Oil Change For 2012 Honda Civic?

[Anonymous]

I have an almost fifteen year old Honda that I have been changing the oil for every 3000 miles on the dot.

Yesterday I noticed that I am due for another 3000 mile oil change yet when I checked the oil life option on my dashboard - it stated that my oil life is at 50%.

Should I get the oil changed now or wait until the oil life amount goes down more?

[Anonymous]

Newer Hondas and acuras don’t go by the “every 3000 miles” rule. They now all have maintenance minders that tell you when to do maintenance on your car. If you know the maintenance minder was reset on your last oil change, go with what the maintenance minder says and wait until it is due.

There are some items that are not tracked under the maintenance minder, like brake fluid which is every three years, but consult your owners manual.

I guess one more thing, if it’s been over a year since your last oil change, then get it done. Maintenance minder didn’t see COVID coming. 😉

[Anonymous]

^^ Excellent advice above, but would not consider a 2012 Honda a new(er) car.
I would think that a car that old would still need the every 3month/3,000mi. oil change.

Also the last oil change technician may not have reset your oil life button.
If you have a maintenance required light and it isn’t lit up, then that may be a simple indicator that your car’s oil is still good.
Because even if the oil life button was not reset the maintenance light would still go on if the oil was old.

[Anonymous]

you should be changing it every 5000 miles, which is updated guidance

[Anonymous]

No need to change oil every 3k miles on your 2012 civic. Just follow the maintenance minder which will tell you to change it roughly every 5k miles. Don’t waste money and pollute the environment with the used oil

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No need to change oil every 3k miles on your 2012 civic. Just follow the maintenance minder which will tell you to change it roughly every 5k miles. Don’t waste money and pollute the environment with the used oil

Okay I will definitely follow your advice!
Thanks for responding.

From the OP.

[Anonymous]

A 2012 vehicle is not categorized as newer so according to your vehicle’s manual the oil likely will need replacing every 3000 miles.
Check your manual

[Anonymous]

I’m the PP who wrote “newer Honda’s”. That was poor wording on my part. Long ago, folks used the 3 mon / 3,000 mi rule for oil changes when you had to monitor old cars on your own. Cars “newer than those” now have indicators. Hondas, including the 2012 civic, have “maintenance minders”. This tells you what services are due and it estimates the life of your oil.

Change your oil when the maintenance minder tells you (or after 1 year). And yes, check your owners manual.

[Anonymous]

I thought 3K was only a Jiffy Lube thing. Cars can go much longer.

[Anonymous]

I am surprised that no one mentioned the type of oil in your car.

If you have used synthetic engine oil then you should be able to go up to 7,500 miles (or more) w/out the need for an oil change.

Car make/model isn’t always the determining factor here.
Type of engine oil also plays a significant factor….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought 3K was only a Jiffy Lube thing. Cars can go much longer.

I think it is.
Because they always put that “3month/3,000miles” sticker on my windshield whenever I get an oil change there even though my car can go much longer than that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised that no one mentioned the type of oil in your car.

If you have used synthetic engine oil then you should be able to go up to 7,500 miles (or more) w/out the need for an oil change.

Car make/model isn’t always the determining factor here.
Type of engine oil also plays a significant factor….

Using synthetic on the civic would be confusing if you rely on the maintenance minder. It would still call for oil changes assuming conventional oil.

[Anonymous]

I use synthetic oil in my Porsche Macan and change it once a year. I drive about 8000 miles a year.

[Anonymous]

7500 is pretty standard these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an almost fifteen year old Honda that I have been changing the oil for every 3000 miles on the dot.

Yesterday I noticed that I am due for another 3000 mile oil change yet when I checked the oil life option on my dashboard - it stated that my oil life is at 50%.

Should I get the oil changed now or wait until the oil life amount goes down more?

Open your car’s manual and see what the recommended service interval is.