This article provides a little more information if you’re interested. Do-it-yourselfers can easily do the reset, too, just by using a series of commands found in the owner's manual. They also noticed they ran cooler. Great post about oil life monitor, perhaps I will try to test that one out to see if it’s that benefit. The Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor system analyzes your vehicle’s data to determine the recommended time to change your oil. If you rather get those cheap $20 oil changes I would stick to a shorter interval. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Check your owner’s manual to see if shorter oil-changes are recommended when towing. Good stuff. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The systems factor in plenty of extra time for the driver who procrastinates. This was for both gas and Diesel engines. This video shows how the system works. Thanks, really got to know and understand more about oil monitors. If the oil does look Tell us why it wasn't helpful and we'll work on making it better: They were actually overfilling them. I think they’re full of it. Production: Monitoring process water, chemical effectiveness, produced water discharge and reinjection, separator and filter functionality, refinery separation and discharge water quality Salt Water Disposal: Monitoring oil-in-water concentrations to improve skim oil revenue, and alert operators on high reading to ensure injection equipment is protected from high oil-in-water content How does the viscosity come into play in the motor oil life? I’ve read and been told on multiple occasions, by different sources, that oil needs to be changed every 6 months, regardless of use. Did you check oil levels when engine was cold ?? It’s usually a simple process that’s explained in your owner’s manual. Incorrect. Yes, oil life monitors can track ambient temperatures and use that information to prescribe oil-change intervals. https://driving.ca/auto-news/news/oil-life-monitors-should-you-trust-them Thank you for sharing such an amazing post I found it really very useful and interesting. Automakers invest a lot of time and effort in designing their oil life monitor systems to safely extend oil-change intervals. Thanks for the feedback. I found the info about resetting the Oil Life Monitor to different values on page 21 of the owner's manual under "Instrument Cluster". But increasingly, the change-interval question is being answered by a vehicle's oil life monitoring system, which signals the driver through the instrument panel. In the case of this code, the first thing to do would be to check the level and condition of the engine's oil. No matter what. The Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor (IOLM) in Ford vehicles is a smart system that monitors oil levels and alerts you with a message in the instrument cluster when the oil needs changing. Find out: Should I Warm Up My Car in Winter? We have some fleet vehicles that can be parked for a year or more at a time, and while they don’t get oil changes with zero miles, I wonder if we need to change it at all. Skip to now! Oil life monitors track climate, driving habits and other conditions. Some systems will display the percentage of oil life left so you can schedule a service visit. The Intelligent Oil Life Monitor does not use oil quality sensors – it is entirely software based. Glad we could help. High-quality motors oils can last up to a year before requiring a change, such as AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil and AMSOIL XL Synthetic Motor Oil. Use the DOWN arrow on your steering wheel to scroll through the menu of your vehicle information center until you reach Vehicle Info. What engine? The data is run through a mathematical algorithm that predicts when the oil will begin to degrade. LogicOil’s easy to use software lets you to get the remaining oil life from the oil in your system. For additional motivation, however, some systems will display a negative number to show just how overdue the oil change is. needs this light oil to work properly. Since the OLM can’t measure these key properties like a chemist in a lab would measure them, how can it know when the oil has, for example, only 10 percent life remaining? I like to stick with full synthetics for many reasons besides to advantage of extended drains. It can’t – it simply estimates oil life based on an algorithm. As the article states though, they’re by no means a true indicator of the condition of the oil (and filtration). A long-term 2008 Pontiac G8 GT driven by Edmunds went 13,000 miles before the monitoring system indicated the need for an oil change. Clearly, the system had detected different driving conditions and adjusted accordingly. Honestly, oil-life monitor is a poor description for these systems. Until recently, the question of when to change your oil was usually answered by your local garage, which had a vested interest in servicing your car every 3,000 miles. My truck is used mostly for towing.Does the oil life monitor factor