I have bought a Chevy Venture 2003 car 3 months back. On the Odometer, there is a reading for Engine Oil Life. It used to read in the range of 23 to 25.
Slowly, the reading has started to go down to 18. I checked the Vehicle Manual, but cannot find any details. I also serviced my car last week (oil change), but the reading still remains at 18. I missed to ask the Service garage about this reading.
Any ideas what this reading indicates.
Cheers
Location: Canada-Glorious and Free
Posted on: 02-10-06 15:12:10
The reading is the percentage of life left in your engine oil. So 25 is 25% and that means you have a quarter of the oil life left.
Go back to the service centre and ask them to reset the oil life meter. They'll plug in a hand held computer and push a few buttons. And you'll be o your way.
BV
Big Vee,
I read on the internet, and was able to reset the OIL to 100, by pressing the odometer knob myself.
Btw, any ideas what OIL reading, is the right time to change th eoil. Somehow, I was not able to find this information on the internet.
Cheers
Location: Canada-Glorious and Free
Posted on: 03-10-06 09:24:47
Hey thanks for the tip on resetting the oil life reading.
I normally do not pay any attention to the reading. I have always changed oil at 5,000 km intervals. That has been a standard with me since my first car. But looking at the readings when I initially got the oil life reading, I am changing my oil much more frequently than I should. I guess you could technically take it down to 0% and change your oil.
The litreture says the oil life reading is not a sensor but a computed figure derived from a number of variables that affect the viscosity of the oil and overall performance of the lubrication system. The system includes the oil filter, the sump, the oil pump and the oil. The variables maeasured include the mileage, the speed, and the tempreture of the oil.
Car manufacturers used to have two extreme oil change cycles, severe use and normal use. Most folks fell in between these two cycles. The Oil life reading turns the two oil change cycles into a continuum and computes the exact oil change cycle for you.
But I still don't use it 
BV
