According to the service manual, oil changes should be done when oil life shows 15%. Understood. I changed my oil about a year ago and I'm only at 50% oil life.

At my pace it'll be almost 2 full years before I get to 15%. Does the minder only takes into consideration miles and not time? In terms of length of time, what is the max one should go in between oil changes?

My oil still looks lightish brown, not dark at all.

 

If you reread the manual, I think you'll find that it's when the MM tells you to or after a year, whichever comes first. In your case, obviously the yearly oil change is the recommendation. (While you should definitely get your oil changed, don't worry that you've destroyed the engine by waiting an extra year once; so long as you aren't running with insufficient oil or making a long-term practice of never changing the oil, you should be just fine.)

The MM does not take into consideration calendar time. It probably doesn't directly consider milage, either, but things like engine running time, temperature, RPM, throttle settings, etc.

 

So pretty much at least 1 change a year minimum. Thanks.

 

You don't seem to drive much. You could go for years if you only drive like 3000 miles a year or something that little.

 

Your right. I work from home and we take my Fiancee's car a lot too. My car gets the NYC duty for parking and around the town errands. When I was working in an office I was logging decent mileage though.

 

To clarify, it doesn't say to change at 15%, it just starts nagging at 15%.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I rather not even wait till 15% altough I know these motors run pretty well either way.

 

I am in your boat. in 2014 the fit was demoted to 2nd string work.... So I never get below 40% on the MM before the year is up.


at 100410 miles I had a LOF, Tire Rotation and Transmission Flush. MM was at 50%, so I just did it at the year mark.

 

If you are on the Yearly Oil Change routine, make sure you take note of the other MM maintenance codes before you reset.

 

Honda cars and other cars too have all said to change the oil every 5000-7000 or every 6 months.I would think you are well over due. If you keep on delaying in this process then that time is not too far, when your car becomes disable and you have to hospitalized it.

 

I've never seen this kind of life percentage indication of the lubricating oil. My 2013 Fit does not have this kind of indication. The manual indicates that the oil should be changed around 10.000 Km or one year. Interesting.

 

being an automotive designer myself, I trust the designers of the vehicle over the "recommended" maintenance schedule from a dealer. Honda designers put the MM in place to gauge the life of the oil "based on specific Your vehicle displays engine oil life and maintenance service items based on the engine operating conditions and accumulated engine revolutions, the onboard computer in your vehicle calculates the remaining engine oil life and displays it as a percentage"(1). No where in the Owners manual 2010, does it state a definitive mileage required between oil changes.

When the engine oil life is 15 to 1 percent, the maintenance minderindicator (Wrench Symbol or word SERVICE) comes on every time you turn the ignition switch to the ON (II) position, then it goes out if you switch the information display. When you see this message, have the indicated maintenance performed by your dealer as soon as possible.(2)

Straight from the manual: If the message ‘‘SERVICE’’ does not appear more than 12 months after the display is reset, change the engine oil every year.(3)

So with my driving habits and the MM analyzing all parts of the engine i can easily get 10,000miles between oil changes (aka once a year).

Designers > Dealers

(1) Page 245 2010 FIT owners manual
(2) Page 247 2010 FIT owners manual
(3) Page 251 2010 FIT owners manual

 

Dear brivers222. Hi, I wish you have a good week. My 2013 Fit is Brazilian and does not have the percentage indicator of life of oil. Perhaps this information is mandatory in American cars, but in Brazil i've neever seen it and i do not find it in the car's manual.

 

Dear brivers222. In fact, as I am an exaggerated one, I change the oil and filter before 10.000 Km, also because here in Rio we face many severe traffic jams, a condition that oxidizes and reduces the useful life of oil. Currently I use synthetic oil 5W30 instead of 0W20 wich is very expensive in Honda dealerships.