Practical tips
Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 203
Engine oil dipstick.
The engine oil dipstick indicates the level of
the oil.
Check the oil le
v
el
–
Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
–
Briefly run the engine at idle speed until
the operating temperature is reached and
then stop.
–
Wait for about two minutes.
–
Pull out the dipstick. Wipe the dipstick with
a clean cloth and insert it again, pushing it
in as far as it will go.
–
Then pull it out once more and check the
oil level
›››
Fig. 203 . Top up with engine oil
if necessary.
The oil must leave a mark between zones
A
and
C
. It can never go above zone
A
.
●
Z
one
A
: do not add oil.
●
Zone
B
: you can add oil but keep the level
in that z
one.
●
Z
one
C
: add oil until zone
B
.
Depending on ho
w y
ou drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is used, oil con-
sumption can be up to 0.5 l/1000 km. Oil
consumption is likely to be higher for the first
5,000 km. For this reason the engine oil level
must be checked at regular intervals, pref-
erably when filling the tank and before a
journey.
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine com-
partment or on the engine must be carried
out cautiously.
●
When working in the engine compart-
ment, always observe the safety warnings
›››
page 319.
CAUTION
If the oil level is above area
A
, do not start
the engine. This could result in damag
e to
the engine and catalytic converter. Contact
a Technical Service.
Topping up the engine oil
Fig. 204
In the engine compartment: Engine oil
filler cap.
Before opening the bonnet, read and ob-
serv
e the w
arnings
›››
in Working in the
engine compartment on pag
e 319
.
Topping up engine oil
●
Unscrew cap from engine oil filler opening
›››
Fig. 204.
●
Carefully add oil in small quantities (no
more than 0.5 l).
●
To avoid adding too much oil, whenever
you add a certain amount, wait about 2 mi-
nutes and recheck the oil level
›››
page 324 .
●
If necessary, add some more oil.
●
When the oil level reaches at least zone
›››
Fig. 203
B
, unscrew the engine oil filler
cap car
efully
›
››
.
324