Anonymous wrote:What kind of car do you have? Year, make, model, mileage?

Then we can tell you whether something's wrong with your car.

OMG this.
You people need to read your manuals. Anyone putting synthetic into their car then changing the oil at 5,000 miles is doing it wrong. Most of the indicators are actually just maintenance indicators which means it's time for some kind of maintenance but not necessarily an oil change.

For example, my Toyota has a maintenance light that comes on every 5,000 miles or 6 months because every 5k or 6 months I'm supposed to rotate the tires. It uses synthetic and the oil change is every 10,000 miles or one year. So even though I'm getting the light after six months, that does not mean that I need another expensive oil change, it means I need a tire rotation - and even this is debatable if I haven't driven at least 5,000 miles yet. Anyone with a modern Toyota (one that uses synthetic) that's driving 5,000 miles a year and getting more than one oil change a year is wasting money and time as well as harming the environment for no reason. It's not helping your car.

I refer you to page 38: https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/T-MMS-18Camry/pdf/T-MMS-18Camry.pdf

As you can see, you do NOT need to change the oil at 5k intervals. Anyone doing that is basing it on dino oil Jiffy Lube propaganda from the 90's. Even Jiffy Lube stopped saying this : http://business.time.com/2011/06/14/now-even-jiffy-lube-says-you-dont-have-to-get-an-oil-change-every-3000-miles/

Anonymous wrote:Forget the "low oil" light -- just check the oil with the dipstick every time you fill up, or once a week. Not that hard to do. Airline pilots check the fuel in a plane with a wooden stick--low tech, but they don't run out of fuel in the middle of the Atlantic.

Change the oil every six months. Have a trusted mechanic, who may find other things that need attention but who won't steal from you.

I've heard that some new cars don't HAVE a dipstick -- is that true? If so, this advice doesn't work.

I could be wrong but I'll bet it's the airline mechanics that do this, not the pilots.

Forget the "low oil" light -- just check the oil with the dipstick every time you fill up, or once a week. Not that hard to do. Airline pilots check the fuel in a plane with a wooden stick--low tech, but they don't run out of fuel in the middle of the Atlantic.

Change the oil every six months. Have a trusted mechanic, who may find other things that need attention but who won't steal from you.

I've heard that some new cars don't HAVE a dipstick -- is that true? If so, this advice doesn't work.

Every 5k miles. My light comes on about 100 miles before that. The shop resets it to 5k when I have an oil change.

My experience was to change the oil in my car every 5,000 miles. I use synthetic only and since I go to the Jiffy Lube on New Hampshire Ave (Takoma) I get free top off’s in between oil changes (oil added but filter not changed). Going there it was pointed out to me that my oil was burning quickly (took one quart to top off after going less then 1,000 miles). I brought the car back to my dealership where they started an oil consumption test (did an oil change and then sealed it to ensure they are the next folks who take the oil cap off) and it turned out the engine needed to be replaced (at manufactures expense).

What kind of car do you have? Year, make, model, mileage?

Then we can tell you whether something's wrong with your car.

I though there was also a time quota? We only drive 5000 miles a year but it's changed 2-3x a year

Anonymous wrote:You’re still not getting it. If you are burning oil or low on oil or have an oil leak, your “change oil” indicator is not going to come on. It’s a different indicator.

“Change oil” means change oil.

So if someone says “my oil light came on,” you really don’t have enough information.

We know.

My car wants me to change every year, but it uses synthetic.

You’re still not getting it. If you are burning oil or low on oil or have an oil leak, your “change oil” indicator is not going to come on. It’s a different indicator.

“Change oil” means change oil.

So if someone says “my oil light came on,” you really don’t have enough information.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again - you all really need to distinguish between a “low oil” indicator and a “change oil” indicator. One can be very bad and one is not.

if a light comes on after only 4.5k, it's not change oil. op is burning oil somewhere or didn't put right amount last time

Once again, what “light” are you talking about? Your “change oil” light has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual fluid level and would not tell you if you were low or burning oil.

Read carefully.

Ugghh.

If you drive 4500 miles, it is entirely possible that your “change oil” indicator light can come on, indicating that your car’s computer has assessed that based on driving patterns, it’s time to change the oil. It is also possible that your “oil light” or “low oil” indicator could come on, indicating that you are burning oil, have a leak, or have experienced some sort of sudden loss of oil that should be addressed immediately.

calm down... at 4500 miles, you should have at 50-60% good. modern cars (modern enough to have sensors) can last 10k between changes. op is burning oil, didn't put enough oil, (and possibly leaking oil as you said), not dirty oil issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again - you all really need to distinguish between a “low oil” indicator and a “change oil” indicator. One can be very bad and one is not.

if a light comes on after only 4.5k, it's not change oil. op is burning oil somewhere or didn't put right amount last time

Once again, what “light” are you talking about? Your “change oil” light has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual fluid level and would not tell you if you were low or burning oil.

Read carefully.

Ugghh.

If you drive 4500 miles, it is entirely possible that your “change oil” indicator light can come on, indicating that your car’s computer has assessed that based on driving patterns, it’s time to change the oil. It is also possible that your “oil light” or “low oil” indicator could come on, indicating that you are burning oil, have a leak, or have experienced some sort of sudden loss of oil that should be addressed immediately.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again - you all really need to distinguish between a “low oil” indicator and a “change oil” indicator. One can be very bad and one is not.

if a light comes on after only 4.5k, it's not change oil. op is burning oil somewhere or didn't put right amount last time

Once again, what “light” are you talking about? Your “change oil” light has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual fluid level and would not tell you if you were low or burning oil.

Read carefully.