A recurring oil issue on T6,1.

[mac98aop]

Hi everyone

I really need some advise as I’m clueless and just the designated driver of T6,1 2021, 2.0 TDI, 12k miles

After several hundred miles of motorway driving (2hrs / 1hr break / 2hrs) a warning light came on: ‘Oil level too high: workshop!’

I left it overnight and dipstick indicates oil is slightly above max.
Warning light has not returned and after 5more slower miles to shops and back, not returned.

We’re in France with 6 children and 4 bikes so can only hope it’s easily resolved.

Thing is, exactly the same thing happened last year, at the nearly the same point on the journey. We chose to monitor and get home.

Once back VW (Citygate) sent AA to our driveway to assess, before taking it in to drain some oil.
This made me nervous as presumably it’s being diluted with sone diesel which I recall AA man said happens due to slow short city driving?

Regardless, no error light since.

The van has since had oil and filter service so presumably oil was replaced to correct level and here we are all over again?

It seems to me this model of van can’t cope with city life (ie 85% journeys 3miles max at 20mph) and then annual long run.

I have European breakdown but fear they’ll just get car home and then we’re stranded (8 plus bikes!) Similarly I fear calling them and facing consequences once home if I ignore their offer.

There is a VW service centre down the road but my French is tres mal!

I require immediate and longer term advice please:

Q. Can I safely drive it home (400miles)? If not, what’s best?

Q. Should I care about this or just accept it as a known gremlin and manage it? I’m just wondering if this van isn’t suited to all our city driving and is actually best sold?

Really appreciate any help, especially in the immediate as need to get safely home!

Thanks
Adam

 

[Drive Wayne]

Hey Adam, I had the same message pop up as so many people have, there are many threads on here about it.
I went to my local Kar Parts and bought a thin tubed dipsick syphon for a tenner, removed 500ml of oil so that my oil registered half way up the cross hatch section on the dipstick. Open and close the bonnet removes the nasty yellow warning triangle for 100km. The warning came on once after that but then stopped, all clear.
There are rumours that VW can update the software, but I didn't want them to have my van in to tinker with!
Next time mine has an oil change I will make sure it isn't filled to the max line, oil expands when hot which is what causes the issue.
Keep your eye on regenerations, make sure they complete! That can add fuel to the oil level.
Lose a bit of oil! Jobsagoodun as they say round these parts.

 

[Drive Wayne]

Hi everyone

I really need some advise as I’m clueless and just the designated driver of T6,1 2021, 2.0 TDI, 12k miles

After several hundred miles of motorway driving (2hrs / 1hr break / 2hrs) a warning light came on: ‘Oil level too high: workshop!’

I left it overnight and dipstick indicates oil is slightly above max.
Warning light has not returned and after 5more slower miles to shops and back, not returned.

We’re in France with 6 children and 4 bikes so can only hope it’s easily resolved.

Thing is, exactly the same thing happened last year, at the nearly the same point on the journey. We chose to monitor and get home.

Once back VW (Citygate) sent AA to our driveway to assess, before taking it in to drain some oil.
This made me nervous as presumably it’s being diluted with sone diesel which I recall AA man said happens due to slow short city driving?

Regardless, no error light since.

The van has since had oil and filter service so presumably oil was replaced to correct level and here we are all over again?

It seems to me this model of van can’t cope with city life (ie 85% journeys 3miles max at 20mph) and then annual long run.

I have European breakdown but fear they’ll just get car home and then we’re stranded (8 plus bikes!) Similarly I fear calling them and facing consequences once home if I ignore their offer.

There is a VW service centre down the road but my French is tres mal!

I require immediate and longer term advice please:

Q. Can I safely drive it home (400miles)? If not, what’s best?

Q. Should I care about this or just accept it as a known gremlin and manage it? I’m just wondering if this van isn’t suited to all our city driving and is actually best sold?

Really appreciate any help, especially in the immediate as need to get safely home!

Thanks
Adam

PS, I drove about 300 miles the first time it happened with no Ill effects. I would say worry not, but I do sell pianos for a living, so don't trust me obviously!

 

[DXX]

Hi everyone

I really need some advise as I’m clueless and just the designated driver of T6,1 2021, 2.0 TDI, 12k miles

After several hundred miles of motorway driving (2hrs / 1hr break / 2hrs) a warning light came on: ‘Oil level too high: workshop!’

