Hi guys

I know we've had a couple of threads on this already, but just after a bit of advice.

Driving home from work today and the flashing oil light came on. The car is a 500 1.3MJ derv. It's on a 58 plate and was serviced at 6820 as a yearly service back in Nov 09. The car has just about on 8200 miles now. I have put about 1250 miles on it in the last few weeks as I've been borrowing the car from my gf whilst I am in between cars. Checked the service invoice and we have been charged for 5 litres of DPF-specific engine oil and oil filter - therefore I assume that the oil was changed at this point in time. Now, unless the dealer forgot to reset the regeneration counter why else would the light be coming on unless the oil is low? I pulled over and checked the oil level, but obviously the engine was still hot (and so the oil would be high anyway) but the level looked absolutely fine. Its been sat a while now, so going to check it again in a minute, but otherwise I'm a bit confused as to why its on so soon. I'm also wondering what sort of mileage is 'safe' to do in between the light coming on and the oil being changed. I would be looking at driving 75 ish miles before I can next take it to the dealer, thats if they can even get me in on saturday. I'm not saying I don't want to get the oil changed, but its a case of getting to work - only alternative is a 2.5 hour bus journey.

As some background, I'm currently doing trips of roughly 30ish miles to work, so for the last few weeks its been doing roughly 60-70 miles a day 5 days a week then the odd bits and pieces at the weekend.

Rang the dealer for advice but all the tech's had gone home and service desk weren't much help as they are self-confessed non-tech's. I'm going to call back in the morning but the tech's aren't there until 8 and I need to leave for work at half 7, as well as supposed to be going out tonight.

So in summary: Why is it on, and how much if any can i drive it in between the service being done and the light coming on?

Thanks

Car's been sat on the drive 2 hours now - this is what the dipstick looks like.



This doesn't look low to me! But in fact looks too high. I read somewhere that when the DPF regenerates it uses diesel from the tank - this then cycles into the engine. Could this be my problem? That too many regenerations have occured, and so diluted the engine oil to that high level? Hence the light as the quality will be low?

JamesL said:

I read somewhere that when the DPF regenerates it uses diesel from the tank - this then cycles into the engine. Could this be my problem? That too many regenerations have occured, and so diluted the engine oil to that high level? Hence the light as the quality will be low?

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sounds as if counter wasnt reset (nothing unusual there) however my advice is not to drive it unless you have too.

make sure it goes to a dealer who is familiar with this system.

Hi I had the same problem - I got my oil change done at a non fiat garage who couldn't turn the light off. Fiat will reset the light for you but wanted £20.00 - it's a 5 min job.

krossi said:

Fiat will reset the light for you but wanted £20.00 - it's a 5 min job.

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5 mins or 5 seconds the point is the equipment costs £3k and £1k year upgrades. £20 is cheap by the way.

Just been through a similar saga with my Fiat dealer, oil light flashing after 4000 miles after a full oil and car service (£250!). Took car back to dealer who did not understand that the service light and oil degradation systems had to be reset. Really, I am not joking!

Dealer took two days to work out what was wrong. We were told not to drive the car and left it with them, they charged us £25 to insure a loan car. These dealers do not understand the cars and are a danger to Fiat owners. I will find a specialist who can understand what is going on next time. Any recommendations in the Coventry/Northampton area?

Question: if they got this wrong, what might they be like on brakes and suspension!?

donfiftyseven said:

. These dealers do not understand the cars and are a danger to Fiat owners. I will find a specialist who can understand what is going on next time.

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Sorry but that simply is not true, dealer techs are subject to extensive training.

The fault more likely lies in not speaking to or being allowed the DET. Sadly however there are less good DET's these days and many have left the trade which is a pity as this situation would be ideal for the DET in explaining the DPF system and operation to you. Fiat seem very slack these days in the technicians role prefering to concentrate on if the customers car is washed or not let alone fixed

Oh, and they always overfill the oil. Why don't they check it. The dealers I have visited are juggling three brands and I repeat do not undersatnd the cars in any depth, that's dangerous. Have you ever had an engine blow in the fast lane at 70? I have and it's dangerous. That's my point and sloppy dealerships are dangerous. Fact.

whatever

donfiftyseven said:

Oh, and they always overfill the oil. Why don't they check it. The dealers I have visited are juggling three brands and I repeat do not undersatnd the cars in any depth, that's dangerous. Have you ever had an engine blow in the fast lane at 70? I have and it's dangerous. That's my point and sloppy dealerships are dangerous. Fact.

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Just because you say "fact" at the end of a statement doesn't make it true....

My dealer didn't overfill our 500 when it went in for a service.....

Can I throw another angle in here.

A car that has only done 130 miles in 15 months may well need the oil changed, the DPF will have been going mad trying to keep up.

Cheers

D

Can anyone actually recommend a good Fiat dealer in the Midlands?

306maxi said:

Just because you say "fact" at the end of a statement doesn't make it true....

My dealer didn't overfill our 500 when it went in for a service.....

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Sounds like you have an Abarth dealer!

donfiftyseven said:

Sounds like you have an Abarth dealer!

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No.

donfiftyseven said:

Can anyone actually recommend a good Fiat dealer in the Midlands?

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Yes. BS Marsons, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs - Fact

Thanks, that's a start anything south of Birmingham but north of Oxford?

rallycinq said:

Can I throw another angle in here.

A car that has only done 130 miles in 15 months may well need the oil changed, the DPF will have been going mad trying to keep up.

Cheers

D

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Depends when and how it did that 130 miles. If, for example, it sat around for 14 months doing nothing then did 130 miles in one trip, it wouldn't be a DPF related issue.

More likely a Dealer cock-up and the parameter wasn't reset. They can see this if they read the ECU data as it will show the number of oil changes (we always used to print the page as prove it was done, or if not required at this service- to show the customer how many miles until it will be due).

D4nny8oy said:

More likely a Dealer cock-up and the parameter wasn't reset. They can see this if they read the ECU data as it will show the number of oil changes (we always used to print the page as prove it was done, or if not required at this service- to show the customer how many miles until it will be due).

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I have just had this again. I'm wondering whats going wrong that this has occured twice now?

The car was last serviced in November, and it has since done 7,000 miles. The last service was at 14,000 miles, at which point it had its 3rd oil change. This will be the 4th oil change in 21,000 miles, next to none of which have been town miles but the majority have been motorway miles.

Since the last service was done 'early' based on mileage, I wonder if the counter wasn't reset at the last service. The tech/service rep I spoke to was very surprised it had come up so soon. I don't really have a spare £110 to throw at the car if this light is coming up because the service technicians didn't reset the counter last time it was in.

Having said that, the oil level does look quite high again, as it did last time.

I don't know whether to argue with the dealer that they should prove they reset the counter last time, or whether to pay for it and accept that there's something about my driving that makes the oil degrade quickly.

You could ask for an examiner printout which should be able to show when the last reset was done. D4nny8oy will be able to explain much better if he pops in to read this thread.

Service sheet says, reset service light and check engine management system. To prove these have been done a copy of the printouts should be left on seat or handed over to customer, if they cannot be supplied then I would question if the service was carried out correctly.