I hardly drive anymore, so when the local oil changer sticker's date came up, my (synthetic) oil was only slightly darker than transparent. In their shop, I was looking for a maintenance schedule (2013 Fit), but it wasn't in the owner's manual. I couldn't find one among my documents at home, either. According to https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/3rd-...-schedule.html, the whole idea of a maintenance schedule document seems to be obsolete. I found links to such info online, but I would not consider it to be as authoritative as hard copy documents provided with the sale of the car. Is it true that the maintenance schedule's time has come and gone? I was trying to verify that the time between oil changes was the sonner of 5000km or 5 months (or somesuch). My 5-month mark is coming up and the car's maintenance minder says the oil life is 90%. I don't want to void my warranty.

 

Just follow what your owners manual says.

 

A) The oil change reminder will come on when the calculated oil life reaches 15%.

B) Your owners manual states to change the oil at least annually if you don't reach the maintenance minder 15% suggestion within a years time.

As long as you adhere to those two criteria and keep accurate records of said services, your warranty cannot be denied on the basis of oil changes...because this is what your owners manual states. Please look it up in your own manual to confirm.





Following the maintenance minder, I have seen them allow anywhere from 4000 miles to over 12,000 miles (6000-19000km) depending on how you drive and the conditions driven in.
As long as you aren't using an inferior quality oil AND check oil level regularly (so it does not run low), this is reasonable and well within the oils' limitations.

 

Oh goody another oil thread!

Show me the oil test.. The maintenance minder is set to make sure you make it past the warrantee not to make the car last as long as it possibly can..

I's put in fresh oil and send it out to be tested every 3 months when the results fail you know how many miles it took and thats your oil change interval for your driving style..

BMW has been playing this game for years. Sorry but 12 to 15K miles on the oil and its NASTY.. even if its a good synthetic.

 

@ezone: I'll take another look at the manual. I browsed it multiple times but did not notice anything about specific distance or time. Only the maintenance minder (and possibly a wide range of distance).

@dwtaylorpdx: I am ambivalent about trying extraordinarily hard to make the car last extra long. I find the dash interferes with my shins and knees. But I will do my due diligence.

 

I found it on Page 197 footnote #1 in the USA owners manual.
1: If a message SERVICE does not appear more than 12 months after the display is reset, change the engine oil every year.



There is no mention of actual mileage for each service interval, as it can vary greatly with driving habits and conditions. I was just telling you the wide ranges I have seen since Honda started using this maintenance minder system.

Typically, the system will ask for a tire rotation (#1) with every oil change, filters (#2) at the service after 24k, trans service (#3) after 30k, and spark plugs and coolant (#4 and #5) come around 100,000 miles. Each items interval will repeat roughly around the same mileages if driving habits remain constant.

Also, if you always get your oil changed before this minder system tells you to, you might never get to witness these other service reminders on the display.
Your oil changer place may not know what they mean either, if they notice at all.

Of course, you should keep records of all your services and maintenance. If you switch out tires for summer and winter, then you need to keep track of each sets positions and rotate schedule, as the minder system has absolutely no clue LOL

HTH

 

OK, thanks for that. I won't hit the other messages for some time. The air filter, I just changed because things were starting to smell. As for tires, a tire selling place also stores off-season tires for a fee. They keep track of the tire positions, so that get's looked at every year (actually, twice a year, but each time is with a different set of tires). Regarding the 12 months oil change for those who hardly drive, I'll change it more frequently just to avoid getting close to the limit.