[Bob Lincoln]

So we had the oil changed for free at the dealer with a coupon at about 1400 miles. They put a small decal on the windshield with a mileage of 4400 for the next change.

At about 4,000 miles the Oil Change Required warning came up on the vacuum fluorescent display. It chimes and shows the warning upon every start. Looking at the owner's manual, it seems that this warning is not due to any sensor showing oil condition, but rather is programmed according to the odometer reading. The owner's manual calls out 8,000 mile changes for the warranty. Thus, this appears to be an annoying sales tool to make you buy more oil changes.

Luckily, the owner can clear the warning. Page 67 of the owner's manual has the procedure:

Turn the ignition to ON, not START.
Press the accelerator to the floor three times within 10 seconds.
Turn ignition off.

It works, clears the warning. If this bugs you like it has us, now you can reset it and change oil when it should be changed, not when your wallet needs lightening.

 

[ptschett]

I'd bet that the dealer simply failed to reset the oil life monitor. If true then your 1st oil change would actually have been due now based on its algorithm, but the computer doesn't know that it was changed earlier.

If the warranty requirement is like my Challenger then the change interval is actually a time period (e.g. 6 months) or a mileage (e.g. 8000 miles) or when the oil change message is displayed, whatever comes first.

 

[digitalrailroader]

hmm, That's weird, the Chrysler Oil Change Warning Reset Procedure is EXTREMELY Close to the GM Oil Life Monitor Reset Procedure on my 2010 Aveo! except on my Aveo, its Press the Accelerator 3 times within FIVE Seconds, turn the Ignition off, then it has you Start the Car to verify that the OLM has been Reset. (although the GM system uses an algorithm based on Engine RPM and ECT.)

 

[valiant67]

It is a calculated interval, based on milege and the type of use the car sees. Mine came on at about 4200 miles in my Challenger for the first time.

 

[Doug D]

The oil change reminder is based on an algorithm which takes into account the type of driving, not actually sensing the oil. On our Journey, it usually comes on 2500 miles after the last change, however, when we have taken an extended trip, the warning doesn't come on until 5500 miles. If it's not really due (I change every 5K miles), I just reset the reminder.

In Bob's case, I don't think the dealer forgot to reset the reminder. Note he had an oil change at 1400 miles and the reminder came on at 4,000 miles. That's 2600 miles. The reminder/warning will come on about ~500 miles before it is actually due based on the algorithm so if the algorithm calculated it was due at 3,000 miles it prompted the warning at the 2,500 mile mark. Based on the experience with our Journey, that is about right. I'm assuming Bob's 200 is driven city type driving conditions.

 

[MickM]

The Avengers just came on about 7700 miles afterthe last one.
****

 

[Bob Lincoln]

The oil change reminder is based on an algorithm which takes into account the type of driving, not actually sensing the oil. On our Journey, it usually comes on 2500 miles after the last change, however, when we have taken an extended trip, the warning doesn't come on until 5500 miles. If it's not really due (I change every 5K miles), I just reset the reminder.

In Bob's case, I don't think the dealer forgot to reset the reminder. Note he had an oil change at 1400 miles and the reminder came on at 4,000 miles. That's 2600 miles. The reminder/warning will come on about ~500 miles before it is actually due based on the algorithm so if the algorithm calculated it was due at 3,000 miles it prompted the warning at the 2,500 mile mark. Based on the experience with our Journey, that is about right. I'm assuming Bob's 200 is driven city type driving conditions.

Yes, my wife has been doing almost all city driving, averaging 22 mpg. She just started a new job and will be doing more of a mix, and putting a lot more miles on.

 

[Dave Z]

Looking at the owner's manual, it seems that this warning is not due to any sensor showing oil condition, but rather is programmed according to the odometer reading. The owner's manual calls out 8,000 mile changes for the warranty. Thus, this appears to be an annoying sales tool to make you buy more oil changes.

Quite the opposite, in terms of being a simple odometer link. If you read closely, the computer follows an algorithm which I suspect is being licensed from GM. It considers engine temp, revs/minute, length of trips, etc. But yes, it might make sense to reset the computer manually after going for an oil change if you did not originally go in because of the warning. And it does give the first warning 500 miles before it thinks the oil needs to be changed.

While some people will need more frequent oil changes, GM's lit claims most people will need far less frequent changes. That's mostly because the average person is stuck with 1960-style 3,000-mile changes. Because, y'know, nothing's changed since then.

It does not sense the oil life directly but how much would that cost!?!

I suspect the reset system is similar to GM's because I suspect the whole thing was licensed from GM. However, I could not get any comment from Chrysler or GM on this. I could do a patent search, I guess...


News: Chrysler quietly added oil change computer - Allpar


News: Fewer oil changes needed for 2013 - Allpar

 

[chuzz]

That reset is exactly like it was on my 08 Caliber, Bob. The interchange interval in the owners manual for it was 6,000 miles. I ran Castrol Syntec in it and changed it every 10,000 miles myself. I don't like dealing with dealerships. They're in it for the money.

