How does the oil life display work?

[my_bd]

I was wondering what the the oil life display looks like, so I pressed the button on the panel once and it changed the display to OIL LIFE,
so I sat there and looked at it for a minute but that's all it shows. just the words OIL LIFE.
I pressed the button again and it changed the display to ENGLISH. I sat and watched that for a while. boring.
Pressed a 3rd time it changed back to the odometer.
Cycles each time I press the button.
well this seems dumb.
So then I switched it back to OIL LIFE and held the button longer. RESET
AAGGHHH!!
oh well, don't know what I'm looking for anyways.

Is that all it does? just displays the words OIL LIFE?
when the oil is getting old does it change to OIL DYING?
if the oil is really old and overdue does it change to OIL DEATH?

I thought it woulda shown an age or a percentage or something useful

[Freakazoid]

Originally Posted by my_bd

I was wondering what the the oil life display looks like, so I pressed the button on the panel once and it changed the display to OIL LIFE,
so I sat there and looked at it for a minute but that's all it shows. just the words OIL LIFE.
I pressed the button again and it changed the display to ENGLISH. I sat and watched that for a while. boring.
Pressed a 3rd time it changed back to the odometer.
Cycles each time I press the button.
well this seems dumb.
So then I switched it back to OIL LIFE and held the button longer. RESET
AAGGHHH!!
oh well, don't know what I'm looking for anyways.

Is that all it does? just displays the words OIL LIFE?
when the oil is getting old does it change to OIL DYING?
if the oil is really old and overdue does it change to OIL DEATH?

I thought it woulda shown an age or a percentage or something useful

OIL DEATH = engine seizing

but as you know I don't have a RL, but it sounds to me like when it displays oil life is when you're able to reset the oil life meter. to the best of my knowledge there is no age/% thing, but I'm curious why there isn't now that you mention it.

[BLOWN ION]

I was wondering this myself. I let it get up to 5k on the last change but still nothing...

[Doc_ss]

mine tells me a % left...yes, it actually speaks to me

[lawrencej]

The way it works is every time you change the oil, you reset the oil life button. I have onstar activated, so they send me an e-mail telling me how much oil life I have left every month.

[matt]

The meter on the Red Lines will jus say CHG OIL, or something along those lines on the dash when it needs changed. It motitors the RPMS and driving habits to determine this.

[WopOnTour]

LOL
I'm the one that led you astray my_bd (no MY bad!)
On the IONs the % isnt shown (like the Cobalts)
It's only use is to RESET it to 100% (as you discovered)
Only way to observe the % remaining on the ION is a scan tool
Wop

[WE0H]

If you have the first year free or subscribe to Onstar, they will email you a dated, with mileage, oil life percentage listing along with other self test stuff. I wouldn't let it go that many miles until they say it is due. Oil is cheep, motor's can be expensive to rebuild.

Mike

[my_bd]

Originally Posted by WopOnTour

LOL
I'm the one that led you astray my_bd (no MY bad!)
On the IONs the % isnt shown (like the Cobalts)
It's only use is to RESET it to 100% (as you discovered)
Only way to observe the % remaining on the ION is a scan tool
Wop

grrrrrr.....yeah you sure did
I never use the thing anyways.

what good is it if you have to reset it anyways? I thought it would monitor the quality of the oil somehow and magically - little tiny scientists with test tubes n such - it ought to detect the quality of new oil automatically....bah...sounds hokey....

hmpf! another parameter for the redline version of the interceptor gauge

[rlinbatonrouge]

Chuck Norris says when it's time to change oil and the car responds. 'Nuff said.