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Change Engine Oil Light

DarkEye

DarkEye

Charter Member
SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2002
Messages
122
Location
Jacksonville, FL
Found this on GM Tech Link site. It has 3 extra steps that the owners manual does not have.

1. Turn the ignition to RUN but with the engine off.
2. Fully push and release the accelerator pedal slowly three times within five seconds.
3. If the Change Oil Soon light flashes, the system is resetting.
4. Turn the key to OFF.
5. Start the vehicle.
6. The oil life will change to 100%.
7. If the Change Oil Soon light comes back on, the system has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
 
I am at 5000 + miles and my oil change light has never come on. Hmmm.

I changed the oil at 3000 miles with Mobil 1 but did not ever get the oil change prompt before or after.

 
I love the sensor light! Told me to change my oil at just over 5K and now it just went on at 9200. I used to drive all my cars for at least 10K before and oil change. My little S-10 didnt seem to mind the lengthy oil changes and my 86' Ford EXP used to chug when it needed oil. I would put up to 2qts of oil in it...and called that an oil change!:p

With the Avalanche I promised myself I would do what this message system tells me...I really like it! ;D
 
kodeski said:
I love the sensor light! ?Told me to change my oil at just over 5K and now it just went on at 9200. ?I used to drive all my cars for at least 10K before and oil change. ?My little S-10 didnt seem to mind the lengthy oil changes and my 86' Ford EXP used to chug when it needed oil. I would put up to 2qts of oil in it...and called that an oil change!:p ?

With the Avalanche I promised myself I would do what this message system tells me...I really like it! ?;D
Click to expand...

I just posted a couple of good informational articles concerning oil and the oil life monitor. ?If your interested in how it all works it's under Chevrolet Avalanche Maintance and Care. ;D :eek: :cool:
 
I change my own oil religiously yet ever since I bought the AV every time I start it, the message center says "change oil" Does anyone know how to get around this minor inconvenience? It is definitely not worth losing sleep over but that darn message almost makes me feel guilty!!!! :rolleyes:
 
Have you tried to reset the oil monitor display ?

Turn ignition to on but don't start.
Press gas pedal down 3 times in a row.
Turn off ignition...
Start car as normal and the Change oil light should flash and chime 3 times and then go away until you are due for your next oil change.

Good Luck..
 
But the more interesting question is why the oil monitor thinks it's time to change the oil.

If you say that it's been doing this since you bought it,
and I'm assuming that you bought it new and thus it has low milage - then the message shouldn't be on! I'd probably have the dealer check it out.

Or, if the mileage is getting up past the 3k range . . . then I'd change the oil!
 
Hey thanks guys that worked like a charm!!! :) :) This darn truck has more bells and whistles and things where turn three times and whistle Dixie and something will happen.....!!!! By the way I guess I wasn't totally clear, I started having the light after I had driven it for a while. Once again thanks!!! :)
 
Just-Bruce could you tell us how many miles you had on your AV when you first noticed the oil change message?
My oil message first came on about 5500 miles and I was wondering they are all the same. I reset it and have not seen it sense. Got 9000 miles on it now.
 
I've yet to see my oil change light...maybe that's because I don't go over 3k before changing....I know the dealership resets the computer because I always make sure to look at the work order invoice....
 
The Oil Life Monitor does not do any complex calculations one wwould expect. It doesn't test viscosity, or any degradation. It is based stricktly on miles. I use synthetic oil and the light come on somewhere after 4500 miles after i reset the Oil Life Indicator. That was a good link you posted RDSIGN. Notice however that GM fails to mention the fundermental truth here. That is that it is strickly based on miles after last reset. THis magic number has been programmed into the Ave's computer during manufacturing. All the science was performed in a lab, not inside the Avy's noggin. :cautious:
 
Powersurge said:
The Oil Life Monitor does not do any complex calculations one wwould expect. It doesn't test viscosity, or any degradation. It is based stricktly on miles. I use synthetic oil and the light come on somewhere after 4500 miles after i reset the Oil Life Indicator. That was a good link you posted RDSIGN. Notice however that GM fails to mention the fundermental truth here. That is that it is strickly based on miles after last reset. THis magic number has been programmed into the Ave's computer during manufacturing. All the science was performed in a lab, not inside the Avy's noggin. ? :cautious:
Click to expand...

