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Oil Life = Oil Change


MrGhostlore

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Hey everybody. I have a 2012 Ford Edge Limited with the 2.0L Ecoboost in it, and I have a question about the Oil Life.

 

I have used Mobil 1 5W-30 Full Synthetic since I got it about a year ago, and have about 9,400 miles on it now. The question is...I was planning on going 5,000 miles on the oil and filter which seems reasonable. However, my Oil Change Required light is on and says my oil life is 0% after about 4,200 miles. I went ahead and changed my oil just to be safe, but for future reference...when it says Oil Life is 0% does that really mean that and I need to get it changed, or is based on a time / mileage where I could have gone to 5k? Also time frame, the oil was changed last August...so I was almost to the 6 month time frame.

 

Thanks!

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**It's important to note that what I have written below is specifically for 3.5L '11 LImited, BUT is what you should look for in your manual. Page references may vary**

 

 

I have been thinking about this recently too. In reading up on the manual, it states (for my '11 3.5L, not an EcoBoost), "You should perform the engine oil change as indicated by the message center...Your oil change service interval can be up to one year or 10,000 miles (16,000km)...If your message center is prematurely reset or becomes inoperative, you should perform the oil change interval at six months or 5,000 miles (8,000 km) from your last oil change." (pg. 377 Scheduled Maintenance)

 

It is also noted in the manual, pg. 379, that you should perform services noted on your scheduled maintenance table within 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of the OIL CHANGE REQUIRED message appearing on your message center or when your milage indicates service is due.

 

I hope this helps you find an answer. Let us know what you find out :D

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It is also noted in the manual, pg. 379, that you should perform services noted on your scheduled maintenance table within 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of the OIL CHANGE REQUIRED message appearing on your message center

 

Wow, that statement in the owner's manual can be confusing. When I first read it, it sounded like you could wait up to 3000 miles before really having to do an oil change. After reading it several more times, I see what they are saying.

 

You should perform the other services (check brakes, check exhaust, inspect brake fluid, etc) within the 3000 miles of the light coming on. You defiantly don't want to wait any longer to do the oil change when the light comes on and reaches 0.

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From what you wrote I believe that you had the first oil change at about 5,200 miles. Now, 4,200 miles later you're at 0%. Since the oil change meter can go up to 10,000 miles or less (depending on what the computer determines based on your driving conditions) I would say that your oil life didn't get re-set to 100% after the first oil change.

 

I just did an oil change last week. Under the oil life re-set options I had 100% and some lower figures as options. (I couldn't figure out why anyone would re-set to less than 100% after an oil change) I don't recall what those were, but you might look to see if one is low enough to reset and get you the remaining 800 miles you were looking for. Another option is to ignore the oil change message that comes on every time you start the car, or just change the oil early and be done with it.

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Okay...Well I had the oil first changed from stock oil to Mobil 1 at 1000 miles after the break in... So I'm at

 

1,000 = Changed to Synthetic

5,200(ish) = Changed (When I changed it this time I never got Oil Change Soon Notice)

9,400 = Changed

 

So I guess you are right that it didn't get reset. Well, I found out how to do it, and did it now. So I guess I will follow the change light from now on.

 

I saw that also, where you could reset it to any 10% increments...and not forsure why you would want to do that...

 

Thanks for all the help!

Edited by MrGhostlore
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The oil life indicator is like a calculator that takes milage, time & engine operating conditions into account to calculate oil life.

 

The system does NOT actually measure the oil life by a sensor.

 

For those who would like to go for a 5000 miles (or six months) intervals, simply adjust the Oil life to 50% after an oil change.

 

As for the other services to be performed, what I understand, you have to do them with any oil change interval that comes within 3000 miles, but if you reach the milage specified for any service, but you do not have any oil change requirement within 3000 miles, then you should perform that service without waiting for an oil change.

 

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I tried searching the forum for an answer, and I also looked in the owner's manual, but I can't find an answer.

 

I know how to reset the oil life monitor back to 100% or a percentage of that. Where do I see what percentage I am sitting at right now? This would be handy to know in advance when to start thinking about an oil change. I also ran a Vehicle Health Report thinking it might be there (it is on a GM truck we owned), but no such luck.

 

Is it possible to view what percentage I am at right now?

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