I left it overnight and dipstick indicates oil is slightly above max.
Warning light has not returned and after 5more slower miles to shops and back, not returned.

We’re in France with 6 children and 4 bikes so can only hope it’s easily resolved.

Thing is, exactly the same thing happened last year, at the nearly the same point on the journey. We chose to monitor and get home.

Once back VW (Citygate) sent AA to our driveway to assess, before taking it in to drain some oil.
This made me nervous as presumably it’s being diluted with sone diesel which I recall AA man said happens due to slow short city driving?

Regardless, no error light since.

The van has since had oil and filter service so presumably oil was replaced to correct level and here we are all over again?

It seems to me this model of van can’t cope with city life (ie 85% journeys 3miles max at 20mph) and then annual long run.

I have European breakdown but fear they’ll just get car home and then we’re stranded (8 plus bikes!) Similarly I fear calling them and facing consequences once home if I ignore their offer.

There is a VW service centre down the road but my French is tres mal!

I require immediate and longer term advice please:

Q. Can I safely drive it home (400miles)? If not, what’s best?

Q. Should I care about this or just accept it as a known gremlin and manage it? I’m just wondering if this van isn’t suited to all our city driving and is actually best sold?

Really appreciate any help, especially in the immediate as need to get safely home!

Thanks
Adam

Search with ‘oil level’, this is a common issue and you’ll find the answers there.
How much ‘slightly above max’?
Google Translate will get you through any language issues, even if it doesn’t it should be obvious that you need an oil change / level reduction.

 

[DaveD]

Good advice in Post 2 and 4, but reducing the oil level is a short term, get you home fix.
Your oil has been diluted, most likely with diesel. (The alternative is worse).
Removing some oil is a good idea if that's all you can do while abroad, as explained in post 2, but as soon as you reasonably can on getting home you should aim for an oil change because your oil is no longer oil.
It's a mixture of oil and diesel, and that's not ideal in your sump in the long term.

 

[mac98aop]

Thanks everyone. Really helpful.
Just to confirm, it’s best to have the oil level reduced before the long drive home?

And why is this happening? (Regen?)
And is it avoidable, noting my city based usage?

Thanks

 

[mac98aop]

Thanks everyone. Really helpful.
Just to confirm, it’s best to have the oil level reduced before the long drive home?

And why is this happening? (Regen?)
And is it avoidable, noting my city based usage?

Thanks

And should I be concerned? Some say it’s destroying engine and others, don’t worry!?

 

[Drive Wayne]

I think the general consensus is oil expansion, but potentially added to by failed regenerations putting diesel into the sump. Certainly get an oil change pronto, but make sure they put half a litre less than a full quota. If you have a pleasant relationship with your local VW dealer, ask about the software mod. Oil analysis is worth considering for not too many of the pounds. Again much info about analysis on here via the search function.

 

[DaveD]

I think the general consensus is oil expansion, but potentially added to by failed regenerations putting diesel into the sump. Certainly get an oil change pronto, but make sure they put half a litre less than a full quota. If you have a pleasant relationship with your local VW dealer, ask about the software mod. Oil analysis is worth considering for not too many of the pounds. Again much info about analysis on here via the search function.

I think the risk (as well as the obvious fact that a mixture of oil and diesel is not the optimum engine lubricant) is that rapidly moving engine parts (crank) could dip into the oil if the level is too high, causing the oil to froth as it becomes aerated. frothy oil doesn't lubricate the engine effectively.
Further oil dilution on the journey home is only going to increase that risk.

 

[DXX]

And should I be concerned? Some say it’s destroying engine and others, don’t worry!?

2% dilution is a cautionary level, 4% is the potential lubrication failure level for Diesel engine lube oil analysis.
While there have been significant improvements in synthetic oil properties I think the source of the ‘don’t worry‘ opinion is the motor manufacturers themselves.
Let’s face it it’s what people like to hear.

 

[Drive Wayne]

Pop in to your la Francais VW garage and say unto them.... Je voudrais une vidange d’huile s’il vous plaît mais un demi-litre de moins que plein, Silver plate Rodney... Try that for a laugh! (Perhaps not the Rodney bit)