I'm sure this has been posted somewhere but my search didn't give me any results. On my '99 T/A, the oil change light came on yesterday. It has only been about 2000 miles since the last oil change. I thought I reset the oil light with the last oil change. Is that warning light just a "counter" or does it take other factors into consideration?

 

Yeah that oil change light is programmed to light up after so many miles, "2 or 3 thousand miles, I'm not exactly sure on the milage," but it can be reset pretty easily by turning the key over but not starting it, and pressing the gas petal 3 times, then turn the key off, that should reset the change oil light.

 

i just ignore it and pay attention to mileage. if it comes on prior to a scheduled oil change, i simply reset it. i reset it again at the next scheduled oil change

 

I always go by mileage and not the idiot light.

 

The light is not based on mileage but on engine revolutions and temperature so it is actually a better indicator than mileage alone. It will generally vary between 3,000 miles and 7,500 miles depending on usage. However, I seriously doubt it would ever come on after only 2,000 miles unless you have been drag racing in Death Valley so I suspect it wasn't reset after the last change. You could reset it now and just go by total mileage (including the 2,000) for the next change then reset it again to get back on schedule.

 

Thanks for the responses. I did experience a massive water pump failure at highway speeds. The faux water temp gauge did not help. I smelled coolant and stopped. The temp gauge pegged as I was stopping. Maybe that heat helped trigger the oil change light sooner than expected. I've only had a couple of moderate acceleration test runs since the last oil change, so that is not a likely cause.