2003 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS oil dipstick

266 OperationEngine compartmentIf there is excessive engine oil with the en-
gine at normal operating temperature, the
following message will appear:ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL!
Have excess oil siphoned.
See “Practical hints” (
page 289) if the
engine oil level indicator lights up in the
display while the engine is running.
More information on engine oil can be
found in “Technical data” (page 357).Checking the engine oil level with the
oil dipstick (except S 430 4MATIC,
S 500 4MATIC, and S 600)
The engine oil level can be checked by ei-
ther oil dipstick1 or via the multifunction
display in the instrument cluster
(
page 265). The amount of engine oil
needed is shown more precisely on the op-
erating system display.
1Oil dipstick

Open the hood (
page 263).

Pull out oil dipstick1 (
page 267).

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the dip-
stick guide tube, and remove after ap-
proximately three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
The oil level is acceptable when it
leaves a line between the upper and
lower marks of oil dipstick 1.
For adding oil see (
page 267).
See “Practical hints” (page 289) if the
engine oil level indicator lights up in the
display while the engine is running.
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press the
k
or
j
but-
ton on the multifunction steering
wheel.
iThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).

267 Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oilS 430, S 500, S 55 AMG1Oil dipstick
2Filler neck
S 6001Filler cap
Unscrew the cap1 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.

Screw the cap back on the filler neck.!Excessive oil must be siphoned or
drained off. It could cause damage to
the engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

309 Practical hints
What to do if …?
When the
ENGINE OIL LEVEL – CHECK LEV-
EL!
message appears while the engine is
running and at operating temperature, the
engine oil level has dropped to approxi-
mately the minimum mark on the dipstick.When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.
If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive
to the nearest service station where the
engine oil should be topped to the “full”
mark on the dipstick with an approved oil.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK LEVEL!
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level
(page 264) and add oil as required.
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in se-
rious engine damage that is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.