this in? But not a cure all. Good one! We also sent a sample of that oil to a lab for analysis. This begs the question: Why have a normal category at all? Oil Life Software. Doubt the issue had anything to do with amsoil. Full synthetic oil change, and this is the first one since Ford's PCM refresh. The old or traditional way is to look at the motor oil color: if the color is clear and free of brownish or black debris, the oil is still good. Since the GM Oil Life Monitor System does not actually sense oil condition, it is important that the engine computer knows when an oil change takes place. As a result, the system does require you to reset it after an oil change, to indicate to the PCM that an oil change has occurred. One of the biggest issues of changing the oil too often, is environmental damage. The reason I’ve been given is that once moisture and fuel contaminate the oil, it will become acidic, eventually causing corrosion. Well, except AMSOIL users who took advantage of the 25,000-mile (40,200-km)/1-year drain interval of our top-tier synthetic oil. Thanks for sharing the informative post. Me? Some older vehicles require turning the key and pumping the accelerator a few times while the chime is sounding. An oil light typically comes on when your oil pressure drops. VIDEO: Motor Oil — Understanding the Numbers, VIDEO: Motor Oil — Debunking Common Myths, VIDEO: Motor Oil — Conventional vs. Just be sure to at least use the minimum recommended quality of oil whether that be synthetic, semi synthetic oil. That was probably due to using AMSOIL. GM had a major issue with the valve train as there cylinder deactivation on the first gen 5.3.was a complete disaster….. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. � Engine … It then establishes an oil change interval as low as 3,000 miles (4,800 km) and all the way up to 10,000 miles (16,000 km) and more depending on severity of conditions. Receive pricing updates, shopping tips & more! Where can I get my personal car oil analyzed ?? In many cases, quick-oil-change outlets and dealerships' service departments encourage frequent oil changes by claiming that every driver falls in the severe category. Fifty years of doing it this way and never ever had a problem. By enabling the reset (read owner’s manual for instructions), it lets the computer know an oil change has taken place. Showing the conservative nature of the oil life sensors, the analysis showed the oil had at least 2,000 miles of life left in it. Were you monitoring oil consumption in the past? Get a free Edmunds appraisal report for your car in minutes, Ready to sell? Oil change monitoring systems help you get the maximum use out of a limited natural resource. I have found that searching the year, make, model and “oil monitor reset” yields great instructions. Despite their shortcomings, oil life monitors offer a better alternative to wasting perfectly good motor oil. The average recommendation from the system for GM vehicles is 8,500 miles, Snider said. Electronic sensors throughout the drivetrain send information about engine revolutions, temperature and driving time to the car's computer. Your alternative was to crack the owner's manual to see whether your driving habits fell into the "severe" or "normal" category. Precisely how long the oil can last, however, depends on the quality of the base oils used in the formulation. For more information on the Oil Life Monitor, refer to your GMC’s owner’s manual or speak with your GMC Certified Service consultant. So how does the system know when it's time for a change? Missing a 'reset' at an oil change will result in premature OIL CHANGE REQUIRED message. The oil-life monitor measures factors like temperature, idle time, rpm and mileage, but it can’t determine whether or not you’re actually towing. what about smart tech in automotive industry what are your ideas about that ? Oil life monitors are advanced compared to the universal 3,000-mile oil change from years ago. Anything that helps to gauge oil change frequency more accurately is very important. Standard disclaimers apply – your mileage may vary! No one has ever suggested that it’s going to eat through the oil pan, but it has always been recommend to me to prevent issues, that the rule of thumb should be to always change oil a minimum of every 6 months in vehicles or equipment that doesn’t get much use. I purchased a used 2010 Honda CRV with 130,000 miles that I use for a 50-mile highway commute. For example, once it hit 10 percent or 5 percent? If it’s worn out or going to fail no oil will stop that. Newer vehicles often require navigating to the proper screen on the display and following the prompts. Every effort should be taken to get the most out of the oil you have, because I don’t think any of us wants to see that stuff dumped in the ground or into any rivers or oceans. Oil life monitoring systems put an end to the debate by reacting to how you actually drive. But increasingly, the change-interval question is being answered by a vehicle's The Edmunds content team