Erasing "Change Engine Oil" message on dash

[Doggy Daddy]

I have a Damon Outlaw with the GM 8.1 Vortec engine.
Who knows and will share the secret to erasing the "Change Engine Oil" message that pops up on the dash instrument panel.

[Alleyman]

Welcome to the club! I went thru the same thing. Hi tech!! Turn key to "ON", but do not start. Pump accelerator three times in 5 seconds, turn key "off", wait ten seconds. Start engine, should go away and be reset. Good luck.

[DriVer]

10-Fo on the Alleyman technique!

[wa8yxm]

With engine off turn on ignition, Quickly depress and release the accelerator pedal THREE TIMES, turn off ignition, Now start normally.

[DriVer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm With engine off turn on ignition, Quickly depress and release the accelerator pedal THREE TIMES, turn off ignition, Now start normally.

wa8yxm, "Quickly depress and release the accelerator pedal THREE TIMES within 5 seconds" as written. So you can go 1 {pause (.75 sec)}, 2 {pause (.75 sec)}, 3 (no mo pause).

The IP should flash over at this point. Turn the key OFF wait 10 seconds and then you are good to go.

Point is, it does not need to be accomplished too rapidly, you do have a little time to play with.

[stevieptcb]

If you want it to come on after an oil change, is there a way to set it to alert you when you want your next change to occur? Or how does it work and what triggers it to come on?

[UFO Pilot]

It is not programmable, it uses some kind of "secret" formula to determine when to light the light.

[docj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wthomas1 It is not programmable, it uses some kind of "secret" formula to determine when to light the light.

It is actually a sensor-based system which monitors oil condition based on use. It is not a specific formula and the oil change interval will change fairly significantly depending on what kind of driving you are doing.

[stevieptcb]

So, when it comes on, it is good to get the oil changed right? I am asking because it came on for me on my last trip and after looking in the manual found out how to reset it. It has only been around 3,000 miles since my last oil change and I will get it changed again if the sensor actually works correctly. I did have to add a quart of oil around 550 miles before the change oil notification came on.

[wa8yxm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriVer wa8yxm, "Quickly depress and release the accelerator pedal THREE TIMES within 5 seconds" as written. So you can go 1 {pause (.75 sec)}, 2 {pause (.75 sec)}, 3 (no mo pause). The IP should flash over at this point. Turn the key OFF wait 10 seconds and then you are good to go. Point is, it does not need to be accomplished too rapidly, you do have a little time to play with.

I forgot the time frame.. So I just said "Quickly"

Back in 2006 when my "Change oil" message flashed I did not know the procedure so I called in to find out what it was.

I sometimes tell the "Tail of 3 customer service calls"

Hughes net, 7 hours on the phone and no joy. Had to use a back door to get the modem replacd. Call went to India I thnk.

Xantrex. Call answered in the US, I think Washington (State) but not sure. About fifteen minutes, had the RMA within the first few, the rest was a combinatin of BS and tips and hints to improve the install so it did not happen again (And it has not)

Workhorse. The woman answered and I told her "I had my oil changed and the technician seems to have forgotten one step" She chorused with me on "Resetting the oil change indicator" and we laughed, then she told me how to do it, Less than one minute and one happy customer.

Now THAT, is customer service!!!!


Took me 3 tries to compose this, Computer kept going into overload due to some ad or another that's on one of the tabs I have open

[Bob and Inga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj It is actually a sensor-based system which monitors oil condition based on use. It is not a specific formula and the oil change interval will change fairly significantly depending on what kind of driving you are doing.

The first time it came on for us was after I had already done a couple of oil changes. When I called WH to find out what triggers it, someone there told me it uses 'engine time' to determine when to display the message. For us, it happens after about 3 oil changes which are always close to the 3,000 miles recommended (9,000 miles or so before it comes on).

Bob

[mythplaced]

Just as an experiment, I wonder what would happen if you took it into a a repair center and how much would they charge to do the reset.

I am a cynical guy and would wager that some unscrupulous center would try to con the owner into a $500 unneeded repair, or at least charge $20 to reset the light..

[gg]

The key "on "and 3 steps on the gas pedal works for me.

How does the this oil sensor work, where is it located? I have checked the the engine and have not found a oil condition sensor, what would the sensor detect? water? acid- what kind?, metal bearing material?

I would take a guess the change oil light now "on light" is is based on a computer program data map, that compares:

Miles
cold starts
Temps at starts
temp vs time at temp
speed
RPM
time

This would be compared to a Data map in the Engine Control Module when the two match the light goes on.

The real work was the data collection of a driving condition, then the detailed oil analysis to determine what happen to the oil & additives. All these date points would create the map. GM powertrain engineering would be the likely author.

I find that when I change at 3000 miles the remaining oil life left is between 60 to 72 %. I try to minimize the stop and go drive cycle.

[edgray]

gg is correct. There is no oil condition sensor. The "change oil" message is triggered by an alogarithm type formula that looks at all the various operating conditions to determine "when" the oil SHOULD BE worn out. It does not know what type oil you are using, but is based on what was recommended (5W30) dino. Ed