Oil change needed 3 months after service?
Discussion
Hi all
My 2009 Ford S-Max had a service in July which included an oil change. Now the car is telling me I need to change the oil. Does this make sense? How does the car know that an oil change is needed anyway?
A related issue is that when the 'oil service' message first popped up I checked the dipstick and found the oil was at the 'min' mark, so I assumed the car had been trying to tell me I needed to top up the oil. I topped up with one litre, after which the oil level on the dipstick was about 10mm above the 'max' mark. I then drained off 750ml, but the level on the dipstick is still above the 'max' mark. I am completely confused!
Many thanks for any advice.
Gareth
My 2009 Ford S-Max had a service in July which included an oil change. Now the car is telling me I need to change the oil. Does this make sense? How does the car know that an oil change is needed anyway?
A related issue is that when the 'oil service' message first popped up I checked the dipstick and found the oil was at the 'min' mark, so I assumed the car had been trying to tell me I needed to top up the oil. I topped up with one litre, after which the oil level on the dipstick was about 10mm above the 'max' mark. I then drained off 750ml, but the level on the dipstick is still above the 'max' mark. I am completely confused!
Many thanks for any advice.
Gareth
Many thanks for everyone's helpful replies.
Turns out it was the service indicator not having been reset. Mileage at service before last was 72,000. Service interval is one year or 12,500 miles. 72,000 + 12,500 = 84,500 (mileage when car told me oil needed to be changed).
However the engine oil level remains a complete and utter mystery. I have now removed about 900ml (using a syringe and plastic tube) and the level is still above 'max' on the dipstick. Looks like I will have to remove at least another 100ml to get it down to 'max', at which point I will have removed as much as I put in!
I keep questioning whether I could have misread the dipstick in the first place. Did I somehow mistake 'max' for 'min'? It just doesn't seem possible though. I checked the level on at least three occasions before I topped the oil up, and I also distinctly remember watching the level creeping up towards 'max' as I topped it up.
What the hell is going on???
Turns out it was the service indicator not having been reset. Mileage at service before last was 72,000. Service interval is one year or 12,500 miles. 72,000 + 12,500 = 84,500 (mileage when car told me oil needed to be changed).
However the engine oil level remains a complete and utter mystery. I have now removed about 900ml (using a syringe and plastic tube) and the level is still above 'max' on the dipstick. Looks like I will have to remove at least another 100ml to get it down to 'max', at which point I will have removed as much as I put in!
I keep questioning whether I could have misread the dipstick in the first place. Did I somehow mistake 'max' for 'min'? It just doesn't seem possible though. I checked the level on at least three occasions before I topped the oil up, and I also distinctly remember watching the level creeping up towards 'max' as I topped it up.
What the hell is going on???
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