What the heck does this mean?

[djminfll]

Has anyone else gotten this warning light? I didn't get it before I changed the oil at 10K or 20K miles, and now I'm under 29K, so I wasn't planning on having the oil changed until the beginning of September.

I checked the owner's manual, and there is nothing covering this warning light. Anybody know what it means?

 

 

[JimArch]

I got that on mine, after a few days it changed to "change engine oil now". Then I brought it in for oil service.

[corncobs]

Have you checked your oil lifetime monitor?

When did you get the oil changed last time (mileage)?

 

Maybe they forgot to reset the oil monitor or they did set it to a different than 10k value.

 

I'm pretty sure you can reset the oil lifetime yourself.

[GrySql]

Has anyone else gotten this warning light?

Routine message.

That is displayed when the engine oil life remaining is 10% or less. Page 104 of the OM.

 

OM Page 431 has more to say on this subject as well.

[gripdad]

I'm going to take a wild guess that it means you should change your engine oil soon.

[Easy Rider]

I'm going to take a wild guess that it means you should change your engine oil soon.

And the rest of that story is:

The oil life monitor factors in things other than just mileage since last change.

If you are going for max. mileage change intervals, you should pay attention to the onboard computer and change it a bit early if it says to.

[talmy]

My understanding from the somewhat cryptic owners manual is on the (non-Engergi) hybrid the oil indication is strictly every 10,000 miles. However we have ours changed every 5000. On the Energi Hybrids the oil indication is not strictly miles but is calculated using some non-disclosed formula.

[hybridbear]

My understanding from the somewhat cryptic owners manual is on the (non-Engergi) hybrid the oil indication is strictly every 10,000 miles. However we have ours changed every 5000. On the Energi Hybrids the oil indication is not strictly miles but is calculated using some non-disclosed formula.

C-Max owners have found that in their car the oil change light comes on at exactly 10,000 miles. In the Fusion the computer uses a different method and allows us to see the percent remaining on the dash. This percentage will vary based on driving conditions. Many short trips will cause it to drop more quickly, less EV miles will make it drop more quickly.

[talmy]

C-Max owners have found that in their car the oil change light comes on at exactly 10,000 miles. In the Fusion the computer uses a different method and allows us to see the percent remaining on the dash. This percentage will vary based on driving conditions. Many short trips will cause it to drop more quickly, less EV miles will make it drop more quickly.

Have you verified this? The only time I looked (when our FFH had 4k miles) the dash display worked out exactly to 0% at 10k miles and the manual states 10k or 1 year (whichever comes first) except for certain extreme conditions. The manual states that the Energi has the "Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor System®" which can indicate change intervals of up to 20,000 miles based on "using several important factors."

[corncobs]

My "change engine oil soon" was displayed at 5% oil life monitor and 500 miles shy of 10k - exactly where it should be.

[djminfll]

I had the 30K service done at 29,500 miles, the monitor has been reset, and all is well in the world again.

But I'm a little confused as to why the service tech put a reminder sticker on the front windshield that recommends oil be changed at 34,500???

[GrySql]

But I'm a little confused as to why the service tech put a reminder sticker on the front windshield that recommends oil be changed at 34,500???

Classic!!

Could be drumming up extra business and did it automatically - or the part that would worry me is if he didn't know what he was doing.

Being semi paranoid, I'd go check the oil level on the dipstick, after the car has parked level for 1/2 hour or so.

 

If your oil change people don't know the hybrid oil change intervals, maybe there are other things they don't know either, like how much your Atkinson engine holds.

Just sayin'...

[corncobs]

I had the 30K service done at 29,500 miles, the monitor has been reset, and all is well in the world again.

But I'm a little confused as to why the service tech put a reminder sticker on the front windshield that recommends oil be changed at 34,500???

That's the first I'm going to remove when I get my car back since the do this on purpose. The car has a manufacture scheduled oil change interval of 10k not more or less.

[murphy]

Service writers are trained to try to get you to change your oil as often as possible. It has nothing to do with what the car needs. It has everything to do with their profit picture. I no longer argue with them. I just ignore them.

[talmy]

Service writers are trained to try to get you to change your oil as often as possible. It has nothing to do with what the car needs. It has everything to do with their profit picture. I no longer argue with them. I just ignore them.

 

I'll partially agree with this, however is 10k miles reasonable? I've seen lots of marketing pressure to claim long service intervals to make the car look better. My parents had a '65 Ford. Ford claimed 30k lube intervals, but everyone actually put in standard zerk fittings at 30k and then lubed with each oil change. The also claimed never to need front end alignments but it turned out that there was no way to adjust toe-in without bending the tie bar (there was a tool for that).

 

I've always heard that regular oil changes were cheap insurance and that the manufacturer's suggested change interval would only apply if it were 100% highway miles at moderate temperatures.

[lolder]

As a reminder, oil never "wears out". It can be consumed by burning, it can be contaminated by combustion products, both due to piston ring leakage. Modern cars have little of that. There may be some additives that age but the oil doesn't

[GrySql]

I'll partially agree with this, however is 10k miles reasonable?

Remember, the ICE is not running for the full 10k miles. If you are doing things right the car should be using EV for a good portion of that.

This oil change interval discussion can be endless and we have plenty of other Threads dedicated to it, the bottom line is - do what makes you happy.

-

I still check my oil after anyone changes it to make sure the right amount is in the engine.

[billford]

I had the 30K service done at 29,500 miles, the monitor has been reset, and all is well in the world again.

But I'm a little confused as to why the service tech put a reminder sticker on the front windshield that recommends oil be changed at 34,500???

 

It's because they do not know what the actual interval is. My guess is that they put a 5,000 mile sticker on everything...

[acdii]

I keep mine on as a reminder of when it was last changed, just subtract 3k from it. Its nothing more than marketing as mentioned above.

 

I just look at the sticker and it looks back ant me saying, Oh Right I DID!

[Easy Rider]

But I'm a little confused as to why the service tech put a reminder sticker on the front windshield that recommends oil be changed at 34,500???

That's an easy one.

The shop wants you to take your car in every 5K miles.......regardless of what the actual recommendation is.

Twice the opportunities to get money from you.

[Easy Rider]

As a reminder, oil never "wears out". It can be consumed by burning, it can be contaminated by combustion products, both due to piston ring leakage. Modern cars have little of that. There may be some additives that age but the oil doesn't

Well that's not strictly true.

HEAT causes chemical changes in the oil itself.

True synthetic does that much less.

[djminfll]

I agree with most of you that the service writer is just trying to get me in there every 5K miles instead of every 10K. To support this, look at what I started this thread with... what the heck does this mean? Because I didn't get the "Change Engine Oil Soon" light at 10K or 20K miles, but I did get it at 29.5K, which I'm guessing was illuminated because it was actually time to change it.