This is not true as it is not based just on miles. It is based on environmental issues, how your driving, and engine temp. GM has had these monitor systems for 13 years now (surprise) and they are pretty darn reliable.

Seriously - I've been looking for two some ones to write a point/counter point on following the monitor versus changing every 3,000 miles - as you've been critical of the monitor in the past I would LOVE, seriously LOVE to have you write the for 3,000 mile part of that story!
 
This is interesting. I was originally told this by one of the service guys at my dealership. I was a bit sceptical because it seemed too simple. After doing three oil changes I noticed that for my truck the engine light came on around 4500 miles. I recently got my oil changed and I put in Synthetic. The guy at my neighborhood Car Wash / Oil Change station said that with synthetic I only have to change it every 7 thousand miles. This oil change had 6,000 miles on it and I noticed my Avy was sounding a bit different. It was louder in an ugly type of way. Since I have changed the oil it sounds brand spankin new again. Now I don't know what to think. Based upon what your saying Chief and the sound my truck was making with 6,000 miles on the oil, maybe I should start listening to the Oil Monitor Light.
 
My oil light came on at 3110 miles. Does this seem a little early? I am not concerned though because I normally change my oil every 3000 miles, but still curious. Also was nice to find out that the dealership never reset the light, or cleaned up the oil they let run on to the skid plates. Will not be going back there for an oil change.
 
I changed my oil at 500 miles, and 3000 miles, and did not reset the change oil indicator. It finally came on yesterday on my way to work at 5410 miles. I do believe that there must be a little mind at work inside my Av that is deciding when the oil should be changed.
 
Real easy way to monitor driving conditions etc...

Monitor the amount of fuel used. It's a better indicator of driving conditions than milage is. It's what my BMW uses for it's oil change indicator.

 
I had my oil changed at 1200. Didn't reset the monitor. It came on a couple weeks ago and I now have about 4500. A little surprised it came on so early. It goes in Friday for it's first conversion to Synthetic (2Q syn, 4Q dino).

So here's my question. Will I have to reset the monitor, or will it "sense" the clean new oil and reset itself? Seems if it is truly intelligent, it should shut off after a few miles as the clean oil circulates through the block.

Jamie
 
I went in for an oil change this past Saturday and on Sunday my change oil light came on. I had used a cupon for a free oil change on that visit. After the light came on I had to check to make sure they really did change the oil. It was full at least so I reset it and went on with life as normal.

David

 
Jamie . . .

You'll have to reset the monitor - in no way does the system know that you changed the oil - in no way does it look at oil quality. Once reset, the computer simply runs a complex set of calculations based on driving conditions and computes the next change time - lighting the light at that point.
 
When to Change Engine Oil --- (GM Oil Life System_)

Your vehicle has a computer that lets you know when to change your engine oil. This is not based on mileage, but on engine revolutions and engine operating temperature. When the computer has calculated that the oil needs changing, the GM Oil Life System_will indicate that a change is necessary. Change your oil as soon as it is possible within the next two times you stop for fuel.

The mileage between oil and filter changes will vary depending on how you drive your vehicle -- usually between 3,000 miles and 10,000 miles since your last oil and filter change.

Under severe conditions, the system may come on before 3,000 miles. Never drive your vehicle more than 10,000 miles or 12 months (whichever occurs first) without an oil change.

Remember to reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL light whenever the oil is changed. For the Oil Life System to work properly, you must reset the system each time the oil is changed.


This INFO Is Straight From OUr Owners Manual :eek:

BlackZ71
 
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