Change Oil Light

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Apr 27, 2010 | 09:43 PM

Clark Bente

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 111

Likes: 0

Change Oil Light

This light just came on. New oil change about a month ago. The car just hit 50k miles a week or so ago. Light came on today. 1990 convertible.
Anyone know how this light works?

Apr 27, 2010 | 09:49 PM

RollaMo-LT4

Race Director

Joined: Oct 2005

Posts: 11,776

Likes: 182

From: Rolla Missouri

2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist

St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25

You have to manually reset the Oil Life Monitor every time you change the oil.
Otherwise the car has no way of knowing you actually changed the oil.

Procedure:

1. Turn the key to the "ON" position, but don't start the engine.
2. Press the ENG/MET button on the Trip Monitor and release it.
Then, within five seconds, press and release the ENG/MET button again.
3. Within five seconds, of Step 2, press and hold the RANGE (1990-1991) button
or the GAUGES (1992-1996) button on the Trip Monitor. The CHANGE OIL light will flash.
4. Hold the RANGE or GAUGES button until the CHANGE OIL light stops flashing and goes out.

When the light goes out, the Engine Oil Life Monitor is reset. This should take about ten seconds. If it doesn't reset, turn the ignition "OFF" and repeat the procedure. If you remember to follow the procedure after every oil change, you should never see that light again.

Apr 27, 2010 | 09:55 PM

Clark Bente

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 111

Likes: 0

Thanks Rolla !
No monitor needs to remind me. I know my engines are happy with frequent oil changes. I'm glad it's a procedure that I can follow. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

Apr 28, 2010 | 10:36 AM

bac22

Le Mans Master

Joined: Feb 2000

Posts: 9,065

Likes: 215

From: Epping NH

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clark Bente

Thanks Rolla !
No monitor needs to remind me.

Well the Change Oil light is rather sophisticated in determining engine oil life, it's not just based on mileage, but also oil temperatures and engine RPM. If you're changing oil before the light comes on then you're probably changing sooner then you really need too.

Apr 28, 2010 | 09:24 PM

Clark Bente

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 111

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by bac22

I appreciate your comments, but if I waited for the light to come on in my MB's, I'd never change it. It's synthetic, too. For this 20yr old car, I wouldn't trust the idiot light to tell me the oil's full of dirt, heat, and isn't slippery anymore.
Summer driver anyway - 1 oill change a year.

Reply Subscribe