Mod (Ret.)

IMO, too many "coders" think folks are too stupid to know when to change oil. Seems cars in the past lasted without having to be told, so why now is it so important to remind lazy folks to change their oil?

Ricktwuhk

It is not designed based on "thinking" but "knowing". Ford has an enormous amount of data as to when oil gets changed, how many engines fail due to oil changes issues, how many people have no clue (the "uninformed"), etc. And how many dealers push for way too early and way too frequent maintenance. Witness the letter they sent to dealers on the matter.

bubbabud

Basing oil change intervals strictly on time or mileage is so old school. and often time's results in way to frequent and wasteful service.
While the oil life monitor does not monitor the actual condition of the oil it does give a pretty good indication based on the driving and environmental conditions. I personally find it useful.

larry2c

First, thanks to the folks who pointed out why I wasn't seeing the percentage and to those who mentioned the approximate percentage life remaining and other conditions that could trigger the "change soon" message. Just FYI, the truck has roughly 37K on the clock and it has been roughly 6 months since the oil change was done by the previous owner. According to the window sticker it was supposed to be changed at 40,600 or May of '17 (from Ford service that did the last oil change).

That's why I was looking for the remaining life information. My understanding is that the all knowing onboard computer is monitoring my driving (towing, off road and just plain driving) and adjusts the change interval based on that. So yeah, I could just say change it at 5K or 6K or whatever. But if the engineers at ford actually put the development into this program that I was lead to believe, then why not let it tell me when to change the oil? This isn't an "idiot light" from the 60's that came on when your oil was so low the oil pressure actually dropped - it's supposed to be an intelligent sensor.

I know some folks here will do the change at an interval and some will send in a sample and run twice the recommend change interval if the results say they can. My intent is to do what is best for my truck and my wallet and I am hoping that the suggested change warning actually has some data behind it and not just a countdown clock.

idrive

iTrader: (3)

I'd find a low windshield fluid light more useful than a countdown clock. I can count 10k miles or 1 year all by myself.

Mod (Ret.)

I am able to maintain a schedule as to when my truck oil needs changed. I tow with it drive it every day, and can actually change its oil without a light or software telling me when it thinks I should. Gets used hard in the summer, oil changed at 5 to 6 K intervals (synthetic). Gets lighter duty, 7500K changes (rare, as this truck see's tow duty most of its time).

I gotta be doing something right. It has 187K, and still gets used for towing duties.

Ricktwuhk

Ford dealer's sticker says to change it at 40,600 or May. Since you know they did it 6 months ago, the question is how long between changes do they recommend? I would guess 5,000 miles but you could call them and ask them to look up the vehicle and tell you.

Absent that, since you know it is 3,000 miles away from the dealer recommendation, I would simply reset the OLM to say 30% and keep driving.

I would have no problem driving 7,500 miles with semi-synthetic or 10,000 with synthetic.