GM's Oil Life Monitor Changes?

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For what it's worth, just thought I would point out that my own dealer just went from a recommended 3750 OCI to a 5000 OCI for vehicles newer than the 2004 MY. Not sure why they pegged that year, 2000 would be easier to keep track of...but anyway, they are basically telling people now to follow the oil change indicator since it generally is pretty good at allowing folks to go around 5000miles or more between changes in most cases.

That seems to apply to the newer Pontiacs and GMCs that I work on anyway. Not sure about the Malibu or what changed with that.

Also, I would imagine (though I don't know this for sure) that the OLM is fairly conservative anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: Dyoel182
Does the GM OLM require a reset after an oil change or does it know you changed the oil? I assume its like the Ford OLM and you do a reset through the annoying dash odo knob.


You must reset it, it doesn't have some super-special sensor to tell it that there is suddenly fresh oil in the sump.
wink.gif


Also, the method varies in which you do this. Only one or two body styles use the trip-stick. Several of the pickups with steering wheel mounted controls and most newer vehicles with the advanced DIC (driver information center) have a button to scroll through various info screens. You select the OLM and then hold a reset button to clear it.

On older cars however there are some that use a reset button in the glovebox, some with a reset button in the fuseblock, and some you have to pump the accelerator three times within XXseconds when you turn the key to "On/Run", at which point the light will flash indicating a successful reset.

As always, consult your owner's manual.
 
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Originally Posted By: Ringe
For what it's worth, just thought I would point out that my own dealer just went from a recommended 3750 OCI to a 5000 OCI for vehicles newer than the 2004 MY.


Just curious: why doesn't your dealer advocate following the owner's manual, whether that is a static x,000 mile OCI or whether that is to follow the OLM? The owner's manual has always suggested that owners follow the OLM, for vehicles that have it, and it's always suggested a static OCI for vehicles that didn't. I'm just curious why your dealer decided to suggest something different, and how they determined the interval that they were going to recommend.
 
You need to rest it and it's not annoying to do.

Some have a button your push in the fusebox.

In some cases you simply turn on the ignition and depress the throttle to the floor, with eng. off, 3-5 times.

Others can be done on the steering wheel like my Cobalt or thru the throttle. Very easy.
 
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Originally Posted By: Jason Adcock
Originally Posted By: Ringe
For what it's worth, just thought I would point out that my own dealer just went from a recommended 3750 OCI to a 5000 OCI for vehicles newer than the 2004 MY.


Just curious: why doesn't your dealer advocate following the owner's manual, whether that is a static x,000 mile OCI or whether that is to follow the OLM? The owner's manual has always suggested that owners follow the OLM, for vehicles that have it, and it's always suggested a static OCI for vehicles that didn't. I'm just curious why your dealer decided to suggest something different, and how they determined the interval that they were going to recommend.


Personal opinion: Because people are either sheep who take our word as gospel and need guidance in all areas of life, or they are completely oblivious to their maintenance needs and would completely forget to change their oil period if someone wasn't on their case to do so.
grin2.gif


Professionally, they (the dealer) do both. For example, they have no problem allowing people to use the OLM as recommended in the manual. However they are also trying to make money, so they try to get people to see the "need" to change their oil frequently to reduce wear. They won't come out and say this, of course.

The fact is, there is a balance between keeping a flow of traffic through the shop but also not seeming dishonest or pushing a ridiculous and debunked industry standard.
 
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Originally Posted By: Ringe
The fact is, there is a balance between keeping a flow of traffic through the shop but also not seeming dishonest or pushing a ridiculous and debunked industry standard.


That's pretty much what I figured. I suppose the "re-evaluation" to 5,000 mile OCIs is a sign of that -- trying to adjust to the consistently longer OCIs now allowed by the OLM and now suggested in static OCI intervals as well.

Does every GM now have an OLM? If there are those that don't...do the OCI recommendations vary by vehicle? Or are they pretty much the 3750/7500 normal/severe schedule that seems to be industry-standard these days?
 
Originally Posted By: Ringe
Originally Posted By: cmhj
You need to rest it and it's not annoying to do.



Rest it?


"shaking my head"
 
Originally Posted By: Jason Adcock
Originally Posted By: Ringe
The fact is, there is a balance between keeping a flow of traffic through the shop but also not seeming dishonest or pushing a ridiculous and debunked industry standard.


That's pretty much what I figured. I suppose the "re-evaluation" to 5,000 mile OCIs is a sign of that -- trying to adjust to the consistently longer OCIs now allowed by the OLM and now suggested in static OCI intervals as well.

Does every GM now have an OLM? If there are those that don't...do the OCI recommendations vary by vehicle? Or are they pretty much the 3750/7500 normal/severe schedule that seems to be industry-standard these days?


I know the Pontiac Vibe does not have it, nor do I think does the Chevy Aveo. Basically anything built in a joint effort with another company's vehicle rebadged will not have it.
 
Some service places are good about resetting the OLM when it is illuminated. Sometimes when it is not on they forget to reset it.

When the light is not yet on because people go in for a 3k OCI and it comes on 2k miles later because the service place didn't reset the light people are like, "I just changed it, why is it coming on?"

