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Is "Change Oil" message based on mileage? Or actual oil condition?


UNYboater

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I write the date and mileage on my Oil Filter with a Sharpie every time I change, just because I am curious of this stuff.

 

My Oil Change Notification varies +/- between 500 and 800 miles or so. So, my conclusion is that there is some 'conditions based logic' in the standard Ford system for Oil Change notification. My notification has never gone more than about 4200 miles before notification. Typically about 3500.

 

Also, I noticed that during System Check if my oil life is very near the end % wise, and I drive around town, I will get a notification right away. If my oil life % is very low and I go on a highway trip, I can go several hundred miles and back without a notification or much of a % change.

Edited by Kev-Mo
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I'm at the dealer as we speak getting my oil changed. I've NEVER seen the oil change reminder come up. I don't wait for it.

 

Nor do I. As I said, it's been less than 4000 miles since our last change.

We haven't been towing or in hot or high climates, so there's no reason for it to 'expire' early.

I'm wondering if they just didn't reset the 'counter' at the last oil change & it's hitting the max limit from the previous reset.

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My Oil Change Notification varies +/- between 500 and 800 miles or so. So, my conclusion is that there is some 'conditions based logic' in the standard Ford system for Oil Change notification.

Thank you. Out of curiosity, what is the mileage you've been seeing when you get the message & change it? I see you're in CO so you're at least 5000 more feet above sea-level than me!

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I write the date and mileage on my Oil Filter with a Sharpie every time I change, just because I am curious of this stuff.

 

My Oil Change Notification varies +/- between 500 and 800 miles or so. So, my conclusion is that there is some 'conditions based logic' in the standard Ford system for Oil Change notification. My notification has never gone more than about 4200 miles before notification. Typically about 3500.

 

Also, I noticed that during System Check if my oil life is very near the end % wise, and I drive around town, I will get a notification right away. If my oil life % is very low and I go on a highway trip, I can go several hundred miles and back without a notification or much of a % change.

 

I don't think the 2008 models had any Intelligent Oil Life Monitoring. It was mileage only.

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Thank you. Out of curiosity, what is the mileage you've been seeing when you get the message & change it? I see you're in CO so you're at least 5000 more feet above sea-level than me!

 

Yes, I live at 6000 feet, and I never drive on a flat road, so lots of uphill shifting and downhill brakes. Also, our temps here vary up to 50 degrees on a daily basis, so early morning commute might be 39 degrees and afternoon drive 75 degrees. - Typically my notification comes at about 3300 -3600 miles. I think it does have some conditions based logic and I think it works great.

 

I do change my own oil and filter - use Mobile1 5w-30 year round.

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I don't think the 2008 models had any Intelligent Oil Life Monitoring. It was mileage only.

I dis-agree. From monitoring and experience. I can go on a long road trip and get a notification at 4200 miles. Strictly city driving <3500 miles. There is clearly some if not minimal conditions based logic.

 

Of course, our 'city' driving is up and down the foothills. So I would expect longer intervals if I lived in the flat lands.

Edited by Kev-Mo
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I have never gone over 5k between oil changes. Usually somewhere between 4k and 5k. Never received a notification. Mix between highway and city driving.

You'll never get a notification with that low mileage. Mine never came on until after mine was changed by the dealer and they never reset it. I had it changed at about 9k miles and the reminder came on about 600 miles after.

 

You can go more than 5k miles. I did my 2009 Focus at 7k and never had a problem in the 193k I had it.

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You'll never get a notification with that low mileage. Mine never came on until after mine was changed by the dealer and they never reset it. I had it changed at about 9k miles and the reminder came on about 600 miles after.

 

You can go more than 5k miles. I did my 2009 Focus at 7k and never had a problem in the 193k I had it.

 

 

I know I can go more, but old habits die hard. :)

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So, since we've only gone 4000 miles since the last change & we're getting the "Change your Oil" message, my assumption is that the counter wasn't reset on the previous change. I can't imagine how oil could be 'bad' after only 4000 miles.

Old habits, indeed! 5k is always the goal, even on the vehicles we have that say we can go 6000/7500/more.

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My '11 Limited AWD has the IOLM and I go 5k between changes, I have it set to 5k and the indicator starts to pop up at about 4500 miles. If I'm over or under 250+/- miles I don't worry about it, I just reset it to 5k and drive on. I use Mobil-1 5w-20 per Ford spec, and a Mobil-1 filter. Our Texas highs get into the 100's regularly and our lows can dip into the 30's maybe 20's occasionally. Most all of my driving is in town commuting with some highway.

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My '16 MKX turned one on the 21st (shame on me for forgetting!) and when I drove it on the 22nd I got a Change Oil Soon message, so time/oil age must certainly factor in. I rarely drive it (sits in the garage most of its life) but I just rolled up 4,100 km / 2,550 miles. When I do take it out, it's usually on a longer trip.

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