Oil Life Monitor

ZED SLED · 07-24-2019, 07:48 AM

Anyone else get this questionable data on their oil life or can explain it? I'm at odds with how it can go from 97% to 51% in 2 weeks and 115 miles. No track days, just highway miles. Did the same thing last year. 97% to 26% also seems excessive for 2300 miles. ( I realize time is part of the algorithm) 2000 of that was 2 road trips. I put 3-4k miles on this car per year and change it once when putting away for winter. When it got to 9% last September I just reset it. I see no reason not to do that again soon.
Also, FWIW, I have a 2016 Silverado that my wife drives with 1850 miles on it that the oil gets changed once per year and the monitor doesn't behave this way.

Name: oil life.jpg
Views: 1984
Size: 25.8 KB

Name: oil life.jpg
Views: 1984
Size: 25.8 KB

PROMETHEUS · 07-24-2019, 08:04 AM

Seems right to me, you are about to come up on 3K miles since you last change. Plus you have gone over 9 months since that oil change. The oil life monitor works on both mileage and time.

tecboy · 07-24-2019, 08:13 AM

Yep...mileage and time. I noticed the same thing...put car away for winter at 100%...first reading after i get it out is the same as i put it in...100%..then next month report...it drops a lot based on the amount of time that passed in storage...

GA SS · 07-24-2019, 08:14 AM

I have a 2017 and it gets to a very low percentage when it gets close to the anniversary date that I bought it regardless of mileage every year. I changed it the first time at 1,367 miles and the second time at 2,460 miles a year later. I don't drive it very often and notice the percentage drops very quickly when I do take it out. The oil comes out looking new. It stays in a climate controlled basement so it looks like to me it measure time rather than mileage.

ZED SLED · 07-24-2019, 08:46 AM

Yep, I agree with what you guys are saying, except this wasn't an issue with my 2010 SS LS3 or 2013 ZL1. Is it that LT motors are more susceptible to this than LS motors?

SteveV · 07-24-2019, 08:48 AM

I would be more willing to believe it is GM just wanting you to come to the stealership more often.

ICTsccaCamaro · 07-24-2019, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZED SLED

Yep, I agree with all that, except this wasn't an issue with my 2010 SS LS3 or 2013 ZL1. Is it that LT motors are more susceptible to this than LS motors?

No just the programming is different.

tecboy · 07-24-2019, 08:48 AM

Its a combination of both...max % is going to be 12 months...if you never drive car...it will lose 8.3% every month. I usually get mine changed in the 10th month (never get close to needed changed based on low miles i drive). If you let it get below 10%, you have to acknowledge the message in display at every start up or it wont go away..PITA

ZED SLED · 07-24-2019, 09:40 AM

Thanks guys. Based on 26% with 3 months to go since last oil change I agree with above. 8%/month is likely the minimum per the present algorithm. I'll just reset it if it gets below 10% before then, which last year was within a month of previous change.

Vigilante375 · 07-24-2019, 02:25 PM

I pay no attention to the oil life monitor. I only pay attention to the mileage. I changed my oil at 4000 miles then my oil isn't ready to be changed again until 9000 miles. Unless I go to a track day then it'll be a different story.

There's just too much extra stuff in cars that manufacturers put in these days. Im honestly surprised the ZL1 doesn't have a brake pad monitor. My 135i had one and that's one thing I wished the ZL1 had.

sengli · 07-24-2019, 11:19 PM

I know when I bought my ZL1 from a dealer in michigan, it sat from december of 17 to march of 18 with only 150 miles on it. The oil life moniter was down to 23% when I checked it. So more about time than miles obviously.

So when I told the sales guy about it, he advised me to just push the reset button, not change the oil.

fosterelli · 07-25-2019, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vigilante375

There's just too much extra stuff in cars that manufacturers put in these days. Im honestly surprised the ZL1 doesn't have a brake pad monitor. My 135i had one and that's one thing I wished the ZL1 had.

Funny I've been "hot-wiring" them on our Range Rovers for years...essentially disabling the sensors by splicing the two wires together when I do our brake jobs. I don't like buying new ones (even though they're cheap) and I don't mind checking the pads when I'm rotating tires. Something about them pisses me off...I think I might be strange but whatever!

unavailablezl1 · 07-25-2019, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZED SLED

Anyone else get this questionable data on their oil life or can explain it? I'm at odds with how it can go from 97% to 51% in 2 weeks and 115 miles. No track days, just highway miles. Did the same thing last year. 97% to 26% also seems excessive for 2300 miles. ( I realize time is part of the algorithm) 2000 of that was 2 road trips. I put 3-4k miles on this car per year and change it once when putting away for winter. When it got to 9% last September I just reset it. I see no reason not to do that again soon.
Also, FWIW, I have a 2016 Silverado that my wife drives with 1850 miles on it that the oil gets changed once per year and the monitor doesn't behave this way.

Attachment 997123

First your chart does not say 97 to 51 in two weeks, it shows 10/19/2018. But then you started it up and it took a bit to realize what month you are in and then it changed that fast. That is how it works. You could change your oil and not drive it at all for 12 months and it would go to 0% left

VinnAY · 07-25-2019, 01:53 PM

I do 12-13K per year, oil get's changed in the Fall, and then in the spring...6 month intervals...no care what the life meter says. I do think that this one falls more rapidly than my Mustang GT did.

