turbs2112

Hello everyone,

Someone please help because this is the second time I've had to argue with the local Acura dealer about this. I have a 2009 RDX and took it in for a routine oil change. I supply my own 5 qt jug of Mobil1, and judging by the owner's manual, with a new filter change, that should be enough oil. For the second time, they've put a total of 5.5 quarts in, opening a half of a quart and charging me for it. After the I check the oil, it's about a quarter-inch above the top notch on the dipstick. So what gives? Why do they insist on doing this, when it's clear to me that they are overfilling. Am I missing something here? Do any of you put 5.5 quarts in your RDX? My wife said as she was leaving, the tech said to her "The RDX takes 5.5 quarts"...so is the owner's manual wrong? Please advise...I'm about to go to the dealer tomorrow to have them drain out a half quart..

Thanks,
Matt

Mr Marco

Odd thing for the dealer to argue about. It's only oil, they buy it at a huge discount.

All my recpt from my dealer are 5 qts. However, I have free LOF card from the dealer...so who knows what they are really putting in.

Might be due to the lines that run to the Turbo. It is cooled by water and oil.

Bad CS IMHO, find another dealer

turbs2112

Well, I haven't really argued with them yet...last time when I went to pick up my extra half quart from the dealer (they kept it) I asked why they filled 5.5 quarts instead of 5 qts as the manual recommends. He told me that they go by the dipstick and not necessarily what the manual says. Fair enough. Well, this time, they did the same thing even after we told them specifically beforehand to only put 5 quarts in. I checked the dipstick a few hours later, and it looks about a quarter inch higher than the top hole. I guess my question is, should i have them drain it to the level so it is at the top hole? I feel like making them do it just because they didn't listen to the initial request. I was wondering if anyone knew of a word on the street that RDX owners need to be putting 5.5 quarts in, and I'm just not aware of it.

Mr Marco

If it was really overfilled, it can be a problem. If it's only a little over it will just burn off and eventually level out.

Personally, had my dealer not offered me free oil changes for life, I would have gone to a independent or lube shop.

kingkong222

Why do you insist on going back to the dealer who consistently messing up on your oil change? I just don't get it. Take your money and oil and go some where else. They don't deserve your business. To me one strike and you're out with dealership. No ifs, buts, whatsoever.

wrestrepo

If they go by the dipstick, and it is well over the fill line, they are NOT going by the dipstick. Simply show them, make sure that the service manager is there when you do.....

737 Jock

The service manual says 5.0 qts for an oil change, but 6.1 qts after engine overhaul (the true quantity).

I drain mine overnight and it takes 5.5 to 5.75 quarts by the dipstick. If I let it drain for several days, it takes 6 qts by the dipstick.

Filling by the dipstick requires running the engine, then letting the oil cool and settle, then slowly adding the last 1/3 quart or so by topping and checking as you go. No dealer will ever take the time to do this right. The dealer is doing a quick drain and then overfilling your oil.

Excess oil ends up in the exhaust where it burns in the catalytic converter, damaging the cat element $$$.

You will never get this resolved with the dealer to where they consistently do it right. Are you disappointed and angry enough yet, to do your own oil changes?

Mr Marco

^Eh-um...you'd get more out draining it overnight because it is a multi-vis, it is thinner when it is cool. He's doing it at the dealer HOT.

You could get aother tenth of a quart if you dropped and scraped the oil pan too.

Hecka

If you're having so much trouble with your dealership, I'd say go to an independent LOF place or change it yourself. I will be doing all of my own oil changes since it's so easy to do, but if you live in an area where it's prohibited to change your own oil, then do what Mr Marco says. Go to a Jiffy Lube or equivalent business. They know more about oil requirements than most dealerships anyway, IMO.

dcmodels

OK, you asked for responses, here are my thoughts: THE ENGINE HOLDS 5 QUARTS on a normal drain/ fill - period.

And I had the same problem with my Chevy, at my Chevy dealer, as you have had with your RDX - 4.5 quarts capacity, wanted to fill with 5 quarts. And with my comments below, I hope that you will understand how I resolved this problem.

