LexusFan2

Can anyone confirm whether the oil change reminder light is based purely on miles driven or does it actually monitor the condition of the oil to determine when an oil change is needed?

mlacomb

Miles. If I recall, 4500 - warning that goes away (reminder), 5000 - change me constant on until reset.

ESh

That's correct.

xanderES

iTrader: (8)

I dont think I've ever heard of a car that automatically analyzes the oil contaminants and lets you know when you should change your oil. Its always by mileage.

ESh

Toyota Prius does that.

Paul3637

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Correct. about oil contaminants. However the GM, Ford, Chrysler, and Honda OLM (Oil Life Monitoring) systems are based on algorithms that incolude load, temperature, trip legnth, miles, engine revolutions & hours of running time, etc. They do not measure the actual quality of the oil. The owners manuals usually also say that even if the oil change indicator does not come on, there are still limits on time and miles. For example, one year and 10,000 miles for Ford (source: 2013 fusion owners manual page 429).. The Ford manual at page 432 indicates the oil change light will come on anywhere between 3,000 (exreme hot or cold/extreme load or towing) & 10,000 (all highway) miles. The Toyota and Lexus come on solely basesd on miles ... blinking at 4.500 miles and solid at 5,000 miles which really does seen technologically "unadvanced" in this day and age.

I did not know the Prius had an OLM but if it does, I would think the Prius system works the same way as a Honda.

ESh

No, it measures the oil pressure and flow, and if the numbers are low it triggers the maint insp light.