It's possible the mechanic did not add enough oil when the 70k service was done. You could plug in an OBD reader to see whether you could compare oil level readings or add a bit of oil to see whether the level changes. It's an interesting question though. Is there any way to physically verify oil level on a motor without a dipstick? I guess you could drain out the oil, measure what comes out and pour it back in again if you could do it without getting grit into the oil.

 

I'm certainly going to put this question to the dealer. As I don't want to have anyone but Volvo drain and measure the oil. If there is an issue, Volvo needs to see it. Just curious if this could be a software glitch as no warning came on the Dash. Or a bad sensor?

I know oil consumption issues plague 2015.5s and that my vehicle is in the affected range. Hopefully this is benign, and tech didn't fill oil levels properly, but we shall see. Dealer techs are usually on the ball, so I'd be surprised if that was the cause. Guess I need to find out if car should be towed to dealer or driven. They're 90 miles away.

 

See....this is why not having a physical dipstick is a bad idea. I would have the car towed because....if it is truly that low you could harm the engine driving it....and if it is truly full....adding too much more oil could blow a seal. I would call the dealer first....hopefully they will cover the towing cost.

 

Agreed. This Digital Dipstick nonsense is total crap. I have no physical way of ascertaining whether the issue is software related, piston ring / consumption related, or a sensor. Nor do I have Vida or any other way of method of checking myself. As I'm not about to drain the oil, or have it drained, as that's something dealer would need to do. Car still under CPO so anything I attempt will be counterproductive.

 

In your situation, this is what I would do. I would start the engine, drive the car locally, watch the temperature gauge, and listen to the engine. If there are no problems, no unusual noise, and no evidence of engine overheating, then I would drive the car to the nearest reliable local independent mechanic, and ask to have the oil drained, and measured for volume. At this point, the engine will need to be filled with fresh oil. With the engine taken care of, the question remains of how to interpret the "low oil" message, and how to confirm the oil level when there is no dipstick. These are separate issues, between you and the dealer. I'm sure there is fine print in some contract that is relevant to your situation.

 

I'd call the dealer first but it should probably be towed in. Without a physical dipstick there's too high a risk of driving it and doing real damage. Plus you're under an extended warranty which would probably be voided for driving it without oil.

 

Ya I just reached out to my dealer. The service manager has never seen this before. He said when a car comes in with a consumption issue, it usually says low add 1 quart, etc. He's reaching out to his technician and will get back with me.

My car is under warranty still, so if something is wrong, it's covered. However, I don't want to exacerbate anything if there is indeed a major issue going on here. I.E. Piston Ring ring issue that affects my model year 2015.5 S60 and Engine.

 

So here's a fun update....There's a reason why I avoid my local dealer. Suffice to say the dealer 90 miles away recommended I have local dealer redo the oil change and bill this as a possible consumption issue under the CPO. As the 70K was done under prepaid maintenance.

The local dealer literally told me that I already used my 70K and if I want them to do an oil change, I'll need to pay out of pocket the full cost.. Along with Diagnostic They wouldn't bill CPO.

Thank you to Volvo Road Side Assistance. Called back my preferred dealer, let them know what happened. They were apologetic and accomodating. Gave Volvo RoadSide a call and they'll pay for the tow to my preferred dealer to diagnose the issue. So I don't have to burn a AAA tow on my own dime.

Thanks Volvo + Roadside..Good riddance to the local. Reason I hated this place and never used them.

 

Your local dealer is right. They can't bill CPO for an oil change as part of an oil consumption case.

 

Preferred dealer 90 miles away wasn't thrilled. They said since the Prepaid covered the 70K, that they could either file it under the 70K and state why it had to be redone. Or do under CPO. Who knows. Maybe preferred dealer is wrong and local is right. Preferred dealer seemed pretty certain the prepaid 70K would cover it stating that something was amiss and to see what was up.

Volvo is covering the 90 mile tow so no big deal. I like the preferred dealer much better anyway. Just a bit more inconvenient to go all that distance atm. As they have no loaners to give out. They're swamped . So unless the car is undrivable theyll do oil change and see what happens. It could be bad sensor or consumption. They said hard to tell just from low oil light.