07-24-2019, 07:48 AM	#1
ZED SLED Drives: 2017 Mosaic Bk ZL1 M6 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South of Raleigh, NC Posts: 9,615 View My Garage	Oil Life Monitor Anyone else get this questionable data on their oil life or can explain it? I'm at odds with how it can go from 97% to 51% in 2 weeks and 115 miles. No track days, just highway miles. Did the same thing last year. 97% to 26% also seems excessive for 2300 miles. ( I realize time is part of the algorithm) 2000 of that was 2 road trips. I put 3-4k miles on this car per year and change it once when putting away for winter. When it got to 9% last September I just reset it. I see no reason not to do that again soon. Also, FWIW, I have a 2016 Silverado that my wife drives with 1850 miles on it that the oil gets changed once per year and the monitor doesn't behave this way. __________________ Last edited by ZED SLED; 07-24-2019 at 08:06 AM.

07-24-2019, 08:13 AM	#3
tecboy Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 460	Yep...mileage and time. I noticed the same thing...put car away for winter at 100%...first reading after i get it out is the same as i put it in...100%..then next month report...it drops a lot based on the amount of time that passed in storage... __________________ 2016 Black 2SS A8 NPP Sunroof - Tinted Windows - Black Chrome Wheels - Custom Striping - ASC Sideskirts/Splitter - GM Lowering Kit - Complete Sound System - DD LED Sidemarkers

07-24-2019, 08:46 AM	#5
ZED SLED Drives: 2017 Mosaic Bk ZL1 M6 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South of Raleigh, NC Posts: 9,615 View My Garage	Yep, I agree with what you guys are saying, except this wasn't an issue with my 2010 SS LS3 or 2013 ZL1. Is it that LT motors are more susceptible to this than LS motors? __________________

07-24-2019, 08:48 AM	#6
SteveV Drives: 2018 ZL1 Camaro 6M Red Hot Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 1,139 View My Garage	I would be more willing to believe it is GM just wanting you to come to the stealership more often. __________________ People are a lot like slinky's: not very helpful most of the time, but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs...

07-24-2019, 08:48 AM	#8
tecboy Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 460	Its a combination of both...max % is going to be 12 months...if you never drive car...it will lose 8.3% every month. I usually get mine changed in the 10th month (never get close to needed changed based on low miles i drive). If you let it get below 10%, you have to acknowledge the message in display at every start up or it wont go away..PITA __________________ 2016 Black 2SS A8 NPP Sunroof - Tinted Windows - Black Chrome Wheels - Custom Striping - ASC Sideskirts/Splitter - GM Lowering Kit - Complete Sound System - DD LED Sidemarkers

07-24-2019, 08:04 AM	#2
PROMETHEUS Drives: 2019 ZL-1, Shadow Gray, Sold Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,390	Seems right to me, you are about to come up on 3K miles since you last change. Plus you have gone over 9 months since that oil change. The oil life monitor works on both mileage and time.

07-24-2019, 08:14 AM	#4
GA SS Drives: 2017 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: southeast Posts: 72	I have a 2017 and it gets to a very low percentage when it gets close to the anniversary date that I bought it regardless of mileage every year. I changed it the first time at 1,367 miles and the second time at 2,460 miles a year later. I don't drive it very often and notice the percentage drops very quickly when I do take it out. The oil comes out looking new. It stays in a climate controlled basement so it looks like to me it measure time rather than mileage.

07-24-2019, 09:40 AM	#9
ZED SLED Drives: 2017 Mosaic Bk ZL1 M6 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South of Raleigh, NC Posts: 9,615 View My Garage	Thanks guys. Based on 26% with 3 months to go since last oil change I agree with above. 8%/month is likely the minimum per the present algorithm. I'll just reset it if it gets below 10% before then, which last year was within a month of previous change. __________________

07-24-2019, 02:25 PM	#10
Vigilante375 Drives: 2018 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,419	I pay no attention to the oil life monitor. I only pay attention to the mileage. I changed my oil at 4000 miles then my oil isn't ready to be changed again until 9000 miles. Unless I go to a track day then it'll be a different story. There's just too much extra stuff in cars that manufacturers put in these days. Im honestly surprised the ZL1 doesn't have a brake pad monitor. My 135i had one and that's one thing I wished the ZL1 had.

07-24-2019, 11:19 PM	#11
sengli Drives: 2015commemorative vert 2SS Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: northern Indiana Posts: 949	I know when I bought my ZL1 from a dealer in michigan, it sat from december of 17 to march of 18 with only 150 miles on it. The oil life moniter was down to 23% when I checked it. So more about time than miles obviously. So when I told the sales guy about it, he advised me to just push the reset button, not change the oil. __________________ 2018 ZL1 Bright Yellow, A10, PDR, sunroof, carbon hood, and dash- sold 2020 2SS A10 sunroof..shock and steel special-traded 2015 commemorative vert 2ss

07-25-2019, 01:53 PM	#14
VinnAY Account Suspended Drives: 18 1SS/1LE Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Missouri Posts: 939	I do 12-13K per year, oil get's changed in the Fall, and then in the spring...6 month intervals...no care what the life meter says. I do think that this one falls more rapidly than my Mustang GT did.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password