Change Oil Light

[LordLang]

I have 10,000 miles on my H3. I have changed the oil twice, once at 4k and another at 8500. Neither of these times the change oil light came on, but i had it changed anyways. Now after only 1500 miles since the last change the change oil light has come on. I checked the oil and it reads full, as well as looks very clean. Any ideas on why this would happen? does it really need changed or do i just need to reset the light? and if so, how do i do that? thanks for the help!

[deserth3]

Sounds to me like someone either didn't reset the oil light or the reset didn't take.

Agreed, sounds like it was not reset at last change? Has anybody actually seen how many miles before change oil light comes on (assuming it was reset properly)?

S.

[Scouts Out]

I changed mine at 3500 miles and I was determined to wait until the computer told me to change it again, well at 9500 I blinked and changed it again even though the computer said I had 65% oil life remaining. Not sure what the computer uses to determine when to change the oil but I am not sure I trust it.

[LordLang]

OK, so does anybody have any idea how to reset it? how did you find the oil life left?

[HummBebe]

Instructions are in the owners manual, chapter 5

[Huck BB62]

Originally Posted by Scouts Out

I changed mine at 3500 miles and I was determined to wait until the computer told me to change it again, well at 9500 I blinked and changed it again even though the computer said I had 65% oil life remaining. Not sure what the computer uses to determine when to change the oil but I am not sure I trust it.

Trust it. Changing oil at 3000 miles is a waste of money, and of oil (ahhhh precious oil) Today's fuel injected engines don't crap the oil up like the old carbed/choked engines. I can't find it right now but I've seen tests confirming that GM's oil change intervals are still conservative. If have any fears, run synthetic, get better oil AND the piece of mind. The computer's going off of how you drive. Trust it.

I'm leaning towards the longer intervals as guided by the GM oil monitoring system. 7500 miles since my last change and no "oil change" light so far.


S.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by Huck BB62

Trust it. Changing oil at 3000 miles is a waste of money, and of oil (ahhhh precious oil) Today's fuel injected engines don't crap the oil up like the old carbed/choked engines. I can't find it right now but I've seen tests confirming that GM's oil change intervals are still conservative. If have any fears, run synthetic, get better oil AND the piece of mind. The computer's going off of how you drive. Trust it.

AMEN

It does side on the conservative side. It calculates the engine oil life dependent upon engine startup temps, engine run time, speed, engine temps, air intake temps, etc.
It does assume you are using the specified oil that meets GM specifications, it also assumes you are running a paper filter. (Foam filters allow more dirt into the system.)
I have personally verified the system is conservative with my Vette, by having oil samples run by a firm called Blackstones in Indiana. Even with 10 percent left, the analysis indicated the oil was good for thousands of miles of further use.
I don't believe there is a way to check the oil life without a Tech 2, or via the Onstar monthly email>