How much do you guys rely on this? I'm pushing 5000k miles on this oil change and I'm still at 30%?!?! I've always changed mine around 3k miles so for those of you that have this...do you go by it? How reliable is it? Anyone know how it's calculated?

 

I live by it on the 07 Pilot. The "other" Honda's I own I change the oil @ 6K-manual says 7.5K. But that is me, not wanting to start a debate, just using what the owners manual tells me.

How it is calc, something with temps, rpm's, speed, ect...???

 

I rely on it for my cars. I've done oil-analysis on one of the Civics and when the monitor said 10% Blackstone said I could have left the oil in awhile longer (Castrol GTX 5w-20). I could use cheaper oil but I don't want to. So I'll just life with the knowledge that I could actually go beyond the point where the maintenance lamp comes on at 15%. Probably could let it go down to zero.

It calculates based on total revolutions, cold starts, warm starts, how much you mash the gas pedal, all kinds of stuff. I like the idea that I don't have to keep a detailed "diary" of whether I've been doing highway driving, city driving, harsh conditions, whatever...

 

I've been using the oil monitors on my 2007 Accord and 2003 MDX. It always seems to come out fairly near 7500 miles. Do you drive a lot of highway miles?

I did some "googling" and didn't find any real knowledge about how the oil remaining life is calculated.

I would suspect it is calculated based on number of starts, speed/duration of trips (short trips add oil use must faster than long trips), and other factors known only to Honda. They will not publish, because sure as they publish some lawyer will figure a way to sue them for some perceived failure to perform.

I suspect that most folks change oil far too frequently, myself included. I change my older cars quarterly, but there is no particular reason or justification.

good luck

 

Thanks for all the input. For the most part my driving is highway miles so I guess it makes sense. I'm running synthetic and the oil still looks good so I'm not real concerned, but just trying to make sense of it. Don't mind waiting that long I just wanted to make sure that was more the norm and not off track.

 

I own a 2009 and have my oil changed by the Honda dealer, I use synthetic. The "reminder" sticker they place on the windshield is always made out for app 4 months/4,000 miles. I'm sure they probably like to see me come in sooner as it's $$ for them. I'm old-fashioned I like the traditional so many miles/months and change it. I always get a change well before the monitor tells me too, it's usually at around 40-50% when I go in. Not rich but I can afford going sooner and it just gives me peace of mind that's all. Whatever floats your boat I guess.

 

I own an '09 accord 6 cyl, 6spd. I changed the intial oil at 6,000 mile and I'm pretty sure my maint. minder was at 60% (might have been 50%, cant remember). then I changed the oil at 10,000 miles (just wanted an even number). I know have 11,800 and the minder is at 90% (been on 90 for awhile so I'm sure 80% is around the corner).

I called Honda in CA and the brain trust there first said that the minder goes off at specific intervals. I explained to them (i forget what page in the user manual) that whatever it says there is interpreted to mean that the minder in my car (not sure about other Honda models, years etc) actually determines the QUALITY of the remaining oil. I do drive the car fast (retired NYPD) but not aggressively. Yes there is a difference.

At this rate I'm working on a 10,000 oil change. however if this quality theory is correct then as the oil ages I assume the % drop will increase at a faster rate. regards...

 

I personally don't trust oil life monitors. I work and a fast change oil place and I have all sorts of vehicles come in for oil changes with oil life monitoring systems. People who usually go on the monitoring systems and run them under 50% have low oil levels or really burnt oil. As far as I know mercedes is the only manufacture that has a monitor that actually looks at the quality of oil and doesn't have a dipstick. The best thing to do in my opinion is to use a high quality oil and go off the vehicles recomendations for oil change intervals and look at the dipstick regularly. beware of the 12.99 or 16.99 oil change places because they use cheap oil and filter if they even replace the filter at all. this is just my 2 cents on subject.

 

I have an 03 V6, and it doesn't have the maintenance minder. The owner's manual has 3,750 miles as the interval for severe conditions. It's amazing to me that this same engine is expected to go twice that far between oil changes. I finally let the oil go to 4,000 miles this last change. The Mobil 1 looked like crude at 4k, so I can only emagine what it would look like after 8k miles. People say dirty oil is not bad oil, but an oil can only suspend so much crap.
For those of you with 06-7 V6 models, how many miles do you usually have, when the MM gets down to 10%, or 5%?

 

As my neighbor says about this is that he dont change the oil- he just changes the filter every 7,000 miles. What's he driving you ash...how about a 1960 Chevy Impala.