Assyst Service? What decides A or B - and what work's needed

[kerryaston]

Re: Mercedes A160 Petrol

How does the car decide if it requires a A Service or B Service. First Service was an A, then second a B - what is next? Alternative A/B/A/B or always B's

What work is needed for a A service? Is it just an oil change? What work is needed for a B Service?? Has anyone got a full list of the jobs completed? and how many hours labour for the A & B services?

lastly what is the recommended scedule/time/mileage to change the following items:

Oil Filter?
Air Filter?
Fuel Filter?
Spark Plugs?

Is there a cabin charcoal filter? or not?

 

[Andy]

Hi Kerry

Most of the service info you will find in your service book. The service schedule does altenate between A & B services. Additional work is carried out depending on millage.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[kerryaston]

Hi,

Forget to have a look at the service book.

Always wondered what the logic of the service computer was (i.e what info it uses to calculate the next service on milelage or time) and how it decides A or B. Perhaps its logic is simplier that it appears (i.e alternates A B, and for me always 10000 miles between service counting down exactly with the mileage) rather than being a mysterious "black box"

The car usually visits a MB Dealer, but never had a B service before. Do you follow exactly the same service work as per the MB Assyst sheet (i.e the worksheet I get back from my dealer). Is there any additional work that you do over and above the MB list based on your experience. Is there any work listed on the MB list that is not required (i.e just to boost the cost of the service for the dealer?)

 

[Peter F]

Actual ASSYST Interval

An associated question - I've a 5/02 A190, the 1 spanner appeared at precisely 9000 miles, rolling over to overdue at 10k miles - this does look like a pre-calculated decision of ASSYST.

It duly went in for it's A Service (£151.00), now it clearly shows in the dash display 2 spanners with an count display down from 10000 miles.

Again to me this does not look like a variable interval, but rather pre-determined.

Can anybody advise - is the maintenace system possibly pre-set to every 10k miles, thus overiding the supposed ASSYST variable system.

My previous car an Audi used a similar system, but I regularly did more than the 10k between services.

 

[A Class]

My A class has had 2 services with me, (it's a 99/T) and both have been at 10000 miles. The assyst is supposed to lengthen the service interval if you do a high proportion of motorway miles and when I brought the car the salesman said 11,000 seemed to be the average He even said that if you do a long motorway trip you may see your service interval lengthen!

To be honest I do very few motorway miles (possibly 500 in 10000) but I have never seen the assyst system follow anything but a linear countdown from 10000 to 0.

Perhaps someone who does a lot of motorway miles could comment?

 

[kerryaston]

I find the same.

Even when I travel down to Dover - all motorway. the assyst system still counts down at exactly the same rate as distance travelled. In this case I would have expected it to could down slower?

In my experience ASSYST is just a 10K service indicator (or 2 years)

 

[kerryaston]

A quick check on deja on ASSYST and variable servicing found some interesting info.

On other MB models, the service indicator counts down or up! depending on driving style etc - not strictly inline with mileage as the A class seems to do?

on the Volkswagen variable system, variable service interval is an option that needs to be enabled by the dealer, with an upgraded oil used. Otherwide the car used a standard 10K service interval.

http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/may99/features/vitalsigns/vitalsigns.html

What are the experiences of others who drives a MB with Assyst. Is reactive is the reading to driving style. Does the counter ALWAY count down at the same speed as mileage traveled? Ever seen the reading increase?

Has anyone who drive an A class seen a service interval in excess of 10K?

 

[simon]

Assyst

It appears that you are suggesting that A class vehicles have a downgraded/simplified Assyst system compared to all other post 96 models utilising it & that it is simply a mileage counter.
Whilst not in possession of absolute facts, I consider it to be highly unlikely. It may be subject to minor modification but the computor controlled system itself is discrete. Assyst is a registered M-B term & if they were to substitute a mechanical counter in lieu, they would be open to considerable litigation & significant embarrassment.

Ernest Sidesman

 

[kerryaston]

I agree.

Thats why it it would be interesting to find someone hwo had seen the ASSYST system on the A class perform in any other way than a simple mileage countdown (or time countdown if time exceed 2 years)

On the same basis, it would be interest to know what degree of flexibility the ASSYST system shows on other MB models? i.e say on a E class, is it normal for the system just to count down with mileage - or does it demonstrate some flexibility??

 

[Roger]

An intresting topic, which would benifit from a lot replies. So I have made it 'sticky', I am currently trying to think of 'pole questions' that could be asked to get a quick survey on these questions. If anyone else would care to come up with a set of questions I would be happy to enable here.

 

[kerryaston]

Thanks for making the post sticky!

Ive done a search on the net, and found a site (http://www.newcarnet.co.uk/perf_indepth.html?serialno=9846) which refers to A class ASSYST.

The site claims that ASSYST uses sensors monitoring oil level, oil temperature, coolant temperature, engine speed, vehicle speed and engine load to compute the actual wear on the engine oil and to produce an engine servicing plan based on actual needs. The Active Service System includes an oil level sensor, which warns if the oil level is too high or too low, and displays the shortfall in litres. It also detects if the oil is topped up, in which case it extends the servicing interval accordingly.