brings you industry-leading vehicle reviews, news and research tips that make it easier for you to find your perfect car. This is the biggest question surrounding oil life monitors. The light comes on well in advance, giving the owner time to get the car serviced. OLM functionality is nice as a reminder. Since early 2000’s BMW luxury models and Rolls Royce contain an oil condition sensor. They’re all a little different. Does the monitor detect and/or calculate viscosity? Not long ago, most people changed oil every 3,000 miles (4,800 km). When towing your foot will be in the throttle more than when not towing. The algorithm calculates mileage, idle time, engine temperatures, trip times, engine loads, and ignition starts and stops. https://www.wallacechev.com/blog/oil-life-monitoring-what-is-it Part of the algorithm is ‘engine load’. Each shift would check oil hot and add. Towing typically increases temperature, so the OLM will detect that temperature increase, however. Moisture, too, can collect in the oil due to changes in ambient temperature. Per some reports: “153.5 million gallons of used oil is being generated in California every year, but only 59 percent of it is ever recycled.”. The idiot reminder is an annoyance, and being that its exactly at 5000 miles, it doesn't sound like the car did any "monitoring… A better name is oil life estimator. While first-generation oil life monitors were simple, mileage-based systems that prescribed fixed oil-change intervals regardless of operating conditions, today’s systems are far more sophisticated. They didn’t have enough tension to scrape the excess oil from the cylinder wall. When we had the oil changed, we captured a sample and sent it to Blackstone Laboratories. Press the Start button long enough for it to highlight the Run/On display, but do not actually start the engine. Today, it’s common for an OLM in a vehicle driven mostly under normal service to recommend an oil change after 10,000 miles (16,000 km) or more. By plugging in real-world data for those variables, the Oil Life Monitor can accurately calculate when an oil change is needed and display the remaining oil life within the Driver Information Center. "With an oil life system, we can use the software to tailor an oil drain interval to the behavior of a certain customer," Snider said. The LogicOil Portable OilLife Monitor. It’s a win-win. Sorry, but I call BS on that article! Originally published Jan. 22, 2018. Sorry about that. We need more information to provide any insight. Intelligent Oil Life Monitor (IOLM) The way you drive can have a significant impact on how often your oil needs changing. This alert usually arrives anywhere between 5,000 and 8,000 miles. It is no big deal, because I will be changing oil on a regular basis and doubt if I'll ever let it go to ten k no matter what the Oil Life Monitor … How Old -- and Dangerous -- Are Your Tires. And then you'd let the listed interval be your frequency guide. I refuse to change full synthetic after just 5000 miles when I did not track the car. Thanks for the replys. Thru algorithms, can adjust the oil change life in the car communication computer. Get more information here. I drive thousands of miles in a year and over an hr 1way to work every day. While 15,000 miles is a lot, it’s not out of the question if you’re primarily driving on the highway. Or does the mechanic set it to 100% a manually? 2: Tracking vehicle operating conditions. Is this helpful? The Oil Life goes off at exactly 5,000mi every single time… even with Royal Purple! No, oil-life monitors do not measure oil viscosity. Later, under highway conditions, the system (which Honda calls a "maintenance minder") came on at 7,600 miles. Typically, an OLM establishes oil-change intervals in the 5,000-7,000 mile (8,000-11,000 km) range. Over time, oxygen degrades the oil, just like oxygen causes iron to rust or an apple to turn brown. It’s all new to me in that my light never came on until now!! My Jeep dealer recommends oil changes every 7,500km (of course) but the oil monitor let’s me go 15,000 km (nearly 10,000 miles) and I am slightly concerned that that is pushing it a bit? They were trying to use low friction piston rings. Get a no-obligation offer for your car in minutes. The CBS system monitors the service life of the engine oil and cabin air filter, wear on the front and rear brake pads, and the condition of the brake fluid and spark plugs. Severe conditions are described differently by various carmakers, but some "severe" conditions that they frequently cite are driving in stop-and-go traffic, towing, excessive idling and driving in the mountains. So the question I have is when the mechanic changes the oil does that automatically set oil life to 100%? As we point out in this post, you can’t necessarily trust your eyes to determine when to change oil. These conditions will lead to a shorter oil change interval since increased idle time, cold temperatures and frequent short trips shorten oil life more than “normal” operating conditions. In general manufactures