[Axz]

I haven't driven much since last year so I didn't pay much attention to the maintenance info. I take my car out every month to drive a bit just to make sure everything is working fine. When I did that last month, I noticed the engine oil life was at 50%. Then I checked it again today and it's at 40%. According to my inspection last year, my car was at 6900 mileage 05/2020, and now it's at 7300, so the oil life decreases 60% for less than 500 miles.

Does anyone observes similar behaviors?

 

[thefisch]

It also seems to be time based since last reset. My oil was changed about 9 months ago and even though I've driven less than 4k miles since then, my OL is at 30% life remaining.

 

[slimm1469]

I pay no attention to MM. I just remember the approximate odo reading with each oil change, trans fluid change etc. All the electronic stuff is rife with "issues," so I resort to old school.

 

[jackpine]

Honda wants you to change your oil at one year intervals if you don't drive the car.

- Jack

 

[easymike]

Honda wants you to change your oil at one year intervals if you don't drive the car.

To elaborate, the recommended oil change interval is when the MM hits 0%, or once a year, whichever comes first. It seems like they've gotten smarter about the MM so that the percentage falls more in line with that schedule to remind you that you're due. Honda is anything but wasteful with engine oil. In my 9th gen, I typically hit 0% about every 9k miles. I once made it 11k during a cross country trip.

 

[jackpine]

And to elaborate further, MM shows decreasing oil life based on time if you're not driving your car. So, after a year since the last oil change, MM will show the life at 0%.

I'm getting my oil changed tomorrow, since it's been over a year since it was last changed. MM now shows I'm 120 miles past due, I've put about 4000 miles on the car since the last change and the oil in the engine looks brand new - no darkening at all.

I can't fault Honda for this. There's no way to easily differentiate between a car used for frequent very short trips or one that's been sort of a "garage queen" like mine has been during the pandemic. I know the oil has not degraded, but since the car is still under warranty, I don't want to give anyone any reason to refuse warranty service.

- Jack

 

[Axz]

I suspected it was time based but I was doubtful because of the sticky thread and I read a post in another random thread that someone 100% certain it was not time based.

Thanks for the comments. Now I have an answer for the behavior.

 

[easymike]

I suspected it was time based but I was doubtful because of the sticky thread and I read a post in another random thread that someone 100% certain it was not time based.

Thanks for the comments. Now I have an answer for the behavior.

You could sample some oil and submit to Blackstone with your story. they can give guidance on the actual life remaining in the oil based on your use

 

[C0mdrData]

I suspected it was time based but I was doubtful because of the sticky thread and I read a post in another random thread that someone 100% certain it was not time based.

Thanks for the comments. Now I have an answer for the behavior.

My former car was a 9th gen 2016 LX. My last oil change was done after about 4200 miles because it was a year since the previous one. My oil life read 70%. So apparently in the 9th gen (and earlier I guess) there was no time component to the maintenance minder. It appears the 10th gen MM may have changed that.

 

[DARKART]

You can go years on oil. I have run oil for 3yr/5K miles in the past with a healthy oil analysis. Don’t necessarily treat the yearly change as gospel.