Oil Change Reminder Lamp: Description and Operation

Oil Change Minder - Non-Hybrid

NOTE: On early build vehicles, the PCM uses time and distance calculations stored in Keep Alive Memory (KAM) in the PCM to help determine the oil change minder status. If the PCM KAM (Keep Alive Memory) 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 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 rpm, use of flex fuel and possibly low oil level. The PCM calculates and provides an oil life status message to the IPC (Instrument Panel Cluster). The IPC (Instrument Panel Cluster) 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. Refer to Message Center Configuration Service and Repair.

Oil Change Minder - Hybrid

The oil life is displayed in percentages and is preset to a maximum of 12,070 km (7,500 miles)/6 months. The oil life start value is used to increase or decrease the starting point of the oil life. The value can be changed back to the maximum of approximately 12,070 km (7,500 miles) if the value was previously changed or to lower the value by 10% increments down to 10%. Each 10% reduction lowers the oil life in both mileage and the days.

Oil Life Start Value

The oil life start value can be changed to alter the interval of the oil change minder. For example, if the oil life start value is lowered to 50%, the maximum mileage is 8,047 km (5,000 miles)/6 months (non-hybrid) or 6,035 km (3,750 miles)/3 months (hybrid). 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)/6 months (non-hybrid) or 6,035 km (3,750 miles)/3 months (hybrid). For configuration of the oil life and oil life start value, refer to Message Center Configuration Service and Repair.