The realiablilty of this info is backip up by "www.memagazine.org/backissues/may99/features/vitalsigns/vitalsigns.html" which confirms that the MB Assyst system calculates oil change intervals based on driver-specific data, and supplements that information with a sensor that continuously monitors oil level, oil temperature, and the dielectric number of the engine oil.

This system should therefore give some variabilty in the service interval. Indeed www.newcarnet.co.uk states that the ASSYST system gives the A Class a service interval of as much as 18,600 miles for the Petrol model, and 28,000 miles for the Diesel CDI.

It is therefore very strange that so far everyone here has seen the ASSYST service call up a service in exactly 10K. In my case the ASSYST counted down the mileage linear from first day as it was driven on solid motorway from the MB factory in Rastatt back to the UK, making no "advantage" for motorway driving.

I look forward to the other posts to come.

 

[PeterKK]

I have read this thread with interest. I have only seen a 10K service interval on my A140.

The website of http://www.mavericktechnology.co.uk/carsoft_mb.htm
for the Carsoft system shows the system for "ASSYST SERVICE Systems from 1995 until 1999 Including : RESET & PROGRAMMING "

ASSYST can be reset without external diagnostics, so what info can this system gain from the cars computers? What can be reprogrammed in the system? Is the ASSYST system disabled in the UK?? Anyone know someone who has acess to this kit??

http://www.pecuniary.com/newsletters/oil-sensor.html sugests that "Because Europe has several official standards of engine oil quality, while the U.S. only has one, European ASSYST systems allow better oil quality levels to be programmed into the system. ?Initial programming of the ASSYST system is done at the end of the production line,? says Land. ?However, better oil quality levels are set during maintenance visits for oil changes.?

Is this ever done?

 

[Tony]

Oil level

I'm surprised if ASSYST uses the oil level. My service indicator counted down almost mile for mile to the 10,000 interval. For quite a lot of this time (at least 3000 miles) the oil sensor was faulty and constantly beeping about low oil level (also every now and then high oil level). It took the dealer a long time to get a new unit.

 

[PeterKK]

Does no one have a car with ASSYST here?

From the postings so far, doesnt look like we can disprove the theory that the A class service interval is 10K or two years?

Looks like a fixed service interval - similar to the VW when the variable service interval is switched off.

perhaps a new thread may be useful along the lines of ASSYST service intervals? Requesting posting of Model, mileage to last service (or time if 2 years), Types of service?

i.e

A140 10000miles Service B

 

[simon]

Peter,
I can sense your frustration. As you appreciate, the question is primarily addressed to A Class & I suspect that the numbers are relatively small in comparison to all the other models that MB has produced over the years.
My car has ASSYST but I dont use it & therefore I do not monitor it closely. I suspect that many other owners do not monitor their system closely. However, I have witnessed a C class hooked up with oil readings being taken(After owner claimed excessive consumption) & noted that the system logs all capacity additions etc. I have every reason to believe from comments of owners running up to 14-16K between oil changes on other forums, that the system is definately operational;however, I cannot be precise about the system on A class..

Ernest Sidesman
.

 

[Tony]

ASSYST

Why do you assume that my car doesn't have ASSYST? It's an SLK 320 and the service intervals are governed by ASSYST. It still counts down to 10,000 in an almost linear manner and the fact that the oil sender gauge was faulty for 6 months made no difference.

 

[fuzzer]

It all depends on the way you drive your car :-D

All the mercedes including an A160 Auto count up from 10,000 for my petrol and 13,000 for my diesel.

My A160 auto got about 10,500 doing strictly town driving . A CDI engined car ive had did 18,500 between services..


Anyone getting 10k between services or less must be sticking the pedal into the carpet all the time.

 

[GregE240]

Hi,

I have a 1998 E240 Avantgarde, with ASSYST, and can confirm the following:

1) On my car, it counts down from 10K coming up to an A service, and from about 13.5K from memory for a B service.

2) It DOES monitor oil level. When I bought the car it had just had an A service and the oil light came on aafter some time asking me to add 1l of oil. This was with about 1100 miles to the service. After adding the oil it had gone up to about 3200 miles.

3) I'm not sure of the ethics of this, but if you go over the 10K before your A service is due, the dealership I go to will perform a B service regardless. According to the service technician who dealt with me, the car indicates what service should be carried out. I'd exceeded the distance by about 200 miles. I'm not sure if what the guy said was true, but to be fair the B service was fairly minimal.

4) I've not noticed the number of spanners showing - perhaps this is a later tweak to the system.

5) Mine gives you a visible countdown from 1000 miles to the service being due.

Hope this helps - the car is a 1998 MY if that helps at all.

Greg

 

[fuzzer]

Quote : I'm not sure of the ethics of this, but if you go over the 10K before your A service is due, the dealership I go to will perform a B service regardless.


Its actually about 12,500 or 13,000 or 2 years for it to qualify as a B service.

 

[kerryaston]

So it looks like we need someone with

a) an A class,
b) getting towards the service
c) Low on oil

so we can add 1ltr of fresh oil and see if we get an extension to the service interval in return?

We know it works for other models - but would be interesting if the same happens to the ASSYST on the A series.