People will spend $25,000 on a car and not read the manual.
smirk2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: GMFan
Some service places are good about resetting the OLM when it is illuminated. Sometimes when it is not on they forget to reset it.

When the light is not yet on because people go in for a 3k OCI and it comes on 2k miles later because the service place didn't reset the light people are like, "I just changed it, why is it coming on?"

People will spend $25,000 on a car and not read the manual.
smirk2.gif




I can't stand that either, on either issue. I know I forget occasionally too, but if the owner knows to simply reset it themselves as a precaution it wouldn't be an issue.
 
If an oil change place has the time to take your air filter out and tell you its dirty they should have time to check to reset the OLM and check the tire pressures for you.
 
Originally Posted By: Dyoel182
If an oil change place has the time to take your air filter out and tell you its dirty they should have time to check to reset the OLM and check the tire pressures for you.


I agree, but you're an idiot if you trust them to do it every time.
 
Quote:
People will spend $25,000 on a car and not read the manual.


In many cases there is a lot to read. Besides that, this is America. Only when all else fails does one read the instructions.

The composers of the owners manual need to get a Cliff Notes version. Everything today needs a Cliff Notes version. Reading an owners manual isn't "fun". It's not intriguing nor compelling. It has the taste of cardboard. It's written in boring terms on boring topics in a boring manner and probably by bored people. They had all the insight into consumer "wants" to somehow pull "velvety smooth shifts" out of their behinds (I've YET to EVER see a survey on it - or data that one was EVER conducted) ...yet don't see anything wrong with producing a vital owners manual that is sensibly digestible by the average customer. Have you checked out the "book" that comes with a cell phone; most of which only the most advanced/obscure user needs to know?
 
Originally Posted By: csandste
There's a post on the Edmunds Malibu Maxx thread.

The poster said he had an 04 or 05 Maxx. He replaced it with an 07. His OLM (like my 05) had shown approximately 7000 mile oil change intervals. His new car dropped that to 3500-4000.

He ventured that it was GM's attempt to keep their dealers happy by encouraging us to come in at 3000 mile intervals.

I'm hoping his new car is an out-lier and that GM has not reverted to this kind of [censored]. If it has done this, it might dissuade me from buying another GM vehicle as the long oil change intervals were a big plus and that's just not honest!

Anyone else run into this on later model cars?



I just wanted to say one thing in response to the original topic, since I actually watched an IDL concerning this and other oil issues this morning.

The OLM takes many things into consideration, including ambient temp, engine temp, length of trip, etc.

It could be, and this sounds likely, that he traded his Malibu recently. As some of you may notice if you look outside, it's wintertime. During wintertime oils tend to see a lot more condensation, and a lot more gasoline in the blow-by. Therefore the OLM will tend to be a bit more aggressive during the winter months.

I would also point out that the OLM has been in constant use and development since 1988 when it was first introduced in certain Oldsmobiles. Calibration of the OLM is based on a quality oil meeting GM's minimum spec, and GM engineers use their own UOA lab to analize over 900 samples a year to make sure their calibrations are sufficient to protect the engine with a 20% buffer. (In other words, when the OLM says you have 0% oil life remaining you actually have 20%)

All things considered, yes the system is conservative, and yes it has a safety net, but yes it is also very highly developed and is just plain "Good Science." Trust it.
 
Originally Posted By: Ringe

It could be, and this sounds likely, that he traded his Malibu recently. As some of you may notice if you look outside, it's wintertime. During wintertime oils tend to see a lot more condensation, and a lot more gasoline in the blow-by. Therefore the OLM will tend to be a bit more aggressive during the winter months.


That's a great point. Also, depending on how long it was at the dealer before he bought it, it could have been started a hundred times and ran for 30 seconds to move the car to the other end of the parking lot, as dealers tend to shuffle their stuff around all the time.
 
I was the guy that originally posted on edmunds. The facts relayed on this site were wrong. My situation was I had an 04 Malibu Maxx LS 3.5 liter 4sp auto that had and OCI of 6000-7000 mi. That car was totalled at 33,000 mi. in an accident. I replaced it with a new 06 Malibu Maxx LTZ with the same exact engine and trans, electric steering, etc. The LTZ curb weight is only 32 lbs. more than the LS. My driving habits and usage patterns on 06 are same as they were on the 04, yet the 06 OCI is only 3000-4500 miles. The LTZ now has about 24,500 mi and OCI has not improved.

There was a bulletin out on this and my dealer reprogrammed the PCM at my last service. But the OCI has only slightly increased. I also have an 05 Equinox, 06 Cobalt and an 07 Cobalt (lot of drivers still at home). These cars all have an OCI of 6000-7000 miles like my 04 Maxx. These other cars are driven on shorter trips and the driving habits of the kids should negatively impact OCI, yet it is better than my 06.

I was just venting when I suggested GM did this on purpose to get the dealers off their backs. My dealer has since embraced the Simplified Maintenance Schedules and recommends we follow them.

If anyone else here has an 06 Maxx, what are your OCI's. I'm sure something still is not right with my car. It drives and handles OK. The avg MPG is a little less than my 04, but I can live with that.
 
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