Before all this virus stuff my oil gauge was at like 5% and I needed to get my oil changed. Well here we are 2 months later and still no oil change and who knows if not for another 2 months. Anyone know how long your can just sit needing a oil change?

 

If it is just sitting, then you should be good. Is there a total lock down in AZ? I ask because here in CA, the maintenance side of dealerships and some repair shops are still open.

 

Diy?

 

If you check again, your “oil gauge” is likely sitting at 0% now that a couple of months have passed. The real question (as has already been addressed in several other threads...) is when to change the oil base on keeping your warranty intact vs. keeping your engine in good condition. The oil change reminder will drop to 0% after a year even if the car hasn’t been driven at all and of course even sooner if the car has been driven. Will it hurt your engine to have the oil life meter sitting at 0% for a few months without the car being driven? Not likely. Could Chevy try to make an issue out of it in the future if your engine fails? Maybe. Hopefully GM will be making exceptions to changing oil on time due to covid19.

Btw, why is this thread titled “oil viscosity”?

 

In my opinion (not an engine design mechanical engineer, but a retired oil company engineer with plenty of lube testing and related experience), the OLM monitor is ultra conservative on the time issue for low mileage cars that are low mileage because they aren’t driven often. If you are low mileage because you take short trips, then it is probably reasonable. That’s among the hardest possible services for oil. But if it’s low mileage because it sits in a garage, then assuming you aren’t dumb enough to do the worst possible sin of starting it now and then and letting it idle in the garage for lord knows what unimaginable reason, then there’s categorically no reason to worry about a full synthetic degrading while it sits unstarted in the garage for a few months. A few years, maybe. But a few months that push you past the Gestapo 12 months? Please. Are there be a few jerk dealers that would give you a hard time if you have an engine problem and they see that in the record? I can‘t rule out that possibility. But is there any genuine reason for concern? No way. And I can’t imagine that many, if any GM dealers would give you a hard time on that score.

As to RWDonly’s question, I don’t know. Doesn’t seem like a viscosity question to me either.

 

I do my own oil/filter changes, 5,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. Once a year usually comes first. Honestly, I guess that I am old school. I rarely look at the oil monitor. I change the oil right before I put the car away for the winter months

 

Get an oil analysis done by Blackstone or another oil testing service. This is the only real way to determine the condition of the oil. If GM later has an issue with the oil change being done late you can show them the test results and whether or not the oil was out of spec.

 

I seriously doubt that GM would change their mind based on an oil analysis report...

 

I seriously doubt whether or not you changed your oil on time will ever be an issue in a warranty dispute. An oil analysis report, however, could be.

 

Service/Maintenance in all AZ dealerships is still open. It's deemed an essential business, Take it in if you don't wish to do it yourself.

 

Proof of timely oil changes is often one of the first things asked for in the event of an engine failure while a car is still under the powertrain warranty. If GM (or any other manufacturer) chooses to deny a warranty repair based on oil changes not being done as advised, they are not going to care about some 3rd party oil analysis report. The smart thing to do if one does not wish to roll the dice with warranty coverage is to follow the owner’s manual... not cross their fingers that an oil analysis (that can cost as much as half the price of an oil change) will save their butt.

 

Under normal circumstances, GM's ultra-conservative schedule is only really relevant to the warranty. Apart from that, a little time one way or the other isn't going to matter to your car. So, no claims down the road, no problem... and, I'd expect they would have enough sense to understand such issues even then; but, of course, this is GM we're dealing with. Be well!

 

If this is the case then I would take it in and be done with it.

 

If you have the ability, change the oil yourself - really very easy. Otherwise, take it to your dealership and get it changed. Sounds like service departments are open in your state.