don’t recommend standard oils for extended drains. On diesel applications, it also tracks the usage and life of the diesel particulate filter. Led to the dealership & warranty company using it as leverage to say I wasn’t maintaining my vehicle properly. Here is a real-world example: Say you start your car 20 minutes before you leave the house because it’s -30˚F (-34ºC) outside and you like to get in a warm car. Anyone ever heard or can confirm/deny this? Oil Analyzers INC. offers used oil analysis for passenger cars and trucks. They were introduced in General Motors vehicles in the late 1980s and have been phased in slowly, said Matt Snider, project engineer in GM's Fuels and Lubricants Group. This post does not talk about viscosity of the motor oil. The cost of the vehicle was why I use Amzoil products in the first place. GM 5.3 had issues with oil consumption along with Subaru and others. Amsoil is a great oil. What specific oil did you use? Consult your owner’s manual or YouTube for directions. Oil life monitoring systems have been around for several decades. Many motorists may not realize they subject their vehicles to extended idle times or frequent short trips, which can expose the engine to wear if you don’t keep on top of oil changes. The color of the oil doesn’t necessarily indicate when it requires changing. Then you drive about 15 minutes to work. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Oil Life Monitors – Everything You Need To Know, most people changed oil every 3,000 miles (4,800 km), AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil, iy_2021; im_04; id_25; ih_01; imh_57; i_epoch:1619341070396, py_2021; pm_04; pd_20; ph_04; pmh_56; p_epoch:1618919797968, link-block-publisher; link-block-publisher_link-block-publisher; bodystr, pn_tstr:Tue Apr 20 04:56:37 PST 2021; pn_epoch:1618919797968, https://blog.amsoil.com/oil-life-monitors-everything-you-need-to-know/. Synthetic. You got great milage out of that first gen 5.3 . When the analysis comes back, I’ll assess whether an oil change is really warranted or whether the oil can be run a bit longer. To help us understand your situation better, please call AMSOIL Technical Services at 715-399-TECH and we’ll be glad to help. Dipstick shows no loss of oil. The maintenance minder system reached 0% after 15,000 miles. Oil Life Monitor. They’ve prevented the waste of countless quarts of perfectly good oil over the years. The mechanic must manually reset it after changing oil. Do you extend drain intervals? However, if you’re concerned about engine protection after 15,000 miles on the same oil, upgrade to a good synthetic for the reserve protection and peace of mind. Oil consumption increased on the diesel engines. They are incapable of chemically analyzing the oil. Updated. When my OLM indicates that I need an oil change, I take a sample and send it off to an independent lab to have the oil analyzed. The result: The oil could actually have safely delivered at least another 2,000 miles of service. Paying attention to the OLM (and the oil change sticker), I get really great mileage. Most first gen 5.3 didn’t go anywhere near those miles. I’m averaging 3 a year. It’s true that oil eventually requires changing even if you put zero miles on the vehicle. I went ahead and replaced the engine with a Jasper remanufactured engine which is much cheaper than buying a new comparable Suburban for $80,000+ . Oil temperature monitoring. Amzoil wasn’t the answer to my 2007 Suburban with the 5.3 engine. This seems like a lot of miles between oil changes to me and wanted your opinion if I should trust it? When a technician changes the oil, he resets the monitoring system. He said that the longest oil change interval he was personally aware of was 17,000 miles in a colleague's car. Simply changing the oil won’t automatically reset the oil-life monitor. Several of our ambulances were switched to Amsoil. 100,000-Mile Maintenance Costs for Top-Selling Cars, 5 Tips for Choosing the Right Auto Body Shop. Living in Canada where cold is common, you want to use a good synthetic anyway to ensure the oil flows quickly at start-up for easier starts and better wear protection. AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil is guaranteed for up to 25,000 miles or one year, while XL Synthetic Motor Oil is guaranteed for up to 12,000 miles/one year or the recommendation given by your oil life monitor. Keep in mind that auto manufacturers also make money servicing your vehicle…. In essence, I take what the OLM indicates with a grain of salt. VW/Audi calculates oil life based on the oil’s “thermal load.” It uses an oil temperature and oil level sensor and combines that data with fuel consumption, mileage, and time since last oil change. Now the question is this: if by looking at the motor oil and it looks clear, but the indicator says the life is 20%, should the motor oil be changed? https://www.edmunds.com/.../when-should-you-change-your-oil.html Your OLM also acts as a safeguard against driving too long without an oil change in severe