PLEASE DO YOUR OIL CHANGES

[texascolt45]

I sold my wifes mustang to a friend.she went 20,000 till I bought oil and filter and changed it.the mobil 1 was black but what I could see inside the valve cover was cleanish.

[JudgeM]

I think there needs to be a new standard in gauge cluster warning lamps.

This engine oil has been an interesting issue. I personally would like checking fluid levels and service dues to be part of the road code. Anyways, I see more higher end cars having the maintenance reminder lamps. I think this should be standard, together with an oil level gauge. and audible warnings for things like overheat

I once hitched a ride with a family friend and we had to stop for a while because she said "the needle is on H, I need to let it go down before we can go again" Turns out she been doing this for a while. I checked and found there was no engine oil. So she took it to a mechanic, put some oil in and no surprises the piston rings were gone so it smoked really bad.

I've known people who've driven cars overheating unknowingly and damaged head gaskets etc. Thats why I think a couple more warnings/indicators could be useful

They say once u get an oil pressure warning its too late.

[Dodge Aries K]

At least in the USA, the Yaris has a Maintenance Required light that comes on every 5000 miles. Not that people listen to it, though.

[dogsridewith]

so duplicate a bit of the system w/ a flashing check-dipstick icon every 1000 miles

[CoryM]

I see probably 3 or 4 cars per year where someone kills it from not checking their oil level. And I see maybe 12 per year where people have run their car low enough that the valvetrain is noisy. Barely anyone checks their oil level anymore. It's to the point that we recommend customers do oil changes every 5000km ONLY because that is when many cars require top-up oil. Such a waste.

[dogsridewith]

Originally Posted by dogsridewith

so duplicate a bit of the system w/ a flashing check-dipstick icon every 1000 miles

Impossible, because Toyota wants the buyer to think the car will need minimal service or attention. Hard proof of this is that my Tercel and Corolla had access plugs for re-tensioning (not checking) cam belts, but nothing in any of their owners or shop manuals mentions any retensioning or tension checking...just belt replacement at 90k miles, which involves nothing to do with those access plugs. (Belts DO loosen some w/ breaking in, and belts DO last a lot longer with some tension...my guess is well beyond 90k for vehicles mentioned...I found the access plugs and re-tensioned belts at 10k or so.)