Oil Change Reminder Lamp: Description and Operation

Oil Change Minder

NOTE: On early build vehicles, the PCM uses time and distance calculations stored in Keep Alive Memory (KAM) to determine the oil change minder status. If the PCM KAM is reset or lost for any reason (battery disconnect, PCM disconnect or dead battery), the oil change minder is disabled and the oil life reset procedure needs to be carried out through the message center to re-enable the oil change minder function.

The message center provides an oil change minder to inform the driver that an oil change is required. The duration of the interval between oil changes is calculated in the PCM and varies due to driving conditions. The PCM assumes a base mileage of 16,093 km (10,000 miles) or 1 year for normal driving. However, this number will be adjusted down due to high engine temperature, high engine rpms, use of flex fuel and possibly low oil level. The PCM calculates and provides an oil life status message to the IPC. The IPC further converts the remaining oil life using the driver's configured oil life start value and displays the oil life percentage, indicating the remaining oil life. The oil change minder can be reset at any time by the driver. For additional information, refer to Message Center Configuration Service and Repair.

Oil Life and Oil Life Start Value

The oil life is displayed in percentages. The oil life start value is used to increase or decrease the starting point of the oil life. The oil life start value can be lowered in 10% increments down to 10% or adjusted up to the maximum of approximately 16,093 km (10,000 miles) if the value was previously changed. Each 10% reduction lowers the oil life in both mileage and time (days).

For example, if the oil life start value is lowered to 50%, the maximum mileage is 8,047 km (5,000 miles) or 6 months. The oil life remains at the selected setting (50% in this example) until the driver changes the oil life start value. When the oil life (not oil life start value) is reset back to 100% following an oil change, the oil life resets to 8,047 km (5,000 miles). For configuration of the oil life and oil life start value, refer to Message Center Configuration Service and Repair.