[Red2goBlue]

Hello,

This is my first Ford Focus. I got purchased the car when it had less than 50 miles on it. I read in the manual about oil changes and that the car would let me know when it needs an oil change. It said anywhere from 6000 to (I think) 9000 miles it would indicate to me that it needed changed.

Im use to the old engines and you would change the engine oil every 3,000 miles. This is a brand new car, much smaller engine and uses synthetic oil.

Its now at 6,700 miles and there has been no indication as to needing it changed. I checked the oil just to be safe and it looks full and (to me) the oil is just a little dark.

Am I just over worrying about this? Ive been told that some of these newer cars that take synthetic oil don't need their oil changed until closer to 10,000 miles.

I drive 50 miles a day and its hwy miles not city or congested at all.

 

[FocusKnot]

Per the 2014 Owner's Manual (keep it checked in the meantime)....

Your vehicle is equipped with the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor (IOLM) system which shows a message in the information display at the proper oil change service interval; this interval may be up to one year or 10000 miles (16000 kilometers). When ENGINE OIL CHANGE DUE or OIL CHANGE REQUIRED appears in the information display, it’s time for an oil change; the oil change must be done within two weeks or 500 miles (800 kilometers) of the ENGINE OIL CHANGE DUE or OIL CHANGE REQUIRED message appearing. The Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor must be reset after each oil change. See Engine oil check in the Maintenance chapter.

 

[sailor]

Moved to the MkIII section.

You can spend a week reading opinions in the "Oil Change 101" stickie at the top of this page, follow your own preferences for convenient earlier changes, or wait for the indicator & do it per the manual.

 

[amc49]

I do not have one of those. My first question would be is the reset doable by the common man and not the dealer? If not I'd be changing mine a bit early but 3000 miles?, that idea was dead long ago.

 

[wavsine]

I do not have one of those. My first question would be is the reset doable by the common man and not the dealer? If not I'd be changing mine a bit early but 3000 miles?, that idea was dead long ago.

Simple as pie. When the motor is off, hold down the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and the brake pedal as you turn the key to the on position and keep both pedals pressed. (Don't start the car)

The message will say reset in progress. After 25 seconds or so it will say reset complete. You're done!

Here are the formal instructions for those that have push button start:

Resetting the oil life monitoring system
1. Turn the ignition key to the on position. Do not start the engine.
For vehicles with push-button start, press and hold the START/STOP
button for two seconds without pressing the brake pedal. Do not attempt
to start the engine.
2. Press both the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time.
3. Keep both pedals fully pressed.
4. After three seconds, the Service: Oil reset in prog. message will be
displayed.
5. After 25 seconds, the Service: Oil reset complete message will be
displayed.
6. Release both the accelerator and brake pedals.
7. The Service: Oil reset complete message will no longer be
displayed.
8. Rotate the key to the off position.
For vehicles with push-button start, press the START/STOP button to
turn the vehicle off completely.

 

[chemistkremer]

Hello,

This is my first Ford Focus. I got purchased the car when it had less than 50 miles on it. I read in the manual about oil changes and that the car would let me know when it needs an oil change. It said anywhere from 6000 to (I think) 9000 miles it would indicate to me that it needed changed.


Its now at 6,700 miles and there has been no indication as to needing it changed. I checked the oil just to be safe and it looks full and (to me) the oil is just a little dark.

Am I just over worrying about this? Ive been told that some of these newer cars that take synthetic oil don't need their oil changed until closer to 10,000 miles.

Moved to the MkIII section.

You can spend a week reading opinions in the "Oil Change 101" stickie at the top of this page, follow your own preferences for convenient earlier changes, or wait for the indicator & do it per the manual.

As stated, check this out :http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=275451&page=76

To avoid having this turn into that^ I'll refrain from posting my personal opinions on oil. If you want to see what others are doing/have done (believe me there are a myriad of opinions on every. single. detail.), read a few pages of the thread.

That said, you are right to worry about the oil (aka life-blood of your engine) and what change interval you want to follow, whether you want full synthetic or a blend, filter types, brands, etc. My only piece of advice would be to not look at the dipstick to gauge the quality of the oil unless you have some of the same fresh oil to reference by.

Otherwise, good luck with figuring out how you would like to approach it!

Now, would a mod close this thread before it turns into the sticky?

 

[CunFFS13]

2013
12,000km at the Odo
First oil change at 5,000km ('cause I wanted it)
2nd oil change at 10,000km (according to Ford)
Waiting 'till 20,000km for the 3rd oil change according to Ford

 

[Mr Orange SVT]

Ok you've got a MK3 and I've got a MK1 but I still wouldn't go past 5000 miles. I bought mine with 6300 miles on the clock and I've been running the Ford synthetic blend and having it changed out every ~5k. I'm at 135k now and when I had a new oil pan installed there was no sludge or gunk and the bottom end looked good.

 

[wideglide]

Hello,

Im use to the old engines and you would change the engine oil every 3,000 miles. This is a brand new car, much smaller engine and uses synthetic oil.

I'm guessing this horse has been beaten to death before... But even in the "old engines", 3,000 was an unnecessarily short interval, unless your vehicle was experiencing some severe service conditions. The whole 3,000 mile change interval was conjured up by the oil companies and/or Jiffy Lube, et. el. just to double oil changes and profits.

 

[morrjr]

I'm guessing this horse has been beaten to death before... But even in the "old engines", 3,000 was an unnecessarily short interval, unless your vehicle was experiencing some severe service conditions. The whole 3,000 mile change interval was conjured up by the oil companies and/or Jiffy Lube, et. el. just to double oil changes and profits.

You would think a Ford dealer would recommend more frequent oil changes to make more money, but not so with my dealer. The service manager at my Ford dealer says with today's synthetic blends, changing oil more frequently than every 7,500 miles is a waste of money and natural resources.

 

[sailor]

Waste of $, but not as much of a resource waste as you might imagine.

Used oil is reprocessed & reused, not thrown away.