Oil Level Increasing by itself...?

[121CruiserMAN]

So recently fuelled up my Diesel Urbancruiser and minutes after got a spanner flashing on the dash.. Checked the oil level and although was serviced 2 months prior was not showing quite a bit full. Towed to a local garage who re-serviced the car and put in the correct amount of oil and the same thing happened again. This time car was smoking badly...!!

Any ideas people? Is the diesl fuel getting into the oil somehow..? Once the fuel level is below half no warning lights and drives all fine??

 

Cheers

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Hello Philat - welcome to Toyota Owners Club.

Have a look at the following thread, especially post no.6 - 

However, as your Urban Cruiser is a 2009 model it will be beyond the 5 year warranty extension mentioned at post no.6

[g7jtk]

check the oil for fuel in it. It could be fuel leaking in through the injection system via crack in cylinder head

[121CruiserMAN]

Hi and thanks for the replies. As the car is over 5 years old and has done 110k Miles i'm not looking to repair via toyota!

As the Oil level increases I have a feeling it is the fuel thats mixing in it. However only when there is over 1/2 a tank. Anything below that and its all OK..

 

Other than that it drives all ok..??

 

[121CruiserMAN]

Well it did drive all ok until today when driving locally I had a few warning lights come on :( Engine Light, VSC light (flashing), traction light and 4wd Light are all now illuminated...

[Devon Aygo]

1 hour ago, 121CruiserMAN said:

Well it did drive all ok until today when driving locally I had a few warning lights come on :( Engine Light, VSC light (flashing), traction light and 4wd Light are all now illuminated...

The lights are the car telling you there is a fault, if the oil level is raising its either coolant or diesel mixing with the engine oil either way the outcome of prolonged use in this state will be a dead engine .

The water or diesel is diluting the oil and reducing the oils ability to lubricate the engine meaning metal will be wearing metal and something will give up quickly resulting a a potentially huge repair bill possibly even a new engine.

I suggest the car is taken to a suitably trained technician as soon as possible. 

Also have the recent recalls launched by Toyota been completed? https://www.toyota.co.uk/caring-for-your-toyota/owners/recall-checker.json

[121CruiserMAN]

Hi, Recalls have not been done according to Toyota.

Had a local garage plug there computer into the car and 2 faults were showing. 1 was Oil level too much (which is due to diesel getting in I think) 2 DPF clogged up.

Car is in limp mods at minute so only driven to garage at very low speed :(

[Devon Aygo]

OK apologies I assumed you had an earlier model without DPF, oil level increasing with a DPF fitted is nearly always due to failed DPF regeneration attempts and failed regeneration's are invariably caused by several things, in order of likelihood:

1. Incorrect specification of engine oil being used long term causing increased particulate load on the DPF, car must have either 0W30 C2 ( preferred ) or 5W30 C2 oil. The C2 bit denotes the oil is of a low saturated ash content specifically required for DPF

2. Frequent low speed stop-start driving not allowing correct conditions for regeneration to occur, car must be at full operating temp and be cruising in excess of 50 mph for more than 15 minutes otherwise the regen will abort causing excess fuel to enter the engine oil.

3. A fault is preventing the correct regen process.

As a matter of urgency I suggest you contact your local Toyota dealer and have the recalls completed as these are important and are there to prevent damage occurring to the engine, if the oil filled is not designed for a DPF equipped car have the correct grade filled and whilst with Toyota have them carry out a forced regen of the filter, update the engine ECU with the latest software ( includes improvements for DPF operations plus other fixes ) and diagnose why the regens have failed if required.

Your local independent dealer will not be able to do the forced regens or software updates as this requires dealer only equipment.

 

[121CruiserMAN]

Hi and thanks for the replies. I was under the impression I would need to get the current problems fixed and then go to Toyota for the recalls as they probably woundn't touch it with the current faults?

Also I had it serviced locally about 3 months ago and bought the service items (including oil) from Toyota and was given 5/30 if i remember correctly.

 

Cheers

[FROSTYBALLS]

Some Toyota dealers use 5W/30 as under Block Exemption, car manufacturers cannot insist on a particular oil being used - 

 

[g7jtk]

Just back from the local dealer. Yellow spanner comes on intermittently.

They say there is too much oil in the engine. They are the only ones that put any in there.

They say this is because extra fuel is pumped into the cylinders as and when the DPF system needs it to clean the filter. On short journeys the cycle gets interrupted and the fuel that is left in the cylinders and gets past the piston rings then into the oil.

Their solution is going to be to make the glow plug light come on when the cycle starts then we have to drive the car on a dual carriageway for up to twenty five minutes so that the engine gets to maximum temperature.