 

[Dave Z]

Right, they started doing this in 2008. Chrysler did lengthen the oil change intervals this year as the news suggested. I'm planning to pretty much follow the manual, though I might do the first oil change early -- the old story was "get rid of any junk floating there from assembly," but is that really still needed?

 

[Doug D]

Right, they started doing this in 2008. Chrysler did lengthen the oil change intervals this year as the news suggested. I'm planning to pretty much follow the manual, though I might do the first oil change early -- the old story was "get rid of any junk floating there from assembly," but is that really still needed?

Maybe not as much as before. I'd go 3,000 miles, then do the first oil change, then to whatever interval (5-6-7-8K miles) you want so long as it's within the max limits in the manual. That's what I did with the Ram and Journey.

With the Journey I stay within the 6K mile limit due to the warranty - have an extended warranty up to 85K miles. With my Ram, I stretch it to 7-8K miles since it is way past any warranty coverage at 6 years and 164K miles. Getting close to contacting Chrysler about a 200,000 mile frame - it already sports the 100,000 mile frame.

My old EEK's I went 5K between oil changes. Collectively those engines (three of them) had over 800K miles (273K, 302K & 240K) and I used nothing but regular oil - no synthetic.

 

[saltydog]

My Sebrings OLM comes on at 2500 miles or so and that is with just city driving.

Not sure on the TC will have to wait and see.

 

[Dave Z]

As they say, just city driving will activate the light much sooner.

 

[RaiRai]

For your possible interest, Sirs, some notes from here Europe:
My '02 Sebring sedan with 2.0 "world engine" has recommended oil change interval of 12 000 km (~7500 mi) or 12 months. I'm a bit surprised if Chrysler had no improvement on this the past 10 years. You know most modern cars have factory recommendation from 10 to 19 k miles (based on driving conditions). I know for the engine it causes no harm to change the oil often, but basically I'm against consuming too much natural resourses - and money - unless it is really needed.
My mom has an '89 BMW which has this computer reminding oil changes based on "driving style, distance, and multiple other parameters" as they used to advertise. The fact is that the system only adds together cumulative fuel consumption; If you have lots of cold starts and city driving the oil change is due more often. Same thing if you drive agressively etc. Low speed highway driving consumes less fuel and the oil change is reminded not that often. There is basically only pre-set amount of fuel consumed after which the system alerts you about the oil change. Can't know if Chrysler has this same but had to mention anyway...

 

[browens1534]

Your 2002 doesn't have the GEMA World Engine... It has a Trenton Neon engine

 

[ptschett]

For your possible interest, Sirs, some notes from here Europe:
My '02 Sebring sedan with 2.0 "world engine" has recommended oil change interval of 12 000 km (~7500 mi) or 12 months. I'm a bit surprised if Chrysler had no improvement on this the past 10 years. You know most modern cars have factory recommendation from 10 to 19 k miles (based on driving conditions). I know for the engine it causes no harm to change the oil often, but basically I'm against consuming too much natural resourses - and money - unless it is really needed.

In the US the base engine in that car was the 2.4L... but if we did get the 2.0L, I'd expect that the US-spec car's oil change interval would be 3 months/3000 miles for "severe" service (which was defined in a way that included about 95% of drivers) and 6 months/5 or 6000 miles for "normal" service (for that other 5%... no driving below 32F or above 90F, no short trips, no stop-and-go traffic, etc.)

Even now some USA dealer service departments still try to push the 3 month/3000 mile change interval. I brought my Challenger in for its 1st oil change since I had a coupon to get it done for free, and when I got the car back I noticed that their sticker indicated a date/mileage only 3 months/3000 miles in the future... this on a car with a 6 month/6000 mile/change-when-indicated interval in the manual, that I'd brought in only because it was at 6000 miles and I hadn't seen the change oil indicator yet.

 

[RaiRai]

Your 2002 doesn't have the GEMA World Engine... It has a Trenton Neon engine

You are probably right. I'm so bad with these details unless I check them... Anyways, the engine is '01 manufactured Mopar 2.0 litre DOHC. In Sebrings I quess "export only"...

 

[Greatday]

My 2012 200 with the 2.4l came on at exactly 7500 miles.

 

[Jeff2KPatriotBlue]

2010 Journey manual says (iirc) to change the oil within 800 km (~500 mile) of the warning comes on, but not to exceed 6 months. The "exactly" posts above are likely hitting a hard limit embedded in the algorithm, so no additional hard limit is requried in the "or" statement.

The maintenance table shows 10 000 km (~6000 mile) intervals.


PS: Yes, the dealer put a 5000 km sticker on it when I had the oil changed yesterday.

 

[RobC]

I see one small problem with the algorithm driven oil change approach, some engines such 4 cylinders in particular use 1 quart of oil every 1500 to 2000 miles since they see higher revs in general to keep up with traffic. If people fail to check that old fashioned dip stick they may find only one or two quarts of oil in the crankcase at 7,000 to 10,000 miles. Without an oil level sensor function I would not trust an algorithm past about a 50% oil life indication.