 

Sorry I just saw this thread today. I have an answer for your question of "How can the digital gauge say "low" but not give you the low "warning." I would bet money I have seen the low warning more than any other person on this board. This EXACT same thing happened to me. There is a threshold where your digital "gauge" will register as "low" but will not give you the warning. If you are indeed consuming/burning oil, you will eventually get the warning, and it will happen when your oil level is very close to the "low but no warning" threshold.

The digital "gauge" is useful, but it is not a dipstick. It's better than a dipstick. It saved me, and probably countless other people from running their engines into oblivion. It would have saved you if you have a consumption issue and didn't check the level because I can almost guarantee you would have gotten the warning in a few days. If anyone wants a dipstick for their Drive-E, get one of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011NSX27A and the car scanner app (if you have android). It tells you the exact oil level.

You are being treated VERY well by your preferred dealer. I had to document WAY more oil consumption before they said they needed to replace the breather box. The fact they were willing to do that for you under warranty after only one low oil indication when it easily could have been an accidental underfill is really surprising. You are fortunate.

 

That's the very reason why I Trek 90 miles each way to these guys. No nonsense dealership. They have let me down only once on seatbelt issue. Failed to retract, they insisted on lubing, and a month later the damn thing failed to retract ever again and got slammed in my door. Nice dent in the inner door lip to show for it.

They saw a Thermostat code said the breather box was definitely gunked up an replaced. Whether the breather box is the reason the oil was burning or the pistons will be a wait and see. Come back in 2000 miles. Glad this is documented. I still got 27,500 or 22 months left on CPO. So ideally, this will get resolved sooner than later. However, since they are away of the issue, I'm not too worried. If it is the pistons, it'll show up I am sure.

I'm not a fan of the digital dipstick. Had I not checked the levels, no message popped up warning me. I asked dealer about draining and measuring, but they said they didn't do that. They felt there was definitely a consumption issue but whether breather or piston rings is to be determined.

Car was just serviced for 70k by them 2500 miles ago, too.

 

not to hijack a thread.....but I just don't see how these cars can run with this oil consumption issue. A quart every couple 100 miles? No smoke and the plugs don't foul? Also, can't I just replace my rings before any damage is done? Yes, I have a 2012, t5. And it looks like I'm losing a quart every 4,000. I know, "ok" by today's standards, not mine. This car is not run on the highway hardly any, so does that matter for this defect?

 

For Drive-E engines, highway driving is absolutely a factor. Pretty much the whole defect is caused by carbon build up. If a car is stuck with the bad rings and pistons, the old fashioned Italian tuneup is a good way to keep the rings clean.

If your car has a defect, the obvious solution is to fix it. It sure beats creating a new thread every month or so.

 

Just as meade 18 said, I have "checked" my oil using the electronic dipstick and I have seen the "low" message. Usually just before my 5K mile oil change. If it drops below this spec, you will get a warning on your dash saying something like "low oil, add 1 quart".

This is why one should check their oil on a regular basis so you never see the "low oil, add 1 quart". I add a 1/2 quart when I see the "low" message. Once I do, it goes back to the "OK" message.
Don't wait for the 1 quart low message to appear as a warning. My 0.02 cents

 

Don't forget there is another way to physically check your oil level.. you can drain it out into a clean pan. If you don't get enough then it was low.. if it was plenty and it's a software issue then you can just pour it back in the engine. I am fairly confident having a computer dipstick and warning messages is saving more engines than dip sticks have lately. *Most* customers with dipsticks only are not checking their oil at any sort of regular schedule.

 

I am fairly confident having a computer dipstick and warning messages is saving more engines than dip sticks have lately.

This. I would rather have a dipstick that tells me when I am one quart low (an otherwise trivial amount for an engine with 5-8 qts of oil) than having to open the hood to check.

If your car has a defect, the obvious solution is to fix it. It sure beats creating a new thread every month or so.

So much this.

 

My favorite method to monitor oil consumption that I found is using Car Scanner app - it displays oil level in mm. So, as an example, for my car it displays 60-62mm right after the oil change. When it gets to about 50mm I know to add about 0.3 quarts to bring it close to 60mm again.