I don't think this is an acceptable solution. We told the salesman the kind of use the car was going to get at the time of purchase Sounds like a misselling case to me.

No wonder Toyota are dropping Diesel engines.

[FROSTYBALLS]

28 minutes ago, g7jtk said:

We told the salesman the kind of use the car was going to get. Sounds like a misspelling case to me.

Literacy standards aren't what they used to be ..

[Heidfirst]

8 hours ago, g7jtk said:

Just back from the local dealer. Yellow spanner comes on intermittently.

They say there is too much oil in the engine. They are the only ones that put any in there.

They say this is because extra fuel is pumped into the cylinders as and when the DPF system needs it to clean the filter. On short journeys the cycle gets interrupted and the fuel that is left in the cylinders and gets past the piston rings then into the oil.

Their solution is going to be to make the glow plug light come on when the cycle starts then we have to drive the car on a dual carriageway for up to twenty five minutes so that the engine gets to maximum temperature.

I don't think this is an acceptable solution. We told the salesman the kind of use the car was going to get at the time of purchase Sounds like a misselling case to me.

No wonder Toyota are dropping Diesel engines.

It's not a Toyota only problem - you will find the same thing happens to Hondas, Mazdas, VWs, Fords etc. etc. - basically Google any manufacturer brand+ diesel fuel in oil & you will find reports.

A lot of people have bought diesels in the last few years whose usage was not suited to a modern DPF-equipped, common rail turbo-diesel - usually seduced by the quoted fuel economy figures that most are also unlikely to achieve (to be fair to the manufacturers the Euro test figures are the only ones that they are legally allowed to publish/quote).

[g7jtk]

On 23 April 2016 at 9:21 PM, Heidfirst said:

It's not a Toyota only problem - you will find the same thing happens to Hondas, Mazdas, VWs, Fords etc. etc. - basically Google any manufacturer brand+ diesel fuel in oil & you will find reports.

A lot of people have bought diesels in the last few years whose usage was not suited to a modern DPF-equipped, common rail turbo-diesel - usually seduced by the quoted fuel economy figures that most are also unlikely to achieve (to be fair to the manufacturers the Euro test figures are the only ones that they are legally allowed to publish/quote).

One complaint I have is that we told the salesman what kind of driving the car would be doing. He should have advised us that this car was not suitable. If this had been mentioned we wouldn't have bought the car.

[FROSTYBALLS]

2 hours ago, g7jtk said:

One complaint I have is that we told the salesman what kind of driving the car would be doing. He should have advised us that this car was not suitable. If this had been mentioned we wouldn't have bought the car.

This is a common issue across marques, and unless one has actual evidence of what was said, is basically one word against another. Some manufacturers/dealers now have guidelines on selling of diesels to try to get around this issue. 

Some would say it is the purchaser's responsibility to ensure a potential purchase is suitable for the intended use. 

[g7jtk]

Suppose so. Still the will have lost a sale every 3 years or so.

[FROSTYBALLS]

All part of the rich tapestry of life ......

[g7jtk]

Problem resolved.

Bought a Mini.

[Devon Aygo]

12 hours ago, g7jtk said:

Problem resolved.

Bought a Mini.

Hopefully not a Diesel otherwise you will be on the Mini forum with the same issues soon enough !

[g7jtk]

1 hour ago, Devon Aygo said:

Hopefully not a Diesel otherwise you will be on the Mini forum with the same issues soon enough !

No. It's petrol.

funny enough all the sales people seem to know about this problem.

[FROSTYBALLS]

As I said earlier in this thread, the purchaser must bear some responsibility for choosing their vehicle, as the ultimate decision on whether or not to buy is solely theirs. There is plenty of evidence available on the internet, etc which informs people that the modern diesel fitted with a dpf may not be the most suitable for low mileage and/or short journeys. No one forced you to buy a diesel.

 

[g7jtk]

Wonder if this was the case for the OP here. Do they do short trips?

You have to know there is a problem in the first place to go looking for it.

[FROSTYBALLS]

3 hours ago, g7jtk said:

You have to know there is a problem in the first place to go looking for it.

No. When buying a car most people do some research into the type of car, model, etc before purchase to see what issues there may be (rather than knowing of issues already) and to determine whether the vehicle may have the attributes and features they want. This includes comparing the various powertrains, etc. Sites such as owners forums, Honest John, Car4play, What Car, Carbuyer, Auto Express, Parkers, Glass's, Autocar, Which?, etc. Especiually as buying a car is often a person's second largest purchase in terms of cost.

[g7jtk]

If only that was right

[FROSTYBALLS]

Of the 18 new cars I've purchased, I've always researched beforehand to ensure the vehicle meets our requirements and doesn'thave any major issues. Relying on the advice of a salesperson without doing research is just incredibly naive.