Whenever I checked the oil level on our Mk3 Jazz since new, even immediately after dealer service, the oil level always looked high on the dipstick. I thought this was because I was not wiping the dipstick properly or not leaving it long enough after driving.
But recently I was chatting with a friend about how much oil to put in our Honda lawnmower. This also looked overfilled despite using the correct amount of oil according to the instruction book.
Being familiar with Honda agricultural machinery, my friend told me ‘when checking the oil on Honda engines the dipstick is only re-inserted to the detent position, not to the hilt’.
On checking, this does indeed appear to be the case on both our Honda lawnmower AND the Jazz - despite it not specifically saying this in the car handbook. And using this modified technique is certainly quicker and easier.
It seems I may have been inadvertently checking the oil incorrectly for three years.
Have others found this or am I going mad and this is just a fluke on our car and mower?