 

Yeah they are likely just saying the breather box was gunked up. Taking it off, they may have noticed some build up underneath. Or maybe they were curious so the took it apart to see. If it's that "gunked up", the rings probably are too.

They had a car with an oil consumption concern. It doesn't have any external leak so they followed the applicable TJ to replace the breather box.

 

They said it was dirty and blocked. I didn't inquire whether they took it apart, noticed buildup, or were following the TJ. Thankfully, this is a Volvo Dealer that has always done right by me. So if my rings are bad, fantastic. I won't have to worry about a huge bill post warranty!

 

If it's the thermostat code I see most often, there is a TJ for replacement of the thermostat that they should have done.

 

What's the TJ number? I can mention it when I return next month to see what they say. Thanks.

 

The oil scrapper ring somehow manages to get the job done. But I somewhat disagree on running these engines at 5000 RPMs on manual mode in lower gears....That's a lot of stress on the engine. All I do is get it to 4000 to 5000 RPMs (nice growl from engine, drive with windows down to really hear the growl) on ramps and aggressive highway passing situations. And keep it on 2500 RPMs (about 85 mph) for at least 1-2 minutes on stretches of the road where there are no cops. 2500 RPMs 85 mph is this engine's sweet spot and I think it's what's kept mine alive for 119,000 miles.

 

You've had an engine replacement though. So it seems even bringing engine up to temp isn't a fail safe. I regularly gun it when getting on expressway, for no other reason than I like to and it's fun. I also don't use cruise control a lot. Mainly on long drives and when it's important to get good gas mileage. In summer, Eco mode makes no sense as it disables AC.

 

My 2005 S60 2.5T has the oil changed at 3000 mile intervals, per my decision. I bought the car in 2017 with 102,000 miles, and it now has 125,000 miles. The oil change interval was based on my desire to keep the turbo bearings, and the turbo itself, going for as long as possible, because that would be an expensive repair.

 

When you brought it to the dealer did they change the oil, or add? After which, did it read at the correct level?

 

From my understanding:

1. Read Codes and saw Thermostat Error but not traceable code. Tech what is the Technical Journal?
2. Replaced Breather Box. Said it was blocked and dirty
3. I was told they planned to add oil. Unfortunately, they were swamped and I didn't get printout of what all was done or course of action they took. Only that it now reads full. Don't think they drained and measured. I believe they took the low oil light at face value, topped oil, changed breather, and are waiting to see if low oil returns.

 

Note how quickly this reading can change. This occurred in one day, 55 kms / 34 miles, one day.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

That's a lot of oil consumption!

 

I thought I would share my experience with the photos I just posted.
Same engine as the S60 but a 2015 S80 T5 Drive-e. (engine serial # is in the range of the bulletin) At about 60,000 Km( 37K mi) I began to experience the dreaded Clicking and loss of power (on ramps and highway passing). I finally was able to demonstrate it on a drive with the Service Manager and the process began. Note, all work and diagnostic efforts and loaners were covered by CPO. Over the next year and a half with multiple visits the following actions were taken. The Plugs were replaced. Fuel Pressure sensor and hoses replaced. Adaptive transmission settings reset. Nothing would resolve the clicking and loss of power though I would note that it was less common in the winter. Temperature or fuel blend?
Fast forward a year and a half (summer 2019) at approx 90,000 Km. About 1,500 km after an oil change I decided to check the electronic dipstick. Shocked, it showed it was not full, no bars with the Low message. No other alerts on dash. I went straight to the dealer. They measured with VIDA, topped it off and told me to come back in 1000 KM. At that time they measured 4.6L which is a loss of 1.3 L to the 5.9 L spec. Short fill at oil change or was it eating oil? At that point I asked the Service Manager what else we could do on investigating the clicking and loss of power. He said he would consult with Volvo HO. A month later I was invited to go for a drive with a Field Technical Rep.
The day before the appointment I checked the oil level. As per my photos it was showing down 1 bar. Went about my day and checked the oil level later again that night. 0 Bars with the low message. How quickly it changes! 55 Km later. No other dash alerts. The next morning I went to the dealer to meet the Field Technical Rep. We went for a short drive. I demonstrated the clicking and loss of power, twice. He was poker faced and wouldn’t say much. When we returned to the dealership I told the service manager that the electronic dipstick showed low again. The rep and service manager spoke privately and the rep left. They took the car in and checked the oil level with VIDA and topped it off again. They measured 4.7 L which is a loss of 1.2 L in approx 1,000 km. They said they would call me within a couple of days.
2 Days later I received a call asking me to bring the car in. This time it was to replace the pistons and rings. Repair took about a week to complete.
Since the repair the car has been trouble free. No oil loss according to the electronic dipstick. The dreaded Clicking and Loss of power has not reappeared. Was it related to the rings and oil loss? I have my suspicions but nobody said it was.
All I know is that the Oil Loss issue happened quickly. Check the electronic dipstick frequently and get to the dealer if you see any issues.

