Have a '17 SL. Just turned 1700 miles and notice I am 1/2 quart low. Concerned a little, but what I know about ring seat in time I'm not real surprised. My '07 Altima SL when new used no oil during break-in. Is my suspicion correct that maybe it needs more break-in time? I have driven it very gently during break-in with mostly state route driving. Should I top it up until I get to my first free oil change at 5000 miles? My son has a new '17 Audi A4 and tonight he said he got a "check oil" light during his easy break-in and it was 1 qt. low, but I've heard Audi's have a problem with oil usage. Did not expect the Maxima to do that!

Thanks

 

Is it below the 'add oil' line? If not then you don't need too, howerver jsut recheck it every 1000 miles or so.

 

When I picked up my new 2016 Maxima, I made it a point to check the psi in each tire and the oil level before leaving the dealer (for a 35 mile freeway trip home; I don't use the nearest dealer). When I saw the oil was at the midpoint between full and low, I asked the service manager about it. She said that, with this newest Maxima engine, they fill the oil to the midpoint of the dipstick range because this engine does not use oil, and it avoids any chance of the oil being too high and letting the engine churn it, which can be fatal to the engine.

I checked the oil lever fairly often those first few months, and the level never changed. After 5K miles, it was still in the middle of the gauge, and after my free refill, it was again filled to the middle of the dipstick gauge. I have totally trusted my service manager for fifteen years (she absolutely knows cars, and is the reason I use a dealer that is not one of the three nearest me), so will simply check the level occasionally, especially before and during any long trip, and be happy.

 

Derick,

It is slightly less than 1/2 way down the hash marks and just now beginning to show a little color so I can more easily see precisely where the level is (my older eyes). I will tell you this, all my Nissans historically have been difficult as far as checking the oil line deposited on the dipstick. This Maxima is unusually so, especially with the large incline of the dipstick as it enters the oil pan.

 

I have the same observations on my 2016. The car does not suck any oil @17,000 miles driven.

 

I checked with my dealer today. I asked how they fill the new Maximas with oil. She said when they arrive from the factory they prep them by adding factory recommended oil as necessary, although she said from factory the level is sitting at the full mark on the dipstick. She said the factory uses 0w20 full synthetic, requiring no special break-in oil like in the late 90's. When I questioned if synthetic would result in longer break-in period she said Nissan says by 5000 miles (first check-up) the synthetic should have broken in engine parts including rings to factory specs, and that a bit of oil may have been consumed in the break-in process. She said she has never experienced a '16 or '17 Maxima coming in on-time for its first oil change with a "low oil" warning set.