sevice indicator

[david b]

david b
Registered User

Posts: 48
Join Date: Jan 2004
Service indicator

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Just had 1st service today A service @ 10000 miles
Car now says 10000 miles to B service
Dealer says that after 1000 miles car will reset itself to 13000 miles
car is a C-class 203
Oil used was MB229.5
will it reset itself or not?
they seem to count down from 10000 whatever?

 

[pascal]

Maybe, David

If you put you Q on the top of the post, instead of a copy of your user profile, you might get better feedback. This post looks rather confusing. Also, you do not state what engine.

BTW: some assyst indicators stay stagnent for several K miles. They measure the quality of the oil, among other things (miles, time, type of driving etc)

 

[996jimbo]

I've been wondering about this assyst timing thing. I got my first MB (W202 - '98 C class) a couple of months ago. It had just been serviced and the counter zero'd. It initially read (I think) 9,000 to next service. I have since done about 5,500 miles and it is showing around 6,500 to next service - it has opened the service interval out from 9,000 to 12,000 based on the quick racking up of miles.

PS - in terms of 'resetting'; it has gradually opened up the service interval as the miles have built up - it did not suddenly change or 'reset' to 12,000.

Hope this is of use.

 

[fwb44]

Each time my W210 E300 TD is serviced, the ASSYST is re-set to 'next service at 10,000 miles'. While I was doing mostly town driving, this gradually opened up in practice to about 13,000. Now that I do almost nothing but motorway (airport run) miles, it's up to about 17,000 between services.

 

[philharve]

Now that I do almost nothing but motorway (airport run) miles, it's up to about 17,000 between services.

That's a relief. My service indicator is recommending the next service is in 1800 miles time. By then my car will have covered almost 20,000 miles since the last ASSYSTed service, about 2 yr ago.

I have been formed the service indicator will recommend service at least every 2 yrs. So, driven with care you can dramatically cut your annual service costs.

REGARDS Phil

 

[fwb44]

my car will have covered almost 20,000 miles since the last ASSYSTed service

My last service was actually at 20,000 miles after the one before, tho' the indicator was still 'only' saying 2,000 miles overdue and my garage reassured me it wasn't critical, but I shouldn't leave it much longer. I believe (others will correct me if this is wrong) that the viscosity of the oil plays a large part in determining the interval? I had topped the oil up by several pints by the end of those 20,000 miles perhaps mitigating some of the overdueness?

 

[philharve]

Hi fwb44

Your comments bear out what the MB service manager told me. He said the condition of the oil is a key factor in determining the service interval. He qualified this by saying that modern oils rarely break down and lose their viscosity if the car is driven with care. I guess if you have been adding oil then you will have been putting some of the viscosity back into the oil, hence the extended service interval.

Shortly after I bought my car, almost a year ago, I bought a quart of MB recommended oil for topping up purposes to carry in the car. The technician who served me said he would be very suprprised if I ever needed to open it. You know, he was right. My Merc' doesn't consume oil even at 98k miles. It shows little contamination and still looks reasonably clear.

Glad to see I'm not the only owner to have achieved almost 20k miles between services. My annual mileage is about 10k, so a 2yr service interval is about right.

REGARDS Phil

 

[fwb44]

My Merc' doesn't consume oil even at 98k miles

Even at 289,000 miles mine only uses a couple of pints betwen services. Incidentally [wobbling off topic here] it was in a 4-car shunt on the M25 10 days before Christmas sustaining severe front and rear damage and I thought would be written off, but the insurers deemed it worthy of £4,000+ worth of repairs which are now going ahead. My respect and affection for the marque in general and this model in particular continue to grow and I wonder how many lives it has left?

 

[philharve]

Even at 289,000 miles mine only uses a couple of pints betwen services.

Hi fwb44

That's a truly impressive figure you've got there! It's one of the reasons I bought a Mercedes, for its longevity. My 98k makes my car a comparative youngster.

Sorry to hear about your accident. I assume it was your pride and joy that sustained all the damage: you were unhurt?

I am surprised it wasn't judged a write-off because presummably it is an old vehicle having covered that mileage? Must still be worth a lot of money?

REGARDS Phil

 

[fwb44]

pm sent

 

[philharve]

Hi francis

pm returned.

REGARDS Phil.

 

[EuroCLK320]

Is there a time between services that should be considered when using the service indicator. My last service was over a year ago but i still have 4,500 on my indicator. is this OK?

 

[fwb44]

My last service was over a year ago but i still have 4,500 on my indicator. is this OK?

If you check back through this thread I think you'll find some answers to that Q. But what you do with your car has to be OK with you to be OK! IMHO an annual pre-winter service for any M-B [or any other car FTM] that does less than 10K miles per annum never comes amiss

 

[EuroCLK320]

If you check back through this thread I think you'll find some answers to that Q. But what you do with your car has to be OK with you to be OK! IMHO an annual pre-winter service for any M-B [or any other car FTM] that does less than 10K miles per annum never comes amiss

Thanks for that. I was thinking more of the implications for the service history.

 

[fwb44]

the implications for the service history

I'd just do what the book & the ASSYST service indicator say and make sure you keep your service history up-to-date and stamped. No-one worth doing business with at a later date will argue with that!

 

[philharve]

Is there a time between services that should be considered when using the service indicator. My last service was over a year ago but i still have 4,500 on my indicator. is this OK?

Hi EuroCLK320

The period between services is variable if you allow yourself to be guided by the car's ASSYST service indicator, Treat the car gently and the service interval increases. My next service, which is imminent, will fall approximately 20,000 miles after the last one, or about 2 yrs ago in my case.

I visited my MB dealership early in 2005 to check on service intervals. My service records indicated my car hadn't been serviced in 12,000 miles. The dealer checked the ASSYST indicator which read that there were about another 7,800 miles to go. The dealer added that you can have your car serviced whenever you like but it would be a waste of money.

My previous car had a fixed service interval of 6,000 miles. Three of these services would probably cost more than one MB service.

REGARDS Phil

 

[DAVECLK]

david b
Bought my first merc a CLK last June. Got caught out overnight by the service indicator telling me 2000 to next B service and then the following day 30 days to next service even though my mileage up to then was very very low and I would nowhere near do 2000 in that time.
Dealer explained as the mileage on my car was so low by not only myself but the previous owner that the 2year max. time had come into play!
DAVECLK

 

[scousetechie]

My C200 Sport (1997) tends to give me about 13,000 miles between services but it always tends to be a low level service that's required. I do about 30,000 miles per year.

 

[philharve]

My C200 Sport (1997) tends to give me about 13,000 miles between services but it always tends to be a low level service that's required. I do about 30,000 miles per year.

Hi scousetechie

Would that be largely motorway miles? Looking at your figures you have about 2 services per year. I'm intriged by the reference to 'low level service'. When do you have the high level service? Do you have several 'B's before an 'A'? I thought they tended to run A,B,A,B,A ...?

REGARDS Phil

 

[DAVECLK]

david b
The service indicator will not go above 10000 but will simply not reduce by the actual miles run.
This will depend on various criteria i.e oil vis, driving style etc etc.
DAVECLK