 

I thought I would share my experience with the photos I just posted.
Same engine as the S60 but a 2015 S80 T5 Drive-e. (engine serial # is in the range of the bulletin) At about 60,000 Km( 37K mi) I began to experience the dreaded Clicking and loss of power (on ramps and highway passing). I finally was able to demonstrate it on a drive with the Service Manager and the process began. Note, all work and diagnostic efforts and loaners were covered by CPO. Over the next year and a half with multiple visits the following actions were taken. The Plugs were replaced. Fuel Pressure sensor and hoses replaced. Adaptive transmission settings reset. Nothing would resolve the clicking and loss of power though I would note that it was less common in the winter. Temperature or fuel blend?
Fast forward a year and a half (summer 2019) at approx 90,000 Km. About 1,500 km after an oil change I decided to check the electronic dipstick. Shocked, it showed it was not full, no bars with the Low message. No other alerts on dash. I went straight to the dealer. They measured with VIDA, topped it off and told me to come back in 1000 KM. At that time they measured 4.6L which is a loss of 1.3 L to the 5.9 L spec. Short fill at oil change or was it eating oil? At that point I asked the Service Manager what else we could do on investigating the clicking and loss of power. He said he would consult with Volvo HO. A month later I was invited to go for a drive with a Field Technical Rep.
The day before the appointment I checked the oil level. As per my photos it was showing down 1 bar. Went about my day and checked the oil level later again that night. 0 Bars with the low message. How quickly it changes! 55 Km later. No other dash alerts. The next morning I went to the dealer to meet the Field Technical Rep. We went for a short drive. I demonstrated the clicking and loss of power, twice. He was poker faced and wouldn't say much. When we returned to the dealership I told the service manager that the electronic dipstick showed low again. The rep and service manager spoke privately and the rep left. They took the car in and checked the oil level with VIDA and topped it off again. They measured 4.7 L which is a loss of 1.2 L in approx 1,000 km. They said they would call me within a couple of days.
2 Days later I received a call asking me to bring the car in. This time it was to replace the pistons and rings. Repair took about a week to complete.
Since the repair the car has been trouble free. No oil loss according to the electronic dipstick. The dreaded Clicking and Loss of power has not reappeared. Was it related to the rings and oil loss? I have my suspicions but nobody said it was.
All I know is that the Oil Loss issue happened quickly. Check the electronic dipstick frequently and get to the dealer if you see any issues.

Thanks for sharing your story! My car showed exact same thing, as my pictures detailed. Low Oil and no bars. I'm driving around to see and checking it. I do hope message returns. I want new rings. I really can't afford to dump $3-$4k into the car down the road if the rings decide to give out. So now (under CPO) is better than later!

 

The gauge is not linear.

 

^This

Also, for those wondering, there is nothing in between one notch low, and all notches low (the two pictures that Baxtermann posted). It's more accurately described as an oil level indicator than a gauge.

 

I can confirm aggressive driving likely doesn't have any effect on oil consumption. Though it's strange that changing the piston and rings didn't help our XC60 3.2L. They ended up replacing the engine. Which reminds me, the engine has about as many miles as the original, so I need to go eyeball the dipstick.

 

Tj30268

 

Thanks.

 

The engines are reconditioned. For all intents and purposes, there is no difference.

 

Does Volvo get them out of wrecked cars and then recondition them themselves?

