Today my maintenance minder hit 15% oil life. I had the oil changed in January with a NAPA Gold filter (Made by Wix) and Amsoil Synthetic 5W20, and after only 600 km. Its also telling me its time for a B service that I just did in November.

Should I just reset it and do my oil change the next time it comes down? I know visual inspection isn't the best way to check your oil, but it looks like it was just poured in there. Its not even a little bit black or discoloured.

 

I would just re-set it and do oil and filter change next time

 

When you changed the oil/filter in January, did you reset the MM so the oil life went back to 100%?

 

Everytime you reset the maintenance minder, the next time, it'll pull up a different code. Hope you also know the oil life percentage through Honda in fact does NOT actually let you know how much oil percentage is remaining. It's all based on how you drive, drive like a grandma, get 10k-12k on an oil change, more aggressive driver? 3k-5k miles. You'd be surprised how many Accords we had come through Honda with barely any oil left in it cause they trusted this maintenance minder that everyone has the impression of it measuring oil life percentage. Don't buy B services, you're wasting your money. It's basically just an oil and rotate and visual brake inspection. Your 2 service is a waste of money unless you actually need your air/cabin filter. 3 service is for tranny which Honda recommends every 30k. 4 and 5 are coolant and tune ups which you may not see for a while. But yea, bottom line: honda's maintenance minder is confusing.

 

Read that on my e-mail and did so. I mostly wanted someone to verify my thoughts.

Always do. Did it at my friend's Jiffy lube shop because I inevitably forget how to reset the maintenance minder (ask me about insurance groups and how to make subway sandwiches, and I can tell you all you need to know. Ask me to remember to hold down a button twice for ten seconds at a time? Nope.), and they have the reset instructions on their system.

I think moreso than the way I drive, but the temperature in which I drive in winter is what kills it so quickly. This time it just burned through the percentage so quick it was insane. Like, 10% every few days. The oil level is fine. I always lose a little bit between oil changes (I don't think we let it cycle through enough when we check it at the shop and there's a little less than what should be there, but not enough to worry about).

I learned my lesson about B services last time. $240 was completely out of the question for what was actually done. I think its about right on the tire service. It says rotate, but I need to replace the stock ones. If it doesn't get done soon, people are going to think I have slicks.

 

In South Africa there is no maintenance minder indication on the Fit, not sure why this is not enabled on ours.

 

I think I'd be happier without it, tbh.

 

The MM doesn't sample the oil in a miniature analyzing lab, it tracks revolutions and time at operating temperature. Shorter periods where it never reaches operating-temperature are considered severe service: these allow water to build up in the oil and this combines to form caustic compounds. The mythical sunday driver who only uses it to go to church, 2 miles down the road is the epitome of severe service. Road warriors that drive it long and hard will have longer intervals between changes (not so much for tires and brakes).

I'm amazed it went from 100% to 15% in 600km (less than 400 miles). Change your oil. (filter is optional but I'd do that too.) Use any brand name conventional oil in the correct viscosity (check your manual, 2010s and later use 0w20). You're wasting money on synthetic with such short intervals. Synthetic oil excels at retaining lubricating properties in high temperatures over long periods but it can't do a thing about the acids that are polluting your crankcase (and these are colourless).

What's your daily drive like? Scanning your posts I notice where you installed a remote starter and were waking up to start it periodically through the night so it would start in the -40 Alberta mornings (love it when the snow squeaks under your feet). As you noted, this kills your oil life. 600KM in 3 months is 200KM month. Assuming you work 5 days a week thats 10KM per day, 5KM each way (about 3 miles). Change your oil. Oh and get a float charger (Canadian Tire must sell one). They are tiny and can use the same plug-in as the block heater (I think I read you installed one of these) although you should be using the float charger year round. Your battery is in a constant state of partial charge which will cause it to sulfate and die a young death.

 

^ you're starting to sound like a Canadian

I do agree. If it were mine I would change it.