1) overfilling with engine oil can damage engine oil seals, specifically the rear main seal (leaks), and any excess oil that gets past the exhaust valves will indeed damage the CATs

2) I do not have my RDX OM (owner manual) handy, but basically my 2009 OM says drain/ fill/ start engine/ run engine a short time/ turn off engine/ wait a short time/ check level. I don't remember exactly how long it says to wait, it seems vague to me

3) to get a consistent HOT level reading on the dip-stick, the engine must reach normal operating temp, then I wait exactly 15 minutes, and read the level. I wait somewhat less time when its 20 degrees outside, as the engine cools faster - and why does this matter? Well, both my 98 Chevy 4x4 and my 01 Camaro OM, stated that unless the oil level was checked by this manner, the level-check would not be valid. My opinion is that the RDX OM is at least implying the same.

4) a consistent RDX COLD level reading can be taken overnight, and will always be LESS than the HOT level reading. But the COLD level will vary somewhat whether the outside temp is 15 degrees or 110 degrees, and yes those are normal temps where I live (winter/ summer). By consistent, I simply mean that day-to-day will be consistent, but the difference between summer and winter COLD readings can be 2-4 ounces. So only a HOT reading will be consistent either summer or winter.

5) I drain the engine HOT, about 30-40 minutes, the length of time it takes to get my tools, new oil, etc. before I can fill with 5 quarts. Even so, the HOT reading with a fill of exactly 5 quarts, will vary by 2 ounces, but no more. The variance is because I do not always use the same exact brand of oil filter, nor do I always wait the exact same amount of time for the engine to drain, nor do I wait until every last drop has drained from the oil fill bottles.

6) overfilling the engine by 2 ounces does not bother me, but overfilling by 16 ounces (1/2 quart) is a problem in my opinion

7) are you supplying your own OIL FILTER as well as ENGINE OIL?

MY CONCLUSION:
If the dealer drains and fills with only 5-quarts, no matter how the drain is done, and no matter which brand of oil filter is used, then the dip-stick should always read HOT, at the top hole, plus or minus the width of the top hole, no more and no less.

If your dealer refuses to fill with only 5-quarts, then you can only go to another dealer.

Have you tried discussing this with the service manager? I have found, that no matter which brand of car, or which dealer shop that I visit, oil changes and air filter changes, are performed by LEARNERS. That is, not by an actual mechanic, but by people who are not yet mechanics, but in training to become mechanics.

My Chevy dealer specifically sends it personel to special training places to learn to be a mechanic, before they are allowed to work on cars - but not the LEARNERS. They are allowed to work on cars doing certain types of tasks, and the shop charges the normal $110/ hour rate - and they consistently screw up my car.

So I never allow my car to be worked on at my Chevy dealer by the LEARNERS - only by a 'real' mechanic. I specifically talk to the service manager, and the shop foreman, as well as the service writer, and make certain that this is understood. And because of the (limited) access to the work area, I can easily verify that my request is followed.

The same goes when I visit my Acura dealer - I have made certain that I say 'hello' to the service manager on every visit - he recognizes me every time - and it shows in the service that I receive. I visited both my local Acura dealers, talked with the service manager at both, before deciding which dealer I would allow (yes allow) to work on my RDX.

At my Acura dealer, my car goes in only twice a year, so every 2-months, I visit for 5 minutes, both my Acura and Chevy dealers. I say hello to everyone, and at both dealers, the service manager, the shop foreman, and my service writer, knows me by sight and by name. Its the only way to receive consistent service, in my opinion.
---eof

russianDude

The dealer is correct. I change my own oil, and after good drain, it takes anywhere from 5.3-5.5qt to make it to the FULL mark.

Changing oil on RDX is so easy, why not do it yourself, no lifting up of the car is required.

Vividsi

apparently some RDX's are different because I have let mine drain for an hour and it tops out at 5 quarts.

russianDude

Do you use ramps or jack to lift up your car? I don't use any of that, my car is perfectly leveled. I also assume you change oil filter.

