OIL CHANGE light on and off sporadically
05-20-2004, 07:39 AM
#1
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OIL CHANGE light on and off sporadically I have the car in sig.
I changed the oil to 10w-40 to help try and reduce
the oil getting taken into my CATCH CAN.
I just changed my oil about 1000 miles ago.
Yesterday when I started it up, after about 1 minute
of driving my "oil change" light came on. I've never seen
it before, didn't even know the car had some type
of "oil monitoring system". I just change it every 3000.
After about 2 more minutes of driving it went out.
So I was just thinking "fluke".
Today, same thing happened.
Both trips were on my way to work.
On my way home from work, no light.
I've checked the oil level and it's fine.
No drips in garage, no leaks on engine, I looked.
Car only has 4500 miles.
Should I be concerned?
OR
Is this "oil change" light just a "gimmick"?
What are the "sensors" that would trip the light?
thanks
I changed the oil to 10w-40 to help try and reduce
the oil getting taken into my CATCH CAN.
I just changed my oil about 1000 miles ago.
Yesterday when I started it up, after about 1 minute
of driving my "oil change" light came on. I've never seen
it before, didn't even know the car had some type
of "oil monitoring system". I just change it every 3000.
After about 2 more minutes of driving it went out.
So I was just thinking "fluke".
Today, same thing happened.
Both trips were on my way to work.
On my way home from work, no light.
I've checked the oil level and it's fine.
No drips in garage, no leaks on engine, I looked.
Car only has 4500 miles.
Should I be concerned?
OR
Is this "oil change" light just a "gimmick"?
What are the "sensors" that would trip the light?
thanks
05-20-2004, 07:46 AM
#2
TECH Resident
The oil change light will come on every 3000 miles. To reset it hold in your trip mileage button for more than 5 seconds and the oil light will reset for another 3000 miles.
When the car thinks its time to change the oil (after 3000miles since last reset) the light will come on for a couple of mins after every start up then go out.
It does sound odd that it didn't come on once, I dont have an answer for that one, unless you missed it.
When the car thinks its time to change the oil (after 3000miles since last reset) the light will come on for a couple of mins after every start up then go out.
It does sound odd that it didn't come on once, I dont have an answer for that one, unless you missed it.
05-20-2004, 09:50 AM
#3
TECH Senior Member
the light's a gimmick... it calculates oil life based on how you drive but it's useless to go off of... I've had my car go up to 8000 miles in the past before it came on (it's not a set 3000 miles, it's based on driving conditions) ... best bet is to just change your oil every 3000 (maybe up to 5000 if synthetic and you don't race much) miles and when the light comes on turn it off (with procedure mentioned above)
05-20-2004, 11:59 AM
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Thanks for the information.
I was thinking that the 10w-40 was doing something weird.
But then I thought better of it since I found on this board
that the 10w-40 doesn't get into the catch can as easily
as the 5w30 that is recommended.
By the way, the 10w-40 has cut down on the amount
of oil in my catch can "some". I would estimate
it has cut down about 25% over 5w-30. I was hoping
for more, knowing it would NOT eliminate it.
I have reset it and will continue to monitor the light, but
just change every 3000.
I was thinking that the 10w-40 was doing something weird.
But then I thought better of it since I found on this board
that the 10w-40 doesn't get into the catch can as easily
as the 5w30 that is recommended.
By the way, the 10w-40 has cut down on the amount
of oil in my catch can "some". I would estimate
it has cut down about 25% over 5w-30. I was hoping
for more, knowing it would NOT eliminate it.
I have reset it and will continue to monitor the light, but
just change every 3000.