My commute is 7km each way, and I go home for lunch too. But there are a couple times a week where I drive for a least 30 minutes each way. Every so often I take it out on the highway for long trips. So I don't know if that would be considered severe service, but even in the winter my oil lasts at least 8000km... Maybe I'm a granny

 

I didn't see the usual buildup in the oil filler cap when water gets in.

I usually let it warm up when its really cold. I wish these cars had actual oil temp gauges so I could see where it is, but I usually let it run for 10-15 minutes if its that cold. Daily drive is a round trip of about 7 km, plus any errands in the morning. I wouldn't say more than 10 km per day really. Its a three year old car with 31,000 km on the odometer, so I don't really drive a lot.

At least once a week or so I like to take it for a run around the city's more open roads (a little circle that runs through the length of the city, around to the south end, then back up, mostly 60 and 70 km/h speed limits, and I try to time it so I can get some hard cornering in through turning lanes), which is about 12 km, and I usually run a few errands on weekends/days off.

As a rule all my cars get beaten like rented, redheaded mules.

Perhaps I should change it then. Gets expensive cracking out oil changes every couple months.

 

You gotta learn how to use the loud pedal Connor. I am thinking of doing the tranny change as I like to drive in third a lot of the time in the city just to keep the revs up and gas milage down.

My MM seldom hits 15%. I only drive around 10,000 kms/yr, so I take it in every Jan for oil and filter.

 

That's because you've been changing it every 3 months according to the MM. Don't stop now!

 

I did spend my formative years in Stratford, Ont. It affected me. I have a hankering for Shakespeare, maple syrup, and still have a drawer full of Canadian Tire money.

I don't know, but I'd guess the parameters stored can work both ways, shortening the oil change interval and lengthening it whenever you drive it long enough to boil off contaminants.

 

Exactly what Im saying. Of coarse their are forum members who don't even change their own oil that will praise the MM system and do 10k oil changes. to each their ignorant own I guess.

 

what?

How about those of us that check the oil level every fill up AND go by the MM for oil changes (and change our own oil)? Maintenance by the jiffy lube schedule is so 70s. Even then it was a rip-off.

The topic of this thread is ultrashort oil changes as called for by the MM. Are you advocating letting it go longer according to... what exactly?

 

Your post is confusing.

I think you're saying people rely on the MM for oil level (and not just life).

Honda doesn't recommend transmission service every 30K. Honda recommends you go by the MM for transmission service.

Grandma will need to change her oil more frequently than an aggressive driver, depending on their individual driving patterns.

 

Hey Steve. I am from Kitchener eh. Just had some maple syrup on my hot cross buns - yummy.

I picked up my wheels from a guy in Shakespeare in Jan. Cops had 7 & 8 closed that day because of the blowing snow causing an accident so had to detour.

and I buy my gas at Crappy Tire

bill

 

I always change my oil filter when I change my oil but since I bought a top quality Mobil one extended life filter (on sale) I figure I might skip an oil filter change this time around.

If I were you I'd probably go ahead and change just the oil and not the filter since you got a good one. If you do many oil changes, you might consider a synthetic blend oil rather than a full synthetic to save money. However, not obeying the MM and just resetting it is not a risk I'd be willing to take. I'd rather waste 15$ in oil than risk damaging my engine worth a few thousand. I personally change my oil about 3 times a year and I put very few miles on my car. I only use full synthic oil and I buy reputable brands (or Napa), whatever is on sale. Whenever there's a sale I buy 2 jugs and that lasts me the next 3 oil changes. I end up paying about 25-30 for a 5L jug of full synth (instead of 40-50$).

 

Yep. Big difference. EnticedByTiffany- Does your shop explain the difference to said customers?

 

Yeah, went to Bedford Junior Public, King Lear Senior Public, and (not nearly so lyrical) Central Secondary. I bought my first bike at Canadian Tire (they sell (sold) everything there) paid for with lawn mowing and snow blowing money. Then my parents moved us to Charlotte and blew my mind.