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Recently did some repair work on the Q5, replaced leaking valve cover gasket(sealant), leaking upper and lower timing cover. Drained out oil completely and refilled during the work. I was advised there might be air pockets created as part of the draining and once you start driving again, it fills up and eventually dropping oil level. The vehicle was picked up on a Thursday evening and the oil dropped on Friday evening after about 70miles driving. Now I get the add oil warning on the console which says 'Add one quart of oil, you may drive to the dealer'. The indy repair shop is closed on the weekends and need to wait until Monday morning.
Is it safe to drive around with the warning? Just need to refill some oil. Should I just pick up something from the local store and fill it myself? Not sure what brand they used so is it safe to mix it up? The invoice says Motor Oil 5w- 30 SpectTec- 1L (5 units used).
Last edited by AudiNewbie316; 09-17-2022 at 07:02 AM.
Look at the sticker under the hood, it will list the Audi/VW oil spec for your engine. It will be 50?. Buy a quart at your local store that meets the specific specification.
Look at the sticker under the hood, it will list the Audi/VW oil spec for your engine. It will be 50?. Buy a quart at your local store that meets the specific specification.
It says VW 50400 or 50200. which is 5w30.
But can I just pick any brand though since I don't know which one they used initially? Will mixing different brands cause any issues though they are 50400?
It says VW 50400 or 50200. which is 5w30.
But can I just pick any brand though since I don't know which one they used initially? Will mixing different brands cause any issues though they are 50400?
It's not "just" 5w30. It needs to be 5w30 that also meets the VW spec.
Take my fuel placard for example:
My car takes 0w20 but it also has to meet VW spec 508 00. I can't use any old 0w20.
The oil bottle will say it meets VW or "Euro" spec right on the bottle.
EDIT: I ran out to my wife's car which also has an EA888, so same engine family as the Q5, but it's a Golf R so it has a higher state of tune from the factory. Her car actually takes 5w40 502 00. This is her oil placard and the oil I put in the car. See the fine print at the bottom of the bottle? 502 00.
It's not "just" 5w30. It needs to be 5w30 that also meets the VW spec.
Take my fuel placard for example:
My car takes 0w20 but it also has to meet VW spec 508 00. I can't use any old 0w20.
The oil bottle will say it meets VW or "Euro" spec right on the bottle.
EDIT: I ran out to my wife's car which also has an EA888, so same engine family as the Q5, but it's a Golf R so it has a higher state of tune from the factory. Her car actually takes 5w40 502 00. This is her oil placard and the oil I put in the car. See the fine print at the bottom of the bottle? 502 00.
Thanks for the explanation. Really appreciate it.
I picked up Castrol Edge High Mileage SAE 5w-30 from Walmart. I couldn't get the one that states specifically Euro Car in it as it was out of stock. But the walmart website states it matches Audi Q5 oil requirements.
Also checked with the dealership, the service adviser said its ok even if you mix up the brand as long as its 5w30. The Audi user manual states Castrol Edge. So I hope I didn't mess it up. lol
The adviser suggested adding .5 quarts at a time which I did. The only issue is the vehicle wont pick up the changes until you drive around for some time after adding oil. I tried this morning to check the error message but it kept saying it will be available in two minutes once engine warms up. But nothing happened even after running it for 5 minutes. I plan to drive around this afternoon and see if I can get an update on the oil status before adding more.
Last edited by AudiNewbie316; 09-17-2022 at 09:11 AM.
Chances are for a slight top-off you’ll be fine if it’s not the 502 00 spec. I just always happen to have some extra in the garage after I change the oil in each car so I always have some on-hand.
I am not a DIY person especially when it comes to automotive. Now that I added oil for the first time in my life (lol), I was looking at the invoice for the oil change from the indi shop.
This is what they use.
Liqui Moly 2248 5W30 Leichtlauf Special LL Motor oil, 1 L, $16.99 per liter at amazon.
Its an expensive made in germany oil. But do you really need it when the manual recommends Castrol Edge?
Just noticed your pic, seems like you use the same Leichtlauf . How much you pay for it?
Last edited by AudiNewbie316; 09-17-2022 at 10:00 AM.
Chances are for a slight top-off you’ll be fine if it’s not the 502 00 spec. I just always happen to have some extra in the garage after I change the oil in each car so I always have some on-hand.
My car is due for an oil change in early December (under Audi Care). I think I'll pick up a couple of extra quarts from the dealer, just in case. It beats driving all over town looking for something that meets Audi specs, plus it'll be the same brand.
I checked the oil (as good as it can be done electronically) a few days ago and it was halfway between the "add oil" line and "full" line, so it's using a bit. But it's also been about 6,000 miles since it was changed last December. Need to order one of those pricey dipsticks ....
I drove around for 10 miles and now it shows the oil level around 30 - 35%. Seems like either the air pockets filled in (as the shop predicted) or there might be a leak.
I think I may have to wait couple more days before I can add oil to ensure there are no more leaks, if not it's going back to the shop again.
Now that I already mixed up with cheap oil (lol), should I fill it up with the Castrol or just order the Liqui Molly online? I might need another 3Q to fill it up I guess.
Seems like Liqui Molly is the best inline.
Read this user review from that site posted above. 'I made the mistake only once to use the Audi recommended Castrol oil. Result: Castrol oil burned 4 quarts on 10,000 miles. Went back to Liqui Moly! Result: less than 1 quart per 10,000 miles! I did add Liqui Moly Oil Saver additive. LM products are awesome!'
I still get my oil changed yearly when the service due light turns on every 10K or so. So what am I really saving here? Does that mean the indi shop is replacing it even if I don't need to?
09-17-2022, 05:02 AM
Oil level dropped, add oil sign