The way I check oil level, I ran car until its totally warmed up, then shut it off, wait 30 seconds, and take a measurement. I always start with 5qt, but then end up adding up anywhere between 0.2-0.4 qt to make it be at FULL mark.

Manual might say 5qt, but that might mean that its between FULL and MIN, who knows, dipstick is the way to go.

russianDude

I dont think its correct to wait 15 minutes after shutting down the engine. The manual says "wait several minutes" to check the level. The engine needs to be at normal operating temperature, and oil needs to settle down. If you wait more than 2 minutes, engine will begin to cool off...

dcmodels

My intent is not to argue, but to indicate what happens with my own RDX. I do not notice any significant difference in the oil level after 10 mintues, just use 15 minutes because that allows me time to open the hood, go in the house, get a drink, and always measure at the same time. And I still find "wait several minutes" to be vague - for me its 15 minutes.

Agree.

Not when it is 105 degrees in my (closed) garage. And 2 mintues is not enough time for my RDX, for the oil to reach its highest level on the stick, by draining, even when the temp is only 20 degrees. That is simply my observation. And I admit, when the temp is 20 degrees, I generally only wait 10 minutes before checking the oil level, depends upon how far I have driven, and hence, how hot is the engine.

---eof

russianDude

I do what manual says, wait 1-2 minutes after engine fully warmed up and shutdown. If you think your way is better than manual, good luck with that.

When I wait 15 minutes, the level is noticeably higher because all oil settles to the bottom, which explains why some people who wait 15 min think they need less oil. when manual says 5qt, it does not mean to full mark, it simply means enough oil to operate the car, which could be low or mid mark.

russianDude

For fun, take a measurement 1 min and then 15 min after shutting down, there will be a difference in levels you will notice.

dcmodels

So, which does your manual say? wait serveral minutes, or wait 1-2 minutes? Two (2) minutes is not several minutes. You seem confused - its easy enough for any other readers of this thread to read their own manual, and I suggest that they do so.

Couple of minutes = 2
A few minutes = 5
Several minutes = ?? what do you think dear readers?

I find only about a 2-ounce difference between waiting 2 minutes or 10 minutes. Actually, I find no significant difference in oil level whether I wait 10 minutes or 15 minutes. I just find 15 minutes convenient, as I noted in my post above.

And this is really confusing: the entire point of waiting (several minutes) before checking the oil level, is to allow the oil to drain into the bottom (of the oil pan), because that is where the dipstick measures from.

If I wait 12 hours, then won't the oil level be even higher? Well, no, its actually lower after the RDX sits overnight, than the oil level is after 15 minutes. Because the oil is cold, which is why the OM says check it warm.

Although, the difference between 15 mintues and 12 hours is usually only about 2 ounces, unless its below 30 degrees, then the difference can be more.

CHEERS

russianDude

Several minutes is 1-2 minutes, it's not a controversy. I looked up, and actually some manufactures specify 2 minutes in the manual

russianDude

http://www.mobil.com/Shared-Files-LC...up-leaflet.pdf Mobil1 says 3-4min

dcmodels

Both the online, and my paper copy of Webster's dictionary say otherwise. Here is only one source:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/several

more than two but fewer than many

Of course, that is only one of the several (pun intended) definitions of the word "SEVERAL".

But clearly, it is pointless to argue what is defined in any available online or paper dictionary. Or do you now wish to argue the meaning of the word MANY?

I leave this matter to those who may read this thread, to either lookup the word SEVERAL for themselves, or understand how the word SEVERAL is commonly used in ENGLISH - the language, as defined by standardized dictionaries.

And I am done here.
CHEERS

russianDude

Mobil1 article also wrong? Should be 15 min and not 3-4? Castrol says "couple", or wait, does couple also means 15min?

Mr Marco

^he question should really be "What is the dealer doing?"

The answer is they probably don't wait 15 minutes for the max amount of hot oil to drain.

russianDude

They dont, no mechanic waits 15 min to check level after refill. It would be wrong to do so.