the light. 3k miles later is said it needed another.
Research showed Fords have an algorithm for HC dosing cycles for the DPF regens, too many and it tells you it needs a service.
The issue on my wife's Focus was also accompanied by poor fuel consumption, and the oil level rising, over coming the breather system leading to blue smoke on hard acceleration.
1) Service light wasn't reset when you had it serviced. This assumes when it was serviced last time, the warning wasn't being displayed and it has now reached the threshold where it is.
2) The car is doing to many DPF regena and putting a lot of dispel into the oil.
My wife had the later with a Focus. The car said it needed a service, I serviced it and I reset the light. 3k miles later is said it needed another.
Research showed Fords have an algorithm for HC dosing cycles for the DPF regens, too many and it tells you it needs a service.
The issue on my wife's Focus was also accompanied by poor fuel consumption, and the oil level rising, over coming the breather system leading to blue smoke on hard acceleration.
Many thanks for everyone's helpful replies.
Turns out it was the service indicator not having been reset. Mileage at service before last was 72,000. Service interval is one year or 12,500 miles. 72,000 + 12,500 = 84,500 (mileage when car told me oil needed to be changed).
However the engine oil level remains a complete and utter mystery. I have now removed about 900ml (using a syringe and plastic tube) and the level is still above 'max' on the dipstick. Looks like I will have to remove at least another 100ml to get it down to 'max', at which point I will have removed as much as I put in!
I keep questioning whether I could have misread the dipstick in the first place. Did I somehow mistake 'max' for 'min'? It just doesn't seem possible though. I checked the level on at least three occasions before I topped the oil up, and I also distinctly remember watching the level creeping up towards 'max' as I topped it up.
What the hell is going on???
Turns out it was the service indicator not having been reset. Mileage at service before last was 72,000. Service interval is one year or 12,500 miles. 72,000 + 12,500 = 84,500 (mileage when car told me oil needed to be changed).
However the engine oil level remains a complete and utter mystery. I have now removed about 900ml (using a syringe and plastic tube) and the level is still above 'max' on the dipstick. Looks like I will have to remove at least another 100ml to get it down to 'max', at which point I will have removed as much as I put in!
I keep questioning whether I could have misread the dipstick in the first place. Did I somehow mistake 'max' for 'min'? It just doesn't seem possible though. I checked the level on at least three occasions before I topped the oil up, and I also distinctly remember watching the level creeping up towards 'max' as I topped it up.
What the hell is going on???
The service reset is a bit of a moot point with me......... New Ka+ last Oct, and in July the 'service needed' came on. I checked all levels, and colour of oil also looked good (done 8k miles). Phoned dealer who said "we'll book it in for service" so I said I need to speak to someone. Someone rang me back the next day (by then we realised what had happened) and confirmed our thoughts that the car was built in july, so It's 'anniversary' had arrived. I'd also found out how to do the reset, so when they suggested I 'pop in' (1/2 hour journey) for it to be reset I confirmed the sequence of pedal presses to them and they agreed I may as well do it myself. I did the reset (Apparently it weill go into limp home mode if left for 1 month). Scroll forward to Sept, and I changed the oil and filter so decided I'd do the service reset so it was 'timed' for when necessary - no luck! As it hadn't flagged up the warning I couldn't do a reset. Still, at least I'll be warned about 2 months early 
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