Intelligent Oil Life Monitor

[ianq01]

...yesterday after doing about 16,000km since the last oil change.

Anyhow, changed my oil this morning at one of those quick-change places and reset the monitor as per the manual, took under a minute to reset, not quite as convoluted as it sounds...

[lddavis]

Originally Posted by ianq01

changed my oil this morning at one of those quick-change places

<shudder>

Oh, the humanity...

I've seen too many problems with those places to want to save the five or ten bucks over taking it somewhere where they won't kill the engine.

[cbdallas]

In 2000, I took my brand new Nissan Sentra to Jiffy Lube for its first oil change. Seemed uneventful, until I got about 3 miles down the road and smoke started billowing out from under the hood. It was clear from the smell that it was burning oil, so I turned around and went back.

After looking underneath the car, they could find nothing wrong and told me that they think my brand new car has a cracked block.

Ever the skeptic, I drove home and crawled under it myself. I found oil dripping from the oil filter right onto the exaust pipe.

I drove to the store & bought a new filter, crawled back under the car and changed it myself. Voila...no more leak.

The filter wasn't tightened beyond the point where the gasket comes in contact with the mating surface.

Between this experience (my first, and last at Jiffy Lube) and all the horror stories I've heard about stripped drain plugs, etc. I just save myself drama and do all my oil changes in my garage. I happily maintain a 2005 Sport Track, a 2011 Camaro and will be doing my own maintenance on a 2013 Focus.

I don't know what the hiring criteria is for quick-lube places (if they have any), but they don't meet my standards.

[gsxrboy]

I am sure you are doing this already, but for the un-informed, as long as you have documentation that you have changed the oil with the correct parts, you are still under warranty. Keep all receipts!

[YesMAN]

Originally Posted by lddavis

I've seen too many problems with those places to want to save the five or ten bucks over taking it somewhere where they won't kill the engine.

I was surprised to notice just yesterday that Walmart charges around $30 for an oil change but I keep getting coupons from my dealer for $19.95. First time ever the dealer has been cheaper. I hear they're pretty cheap for tires too.

Originally Posted by cbdallas

In 2000, I took my brand new Nissan Sentra to Jiffy Lube for its first oil change. Seemed uneventful, until I got about 3 miles down the road and smoke started billowing out from under the hood. It was clear from the smell that it was burning oil, so I turned around and went back.

Me too, only I didn't go back. I pulled over and popped the hood. A puddle of oil sitting on top of the block.

Originally Posted by gsxrboy

I am sure you are doing this already, but for the un-informed, as long as you have documentation that you have changed the oil with the correct parts, you are still under warranty. Keep all receipts!

I take pictures of me actually pouring the oil in too. With date stamp. Pro'lly overkill.

[cbdallas]

I keep a log book with receipts stapled to the pages, and write the date on the new oil filter before I install it.

[lewisra]

Originally Posted by YesMAN

I was surprised to notice just yesterday that Walmart charges around $30 for an oil change but I keep getting coupons from my dealer for $19.95.

I've got a dealer that does them for $9.95, plus upcharge for 5w20. Drawback is(as with most dealerships) it ends up being an hour or more.

[focusstu]

[QUOTE=YesMAN;4553305]I was surprised to notice just yesterday that Walmart charges around $30 for an oil change but I keep getting coupons from my dealer for $19.95. First time ever the dealer has been cheaper. I hear they're pretty cheap for tires too.

I bought tires for my wife's Honda Odyssey from my Ford dealer. The regional marketing group had a deal where they match the lowest price around, then give you a $100 rebate, then $50 for using your Ford Owner's Advantage credit card, then you can keep the manufacturer's rebate. The tires were $350, about $150 less than I could find them anywhere else, and cheaper than Tirerack when you consider shipping and mounting.

The key is to keep checking the owner's web site for promotions.

[BrApple]

Originally Posted by BrApple

So is it safe to say that if the monitor is working then it should active every 10,250 miles? I have not had the monitor activate, however I have changed the oil every 5k miles. I reset the monitor each time, except this last time. Since I last reset it at 10k it should activate just after 20k miles then?

Not sure if I need the TSB applied to my car. I know I need the washer fluid one done. Would be good to get both done at the same time.

Well I had the alert activate yesterday at 15,386 miles. Last time I changed the oil and reset the monitor was at 10,092 miles. Needless to say I was alittle suprised that it came on. The only thing I did different this last oil change was I used Mobil 1.

Thinking out loud here ... I wonder if it has anything to do with the health monitor report setting? hmm ... I was just looking online and I thought that somewhere one could control at what milage the prompt would activate for the owner to run the vehicle health report. Maybe its in the car menu? I recall setting mine to 5k miles some how as a reminder that I would be changing the oil soon.

[Kenshai]

Had my oil changed at the dealershipat 7269, rolled over 10k ttoday and the oil change monitor flipped on saying it needs to be changed. Was on the way back from a 6 hour trip and will take a look at the oil in the morning. My thought here is they just skippedthe astepto reset the monitoring system.