 

Just an update. So I've gone 1,764 miles and it appears the Digital DipStick has dropped a quart. Still says OK but there's clearly a consumption problem taking place. I have a Service Visit scheduled for Monday on the issue. So timely that it showed up today. It's very clear Piston Rings are in my future. It took me about 2500 miles before I saw the "Low". Already had the pcv / breather box replaced. So know for certain that isn't the cause. Oil was also topped off as well.

How long does the job generally take?

 

Just an update. So I've gone 1,764 miles and it appears the Digital DipStick has dropped a quart. Still says OK but there's clearly a consumption problem taking place. I have a Service Visit scheduled for Monday on the issue. So timely that it showed up today. It's very clear Piston Rings are in my future. It took me about 2500 miles before I saw the "Low". Already had the pcv / breather box replaced. So know for certain that isn't the cause. Oil was also topped off as well.

How long does the job generally take?

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I don't think you meant to say this specifically, so I'm not calling you out. But I do want to clarify for all the other people that will read this thread and may not know. Your oil level meter in that picture is NOT necessarily indicating that your car is down a full quart. When it gets to the red below "min," that is when you are down a quart. And I specifically say "NOT necessarily" because there are no other levels that will show on that meter in between the one in this picture (down one notch below max) and when the meter is completely empty showing below "min." When you see this one notch down level, you could be close to being one quart low, or you might be closer to half a quart. If you want a real reading, you need to check the oil level in millimeters in VIDA or using a OBD2 tool with the Car Scanner ELM OBD2 app. No one has posted the exact mm measurements that trigger the different levels in the dash meter, so until someone does that, we are sadly left to speculate on how low our cars actually are when they are showing this indication.

@MyVolvoS60, did you buy one of these yet so you could better document your consumption amounts? https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Supports-DashCommand/dp/B011NSX27A/

 

How long it takes can vary. If I'm left alone to work all day, I can probably do the job on that car in about 7 or 8 hours I'd guess. Shop workload usually makes it impossible for me to be left alone so I've never had the chance to just do one start to finish.

 

Thanks. Most people get upset when a major failure occurs on their vehicle, but I am delighted and bordering on ecstatic. This issue is one that I didn't want to experience Post 100K. Rather on Volvo's dime than mine, especially since I'm looking at houses and looking at moving. Having to set aside a few thousand wasn't really on the agenda.

Presuming dealer moves forward with ring job:

1. Would it be OK to ask dealer replace the timing belt if I buy the part? Especially with the car already going to be torn down. I mean the car is at 74,000 miles. Seems I could spend $200 on a kit, and get another 150k out of engine, or be on the hook for $1200-1500 in another 75K. Makes sense to do it now if the engine is torn down.

2. Is this the right Technical Journal on the Thermostat Code that I referenced? https://www.tsbsearch.com/Volvo/TJ-30268

 

Some people don't like it because they don't trust the job to be done right. We've got guys I wouldn't want doing rings on my engine.

I always suggest the timing belt when doing that job. Haven't had a customer decline it. Can't pass up a no labor charge timing belt job.

And yes, that is the TJ for the thermostat.

 

Some people don't like it because they don't trust the job to be done right. We've got guys I wouldn't want doing rings on my engine.

I always suggest the timing belt when doing that job. Haven't had a customer decline it. Can't pass up a no labor charge timing belt job.

And yes, that is the TJ for the thermostat.

I've had good experiences with this dealer, so I trust them to do things right. If there's an issue, I've got the CPO to cover any problems. Knock on wood there wouldn't be. Plus, this saves a potential $3,000-$4,000 if the dealer agrees with me and does rings on Monday. As once the rings are replaced, I don't have to worry about the "What If's" down the road on my vehicle. Peace of mind!

Thanks. Stampermann also recommended doing the timing belt and glad you concur. Better now at $200 in parts than a $1200 job later. That $200 buys me an extra 75,000 miles so can't beat the savings.

What about the Serpentine Belt? Stampermann sent me a message he recommends that be done too. To quote him: "I probably would have them do the serpentine belt kit too. Not because it's worn or I'm concerned about the belt, but because of all the posts I see where the tensioner goes bad, shreads the serpentine belt and then that eats the timing belt."

Do you agree?