How many quarts of oil does a Mercedes Benz E350 take?

This blog will answer the following questions:  How many quarts of oil does a Mercedes Benz E350 take? What is the procedure to replace the engine oil in a Mercedes Benz E 350? Why does the Top-up engine oil message come in the Mercedes Benz E 350? 

How many quarts of oil does a Mercedes Benz E350 take?

A Mercedes Benz E350 takes 6-7 quarts of engine oil. The quantity of engine oil is reduced compared to its old generation model. The W213 Mercedes Benz E 350 has a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine and it uses fully synthetic 0W40 engine oil. The engine oil is replaced at every service interval.

The cost of an engine oil change in a Mercedes Benz E350 is between 150-200 USD. The engine oil filter is also replaced with every oil change. There are several non-genuine engine oil filters and engine oil from other brands available in the market, but using the original parts and oil ensures reliability.

The engine oil replacement is scheduled every 10,000 miles or at least once a year. The fully synthetic engine oil loses some of its properties and degrades over time even if the mileage is low. If it is not replaced, its viscosity can change and the wear of moving parts in the engine can increase.

Mercedes Benz does not use engine oil dipsticks in the latest Mercedes Benz E 350. The engine oil level is measured by a powertrain control unit. A level sensor is located in the engine oil sump.

Correct engine oil level is essential in the E 350, engine oil lubricates the moving components in the engine. The Mercedes Benz E 350 also has an engine oil cooler so the engine oil capacity is slightly higher than other inline 4-cylinder engines.

The engine oil pump cannot circulate the engine oil when the oil level in the sump goes below 4mm. If the engine oil does not reach the moving components like pistons, crankshaft, and valves, catastrophic damage can occur in the E350.

What is the procedure to replace the engine oil in a Mercedes Benz E 350?

The procedure to replace the engine oil in the Mercedes Benz E350 is explained below.

• Start the engine and bring it to the operating temperature.
• Check the engine oil level in the instrument cluster. The workshop menu can show engine oil levels in liters.
• Open the engine hood and remove the engine cover.
• Unscrew the engine oil filter cap and remove the engine oil filler cap.
• Lift the vehicle on a hoist or a suitable jack and unscrew the underbody shield.
• Unscrew the engine oil drain screw and drain the engine oil in a suitable container.
• Replace the washer on the drain screw and torque it to 30Nm.
• Lower the vehicle and replace the engine oil filter, apply 25 Nm torque on the oil filter cap.
• Pour the specified quantity of engine oil slowly into the engine.
• Start the engine and confirm the correct oil level in the instrument cluster. Top-up if required as the new engine oil filter can absorb the engine oil.

It is not possible to use an engine oil extractor to vacuum the old engine and pour new engine oil as there is no engine oil dipstick in the Mercedes Benz E 350. The correct engine oil level can only be determined when the engine is at operating temperature.

If the level is not shown in the instrument cluster, an OBD-II scan tool can be used to read out the actual value of the engine oil level sensor in the powertrain control unit.

Why does the Top-up engine oil message come in the Mercedes Benz E 350?

The top-up engine oil message in the Mercedes Benz E 350 can come because of the following reasons.

Engine oil consumption

A top-up engine oil message can come in the E350 if there is excessive engine oil consumption. The engine oil capacity of E 350 is 6-6.5L, after 10,000 miles it should not reduce. The oil level can go down by 500 ml but there should be no need to top-up engine oil before the service is due.

The engine oil consumption can increase if the valve stem seals are damaged. Oil can enter the combustion chamber and it burns with an air-fuel mixture. It can even leave oily deposits on the spark plug and fuel injectors.

The repair can be expensive as the cylinder head must be dismantled and the valves along with the valve stem seals must be replaced to stop the leakage. Valve stem seals can leak regardless of the age and mileage of the vehicle.

In high-mileage vehicles, the engine oil can enter the combustion chamber past the piston rings. The compression pressure is also low in these vehicles and complaints like increased fuel consumption along with black smoke from the exhaust are common.

Engine oil leaks

The engine oil lubrication circuit in the Mercedes Benz E 350 is very complicated. Components like turbochargers and timing chains are lubricated with engine oil. There is also an engine oil heat exchanger. The oil lubrication circuit uses several O-rings and gaskets to seal the area between two surfaces.

Engine oil level goes down due to engine oil leaks. The engine oil leak must be rectified otherwise frequent top-up engine oil messages will appear in the instrument cluster. The cost of repair depends on the area that is leaking the engine oil.

A fault in the oil level sensor

The oil level sensor is located inside the engine oil sump but its electrical coupler is on the outside. The powertrain control unit is connected to the oil level sensor by two electrical lines. The power supply needed for the operation of the sensor is provided by the powertrain control unit.

Therefore, if there is any open circuit or a short circuit to ground in the electrical lines, the powertrain control unit won’t be able to measure the current engine oil level.

When the signal from the oil level sensor is not available, the powertrain control unit uses a default value of 4mm and a top-up engine oil message is displayed in the instrument cluster. If the electrical lines are okay, the oil level sensor must be replaced.

Conclusion

In this blog, we found out the engine oil quantity of the Mercedes Benz E 350 and the procedure to replace the engine oil. Top-up engine oil messages should not be ignored as a lack of engine oil can lead to expensive repairs. Consult an authorized workshop if there are oil stains under the vehicle when it is parked.