What is the Oil Life remaining % on car dash based on?

[Peconicgp]

I have a 24 XLT FX4. I noticed that the oil life remaining percentage can be displayed. Does anyone know how that number is calculated?

It doesn't seem to be based on how dirty the oil is. I had an oil change by the dealer at 1k miles and had the J-Brace installed so I could put on a rack system. The J-Brace took longer to install than they thought, and they were trying to get back to me the same day. So, in all that, they forgot to reset the oil life. I called to confirm with them that they did, in fact, change the oil, though.

So that got me wondering: Is the oil life remaining percentage just based on miles? Maybe it's a combination of miles and hours run? Does anyone know for sure?

Sponsored

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I have a 24 XLT FX4. I noticed that the oil life remaining percentage can be displayed. Does anyone know how that number is calculated?

It doesn't seem to be based on how dirty the oil is. I had an oil change by the dealer at 1k miles and had the J-Brace installed so I could put on a rack system. The J-Brace took longer to install than they thought, and they were trying to get back to me the same day. So, in all that, they forgot to reset the oil life. I called to confirm with them that they did, in fact, change the oil, though.

So that got me wondering: Is the oil life remaining percentage just based on miles? Maybe it's a combination of miles and hours run? Does anyone know for sure?

I think it has something to do with miles and hours. Since this one has some 900 odd miles, but 15 idle hours (bought with 13 IH) and 45 engine hours total. It says 84% remaining. If it was just mileage, 900=0.16[totalmiles], doing that math gives you 5625 miles of life...

 

[deeper]

There is no any sensor related to this. It is calculated value based on number of parameters like rpm, temperature, load, miles and time. Mine went from 90% to 2% in 6 month in which I was unable to use the car and only run it idle 10 min per week. The oil was change just before this but the dealer forgot to reset the oil life.

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

Why don't you just reset yourself 4 easy steps.

 

[Tazmanken]

I have a 24 XLT FX4. I noticed that the oil life remaining percentage can be displayed. Does anyone know how that number is calculated?

It doesn't seem to be based on how dirty the oil is. I had an oil change by the dealer at 1k miles and had the J-Brace installed so I could put on a rack system. The J-Brace took longer to install than they thought, and they were trying to get back to me the same day. So, in all that, they forgot to reset the oil life. I called to confirm with them that they did, in fact, change the oil, though.

So that got me wondering: Is the oil life remaining percentage just based on miles? Maybe it's a combination of miles and hours run? Does anyone know for sure?

Reset it yourself a few extra miles aren't going to hurt. By the way why did you have it changed at only 1,000 miles?

 

[Peconicgp]

Reset it yourself a few extra miles aren't going to hurt. By the way why did you have it changed at only 1,000 miles?

It is my first new truck and I want to do everything I can to make it last as long as I can. I wanted to do an oil change after the break-in period and will then follow a 5k-mile cycle. I am not sure how to reset, but like I said, I will just change it at 5k miles, so it isn't a big deal for me.

 

[CACTUSGREYFX4]

It is my first new truck and I want to do everything I can to make it last as long as I can. I wanted to do an oil change after the break-in period and will then follow a 5k-mile cycle. I am not sure how to reset, but like I said, I will just change it at 5k miles, so it isn't a big deal for me.

Here you go.

RESETTING THE INTELLIGENT OIL
LIFE MONITOR
Only reset the oil life monitoring system
after changing the engine oil and oil filter.
1. Press the menu button on the steering
wheel to enter the instrument cluster
display main menu.
2. Select Vehicle Maintenance.
3. Select Oil Life.
4. Press and hold the OK button until the
system reset confirmation appears.

 

[Mike9816]

Easy to reset as stated. It's based on milage or time. At least once a year or at the recommended milage.

 

[TheRealSasquatch]

Don’t listen to Ford installed “buy a new truck sooner” meter. It’s there for planned obsolescence. Change your oil between 4-5k.
As a tangent there is great video about oil and wear directly correlating to temperature.
Long live the Block Heater!

 

[DirtDad]

I plan on changing my oil every 7500 miles.
I have followed this in my last 4 vehicles, and in all of them, my motors ran like new. The one with the least miles when I got rid of it had 160,00, and 2 were around 220,000. All american trucks or suv. I used Mobil 1, and extended life premium filters, and changed the filter every other time.

 

[Satex]

There's a "Motor Oil Geek" video on YouTube that examines the GM system. At least in that case, the oil monitor was very conservative, meaning that testing revealed lots of remaining oil life even when the monitor said otherwise.

That doesn't mean Ford's is the same, or even that it would be the same on other GM products.

 

[Mike in UT]

According to Consumer Reports, the oil life monitors in modern cars leave an average of 2-3 months of usable oil life when they read 0%. I assume this is so that the vehicle won't run with bad oil.
I changed the oil in my 2019 Ranger every time the monitor reported 1%-0% life remaining (about every 10,000 miles, which is what the owner's manual said) and did all the other scheduled maintenance on time and I never had an engine problem.
The design oil life for my 2024 V6 Ranger is 10,000 miles, so I'll do the same thing and call it good.

 

[Satex]

According to Consumer Reports, the oil life monitors in modern cars leave an average of 2-3 months of usable oil life when they read 0%. I assume this is so that the vehicle won't run with bad oil.
I changed the oil in my 2019 Ranger every time the monitor reported 1%-0% life remaining (about every 10,000 miles, which is what the owner's manual said) and did all the other scheduled maintenance on time and I never had an engine problem.
The design oil life for my 2024 V6 Ranger is 10,000 miles, so I'll do the same thing and call it good.

Leaving aside the oil life monitor, the Ford oil change recommendation you're mentioning is for "other than severe service." If you check the conditions that are defined as severe and recognize that just one of them means your usage is severe, then the oem interval is halved.

Like most people, my usage is severe, so I will also follow Ford guidelines of 5,000 miles or 6 months.

 

[Mike in UT]

Leaving aside the oil life monitor, the Ford oil change recommendation you're mentioning is for "other than severe service." If you check the conditions that are defined as severe and recognize that just one of them means your usage is severe, then the oem interval is halved.

Like most people, my usage is severe, so I will also follow Ford guidelines of 5,000 miles or 6 months.

OK

 

[TheRealSasquatch]

Leaving aside the oil life monitor, the Ford oil change recommendation you're mentioning is for "other than severe service." If you check the conditions that are defined as severe and recognize that just one of them means your usage is severe, then the oem interval is halved.

Like most people, my usage is severe, so I will also follow Ford guidelines of 5,000 miles or 6 months.

• Driving habits: Frequent stop-and-go traffic, lots of idling, frequent short trips, driving in heavy city traffic.
• Weather conditions: Extreme heat or cold temperatures
• Load conditions: Towing heavy trailers or hauling large loads
• Terrain: Dusty or muddy roads
  
  I have pretty much all of those. I’m going to stick to 5k or less depending on how hard I flog the old girl.

Sponsored