service. This sensor measures electrical stability thru capacitance, using the motor oil as an insulator which send bit serial data to the engine control module. Freed From the Schedules Perhaps the best thing about oil life monitoring systems is that they free car owners from the confusing exercise of slotting themselves in the normal or severe driving schedules listed in the owner's manual. Here’s an ASE G1 test question for you: Technician A says the oil life monitor will reset itself after the oil change. "We are very confident in the accuracy of the system," he said. I use full synthetic oil on my 2018 Equinox. Through independent oil analysis, I’ve found that the oil (and filter) I’m using easily lasts until 15,000 miles given my vehicle and my driving conditions. This style of OLM is software-based and … With premium touches inside & exclusive design cues outside, Envision Avenir is the highest expression of Buick luxury. Portable Oil Life Monitor. I change my oil and filter when I can’t see my oil dip stick level lines through the oil. Does the algorithm then allow adequately for the “severe” cold temperature conditions in Canada? https://erwinsalarda.com/how-to-chevrolet-silverado-oil-life-reset This helps you avoid unnecessary maintenance while reducing waste oil. Nice Post. After having oil consumption problems starting at around 160,000 miles it dropped a lifter at 210,000 miles. In the event that an oil change is done without resetting the system, the Can you explain why this happens? Throttle position = Engine load. Thanks for the explanation. Like anything, the better the quality, the longer it’ll last. The manufacturer should explain this to people more in there operators service manuals, which I am sure a lot of people don’t read. I run full synthetic with a quality oil filter (brands omitted on purpose). Using an Oil Life Monitoring System If your car has an oil life monitoring system, read your owner's manual to get a feel for how it's going to communicate with you. https://auto.howstuffworks.com/.../dirty-truth-about-oil-changes.htm If it doesn't look fresh and new, change it and the oil filter. They monitor several conditions known to reduce oil life, enter those values into an algorithm and return the oil-life percentage you see on your vehicle’s display. Over time, I’ve found that my OLM tends to indicate an oil change is needed about every 5,000 miles. Considering how many vehicles and other motor machines are out there which all use oil, the environmental impact of oil change frequency can be absolutely astronomical. Oil condition monitoring. https://www.acdelco.com/parts/oils-fluids/gm-oe-dexos1-full-synthetic-motor-oil And that’s pretty messed up. Scroll right to … Did the system recommend changing the oil prior to reaching 0 percent? Had an oil change 3 months ago, have only driven 400 miles, and the change engine oil light came on. I think oil monitors are nice because they tailor services to how you drive not some generic schedule. They are simply algorithms that prescribe when to change oil based on mileage, idle time, duration and other factors. Also, some oil consumption is normal and occurs as a result of oil that coats the cylinder wall burning. Some engine manufacturers, for example, consider up to a quart of oil consumption every 1500 miles or so to be “normal.”. https://blog.amsoil.com/oil-life-monitors-everything-you-need-to-know Don’t forget too that a good oil filter is critical for extended drains as well. If you’re concerned about pushing the oil too far, make sure you’re using a high-quality synthetic capable of delivering extended drain intervals. The best source of info and totally informative I really appreciate your thoughts. However, there are some gaps in the technology. Thanks, this is handy information. Then oil life monitors (OLM) came along and changed the game. For 2010 vehicles, 14 of 35 manufacturers use oil life monitoring systems. I had this issue with emergency vehicles that were running 24/7. Real-World Evidence The oil life monitoring system in a 2007 Honda Fit Sport owned by an Edmunds.com editor signaled for an oil change at 5,500 miles, due to a lot of around-town driving. In general, the systems are designed to be easily understood and used. When I convinced them to wait several shifts to add oil they found out they weren’t using oil. A lot of people don’t understand that the reason for 0W20 in some motors is because of the variable valve timing mech. They do not monitor any direct physical or chemical property of oil; they only accumulate data from the vehicle’s computer and predict how your driving habits and operating conditions have affected the oil’s viscosity, total base number (a measure of remaining detergency), oxidation level and other factors. Y’all either sell oil or provide oil changes to tell this blatant of of a lie. So I guess my oil changes have been more than frequent enough so the warning never came on. The easy way to keep track of your oil’s life and create new oil profiles not in the database.