Mercedes CLK 320 - Oil Level Question

I feel really ridiculous for even having to ask this question, but this car has me baffled, so... Mercedes guys, do you check and top up your oil level from cold or from normal operating temperature?

I might have a bad sensor in the car causing the issue, but to explain further, the oil level sensor has been coming up as a malfunction when the car is started up from cold. Checking the stick when cold, the oil level is still within the range, I would say it's in the lower 1/3 of the range. When I check the oil at normal operating temperature (after waiting 5-10 mins from shut down to allow the oil to seep down) I notice it's much higher on the range, right at the top.

Seems odd that a car with an 8L oil capacity would have that sort of discrepancy between cold and hot on the stick.

So... do you Mercedes guys/experts check and top up your oil from cold or from normal operating temperature? I'd like to try and top up first and see if that oil sensor malfunction goes away (it will clear itself off on it's own anyway right now) than spend the time and money to replace it... I just don't want to overfill this thing and have a new issue.

Thanks!

If it's within the range on cold, and at max range at operating temp, you have the right amount of oil in it. I'm no MB expert but logic says it's a bad sensor (it's also an old german car, supporting the bad sensor theory).

Also, fwiw on my Audi the oil level is only measured at operating temp. When the engine is cold, it simply doesn't show a level and a message says the car must be warm first :dunno: