Dealers consistent overfill oil.

[shDK]

Hallo all.

So... I own a 2014 Toyota Auris 1.6. Valvematic.

I had it serviced at 3 different Toyota dealers, 5 times in all. 4 of them here in Denmark where I live, and one time in the Netherlands on a drive to Belgium for vacation.

One thing I have observed, and that frankly bothers me quite a bit. Is that every single time..as certain as amen in a church. They overfill it. Every time it is overfilled with 8-10 mm above MAX.

Doesn't really care anymore. Nothing have happened yet. But how hard can it be to fill the correct amount of oil. There excuse is that they fill it with the specified 4,20 liters of oil. And assure me that it is no problem and that I can drive safely.

Is it only a problem with Toyota dealers on the European continent..or do you experience the same in the rest of the world?

Have a nice day.

Søren

 

[Mikey V.]

This happens everywhere. Dealership are pumping in bulk oil from a 55 gallon drum using "precision" measuring equipment....quick in and out lube jobs. Dealerships might drain the used oil for 5 to 10 minutes at the most and then will pump in whatever the fill calls for. Reason I steer clear from dealership and quick lube shops. Dealerships make money on up sells and most are trying to get as many cars in and out within the day.

 

[mclasser]

Seems to be a common theme. They probably want to give some cushioning to burners/leakers and owners who never check their oil.

 

[CT8]

The small overfill will not harm the engine.

 

[Mikey V.]

Originally Posted by CT8
The small overfill will not harm the engine.



Agreed. I owned a 1ZZ Celica that spec'd 4 quarts..a few years later Toyota bumped the spec to 4.5 quarts to combat oil consumption and sent a new dipstick. Half a quart didn't cause any harm in my application.

 

[Kira]

1) Carelessness
2) the "cushion" mentioned above for leakers/burners and owners who don't check oil level
3) They know the bulk oil they buy evaporates on its own so they overfill accordingly

Seriously, as engines grow smaller, the amount of harmless overfill has to be lessening.
No more "A little low? Throw a quart in".

 

[shDK]

Originally Posted by Kira
1) Carelessness
2) the "cushion" mentioned above for leakers/burners and owners who don't check oil level
3) They know the bulk oil they buy evaporates on its own so they overfill accordingly

Seriously, as engines grow smaller, the amount of harmless overfill has to be lessening.
No more "A little low? Throw a quart in".


I see your point. But I would say a 4,2 liter sump is rather normal for a 1.6 liter engine. Not what you would call a small sump.

 

[csandste]

Have a bunch of $10 oil, filter and rotate coupons from a tire chain. They are always right on the max mark.

Change at Wally World and they're always extremely careful to pump the called for amount. Always over filled.

The tire place, keeps it draining while it's on the lift getting the rotation.

Walmart uses a smaller than OEM filter and gets 'em in an out as quickly as possible leaving a bit of oil in there.

Don't think it makes much difference, in fact most people who never check are helped by that bit of extra oil. In the case of my Soul, and I expect most HyunKias, oil use accelerates as it gets near the bottom of the oil range, which is why I'm constantly checking my dipstick and pouring a couple of ounces in to leave it on full.

 

[Imp4]

Originally Posted by Kira

3) They know the bulk oil they buy evaporates on its own so they overfill accordingly.

Tell us more about this. Are you referring to Noack or some other devil's cut???

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted by Mike L. V.


Dealerships might drain the used oil for 5 to 10 minutes at the most ...



5 to 10 minutes ... ??? Clearly, you have never seen a busy dealership shop in action.

For most techs, 30 seconds is too long.

 

[Duffyjr]

I've watched my mech a few times I've been in picking up or dropping off mine and he seems to let it drain while he is checking over the rest the vehicle. The few times I've seen him put the drain plug back in it's not even dripping so any over fill must be what is left sticking to the engine. Both my truck and car are always an eight to a quarter over the full mark, just not enough to worry about.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Originally Posted by geeman789
Originally Posted by Mike L. V.


Dealerships might drain the used oil for 5 to 10 minutes at the most ...



5 to 10 minutes ... ??? Clearly, you have never seen a busy dealership shop in action.

For most techs, 30 seconds is too long.

Yup. Oil techs take spill and fill to a NASCAR level.
This is a key reason I service our vehicles.

 

[Job]

Someone's engine fails, and they blame you the tech under filled the oil. You the tech wants to keep the job. When you pour new oil in you know what to do, but they aren't giving you the time to check oil levels for an hour. Better a little over than under when dealing with public. It's just a pan of oil with a pickup tube in it, as long as the oil isn't splashing on the moving parts above it probably can't do much harm.

 

[Polyalphaolefin]

In Bosnia, KIA dealership, first time I went they overfilled by almost 1cm on dipstick. By service manual it says: 3,6L, in reality 3,1 to MAX level, including filter. And put ACEA C3 specification insted of ACEA A5 oil (gasoline 1.4 MPI). Since then, I do my oil changes.

 

[JohnG]

Quote
The small overfill will not harm the engine.


This depends on what you call "small".
Going back a few years, when the VII's were a bit of problem..causing stuck rings when getting too hot, a small overfill was indeed a problem. Maybe not in ALL engines, but in the ones I was dealing with at the time. Some cars (engines) even specify that the oil level should be checked HOT. Now that would represent a small overfill when compared to checking cold oil.

At any rate, yes, I think it's a problem. And Yes, a very common one. the amount of harm (or good) it may cause is the only question.
I also know that most owners manuals that I've ever read have included the statement "Do Not Overfill".
I never fill the oil level in any car that I own to the MAX point on the dipstick. Since I've begun that practice, I have never owned a car that uses even the smallest amount of oil between their (ANNUAL) oil changes.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by Mike L. V.
Dealerships might drain the used oil for 5 to 10 minutes at the most...

Drain warm oil from your engine for 5 minutes and after 5 minutes, catch the remaining oil in something like a 12 ounce container. That's all you'll need.... When a shop drains the oil for 5 or even 10 minutes, it's perfectly fine and isn't going to leave so much oil in that when the "right" amount is added, it ends up overfilled.

 

[Mikey V.]

Well you're probably correct. I was very generous in my estimate. More likely dealerships are doing 60 second dump and pumps.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by Mike L. V.
Well you're probably correct. I was very generous in my estimate. More likely dealerships are doing 60 second dump and pumps.

Don't worry, there's folks here who let it drain overnight and are convinced it's "the right way" !!

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

It must be the New Math!

 

[PowerSurge]

At least they didn't under fill it.