Mercedes-Benz engine-oil approvals
Mercedes-Benz identifies service-fill engine oils by MB sheet number, commonly shown on packaging as MB-Approval followed by the relevant number. The approval is more specific than an SAE viscosity grade or an ACEA sequence: an oil must be approved for the exact MB sheet required by the vehicle. Mercedes-Benz maintains product lists in its Operating Fluids system, and its sheet 223.2 cross-reference is used to identify the permitted sheets by engine and application.
Always verify the required MB approval, any permitted SAE viscosity grades, and the service interval in the current owner’s manual or workshop information for the specific vehicle. A newer-numbered approval is not automatically a substitute for an older one.
Current passenger-car and van oil sheets
| MB sheet | Mercedes-Benz description and general context |
|---|---|
| MB 226.5 | Multigrade service engine oils for certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles using Renault-Nissan Alliance-supplied engines. |
| MB 226.51 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils for specified Renault-derived applications. |
| MB 226.52 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils. This later 226-series sheet is listed by Mercedes-Benz alongside 226.5 and 226.51; approved products currently include SAE 5W-30 oils. |
| MB 229.3 | Multigrade service engine oils for specified passenger-car and van engines. This is an older, non-Low-SPAsh approval that remains relevant only where it is explicitly permitted. |
| MB 229.31 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils for specified applications. |
| MB 229.5 | Multigrade service engine oils for specified passenger-car and van engines. It remains a current sheet with approved oils in several viscosity grades. |
| MB 229.51 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils. It remains a current sheet and is commonly encountered in older Mercedes-Benz diesel and some gasoline-engine applications where specifically prescribed. |
| MB 229.52 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils. This is a distinct MB approval, not a blanket replacement for every earlier MB 229 approval. |
| MB 229.6 | Multigrade service engine oils for specified engines, including lower-HTHS fuel-economy oils. Use only where this sheet is expressly allowed. |
| MB 229.61 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils for specified applications. |
| MB 229.71 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils. Mercedes-Benz’s current product list is predominantly SAE 0W-20, but the vehicle documentation remains controlling. |
| MB 229.72 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils for specified modern applications. Mercedes-Benz lists this as a separate active approval; it must not be assumed interchangeable with MB 229.71 or earlier sheets unless the vehicle documentation says so. |
| MB 229.81 | Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils for limited specified applications. Confirm the exact engine requirement before use. |
Historical sheet
MB 229.1H is identified by Mercedes-Benz as a historical multigrade service-engine-oil sheet. It should be retained as historical information for older vehicles, not treated as a current default specification.
What “Low SPAsh” means
Mercedes-Benz uses “Low SPAsh” for oils formulated with controlled sulfated ash, phosphorus and sulfur. These properties can help protect exhaust aftertreatment hardware such as diesel particulate filters, gasoline particulate filters and catalysts in engines designed for such oils. Low-SPAsh status alone does not establish suitability: the required MB approval and viscosity restriction still apply. See the ACEA engine-oil sequences for broader context on low- and mid-SAPS categories.
Approval versus performance claim
Use an oil carrying the actual required MB-Approval and appearing on the applicable Mercedes-Benz Operating Fluids list when verification is needed. A label that merely says an oil “meets,” “recommended for,” or is “suitable for” an MB sheet is not necessarily evidence of Mercedes-Benz approval. This distinction is especially important when comparing an MB approval with a general industry sequence such as ACEA.
For a deeper explanation of the commonly encountered MB 229 approvals, see Mercedes-Benz MB 229 oil approvals explained.