How To Do a Mercedes Oil Change By Yourself

Why are Mercedes oil changes so expensive and can you do it yourself?

A single oil change for a Mercedes Benz can cost anywhere between $100 and $300. That’s a pretty hefty price tag for a simple task!

You couldn’t be blamed for wanting to save a small fortune and try to take on the job on your own.

There’s a challenge and resulting satisfaction when it comes to tackling the modern complexity of automobiles. If you can figure out how to service your vehicle on your own, you can flip a big middle finger to the car service providers who like to nickel and dime you.

All it takes is a little know-how and a willingness to get your hands dirty.

If your vehicle needs an oil change and you’re curious about how to do it yourself, read on. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about a Mercedes oil change.

Use the Right Oil & Filter

Just because you’re trying to save a buck on the service doesn’t mean you should skimp out on getting the right oil for your Mercedes vehicle. It’s important that you purchase the same oil that the service team would have used and that the manufacturer recommends.

Mercedes-Benz dealerships use Mobil1 European Car 0W-40 Full Synthetic oil. You might be okay going with a different brand, but you should definitely stick with fully synthetic oil. The long-lasting health of your car will thank you.

Related: Should I Use Synthetic or Conventional Motor Oil in My Car?

Mobil1 is well-tested and has been specifically designed for 10,000 oil change intervals. Depending on your particular engine, you’ll need a different amount of oil.

6-cylinder engines such as the C240, E320, or CLK350 require 7 quarts of oil. V8 engines like the CLS550, E500 E55, and ML500 require eight.

The filter you pick up to use in your oil change is just as important as the oil itself. If you don’t want your vehicle to crap out before you hit 10,000 miles, you’ll want to make sure you get yourself a fleece oil filter.

Mercedez Benz dealerships typically use the Mann Fleece Oil Filter, and it’s recommended that you do as well.

What Tools Will You Need?

This is the only place where going DIY might still cost you a bit of money. If you already own some or most of these tools, great. If you don’t and you’ll need to purchase them, consider them an investment for all future oil changes.

Even if you have to purchase all the tools listed below, you’ll still likely end up spending less than you would be paying for at the shop your first oil change.

You will need a 74mm oil filter wrench for Mercedez-Benz. You will need a 3/8 ratchet, a 13mm socket wrench, and oil drain pan, and a jack stand. If you’d like, you could also invest in a vehicle ramp to make your work easier.

Performing the Mercedes Oil Change

Now that you have everything you need, you can start the down and dirty business of actually changing your vehicle’s oil. It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for.

Draining Old Oil

First thing first: pull the hood release on your vehicle. The handle is located on the interior of the driver’s side.

You should pull until you hear the hood release. Once the hood is popped, open it by pulling up on the triangle shaped hood release.

Raise the car up to a proper working level. You can do this using the jack stand that we previously mentioned–one likely even came with the vehicle. If a jack is a lot of work, that’s where those vehicle ramps can come in and make the job easier.

Either way, once the vehicle is properly elevated, you can get to work. Get on down under the vehicle and remove the splash shield.

It’s a black piece of plastic that is under the engine and is held in place by 4 to 6 bolts. Your 8mm wrench should easily do the trick in removing them.

Once the splash guard if off, remove the oil drain plug. Use the 13mm socket wrench and turn the bolt counterclockwise.

It can be confusing to figure out which way is the proper way to turn the bolt, but take care. Turning it the wrong way can tighten it and make it difficult to loosen.

Once loosened, oil should begin draining. Let it drain for at least ten minutes.

Refreshing with New Oil

After this time has passed, remove the front part of your vehicle’s engine cover. Place the oil filter removal tool on the oil filter and, as the name implies, remove it. Take your new oil filter and place it in the same spot, making sure that only one black line is showing.

Retighten the oil drain plug underneath the vehicle. Install it with a new washer if you have one available. Once tightened, you’ll be ready to put new oil into your vehicle.

Add six quarts of oil at first and then check your levels. You don’t want to overfill your vehicle. Let the oil sit for ten to fifteen minutes and check the level again to see if anything has settled. If you need to add more, do so. If not, carefully close the engine and hood back up. Make sure you know how many quarts of oil your Mercedes will need!

Almost there! Lower your vehicle back to ground level. The last thing you’ll need to do is reset the oil change alert on your dashboard.

How to do this varies model to model, and your best bet will be checking your individual user manual. Some models have their manuals easily accessible online.

Make sure you grab yourself some good oil like Royal Purple or Castrol Edge

Become a DIY Master

Teaching yourself how to service and care for a vehicle on your own is one of the best and most self-sustaining skills any citizen can have. Being able to do a Mercedes oil change on your own will save you loads of money down the line, and leave you with a satisfaction that is unrivaled.

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