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At What Oil Life Percentage Should Oil Be Changed?

  • Car Services
  • Nova Kainen
  • 5 minutes

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You need to perform several tasks to maintain your car, one of which is the oil change. But many people lack knowledge about when there should be an oil change. Oil plays a major role in prolonging the engine’s lifespan. Do you know at what oil life percentage should oil be changed? We will help you to know more about it.

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When should you change the oil?

When the oil life indicator on your car drops to a value between 15% and 40%, it indicates that it is time for you to change the oil. Your car’s oil life indicator is, in essence, a countdown clock to the point at which your car will no longer function at peak efficiency. Knowing how much oil your car needs will also be useful in determining the right time for an oil change.

To keep your car running smoothly, it’s recommended by some mechanics that you get the oil changed for every 3,000 to 5,000 miles or for every three to six months. While this is a decent rule of thumb, the frequency with which the service should be conducted will ultimately depend on factors such as the weather, the state of the roads, and the driver’s habits. 

For the proper performance of your car, you must not forget to change the oil before the oil indicator drops to a low percentage.  

An integrated oil life monitor keeps track of engine RPM, driving hours, cold starts, and engine temperature and thus helps to determine the state of the oil. When it’s time to replace the oil in your Honda or other models, a service reminder will appear on the dashboard. 

How long will 15% oil last?

You should get between 750 and 1125 miles of range from 15% oil life. This is based on the pure assumption that a single oil change is required every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. As the number of miles you drive in your car increases, the amount of oil available to protect the engine will fall, and hence ensure that you change the oil before the oil percentage falls abruptly. 

Also read: Mercedes-Benz Oil Change: Why Is It Expensive?

Can you rely on oil life indicators?

The purpose of oil quality monitoring systems is to offer precise measurements of the oil quality in your vehicle. These devices keep tabs on the road conditions and engine performance to give a ballpark figure for the oil’s condition. 

Experiments have proven that the oil life indicator can distinguish between how a car is driven normally and how it is driven in an emergency. This second scenario has an earlier activation of the warning indicator. 

It assures that the oil life indicator will provide a reliable reading of the remaining oil’s quality as it is used in the engine. 

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Why is it bad to drive with low oil life?

Change your car’s oil immediately if the oil life has dropped to 0%. You should do this because you can’t be sure when the oil has lost its properties if you keep driving the automobile at that oil level. But never wait for the oil to reach that level. As mentioned above, change the vehicle’s oil when the oil life indicator is between 15% and 40%.  

Sooner or later, your engine will start showing signs of damage that could be disastrous. Properly grease your engine. Because of this, there is no resistance to movement, and everything works as it should. You should not treat oil changes as a luxury, as it is an essential task. 

Also read: How Many Miles can You go over an Oil Change?

What happens if the oil percentage goes below 0%?

Oil percent below 0% indicates that the peak of your oil’s useful life has passed and that you should take your car for regularly scheduled maintenance. It will still lubricate the engine, but you’ll notice a slight increase in wear if you don’t change the oil soon.  

Perhaps you have driven more miles than suggested, or the oil quality has declined to the point where it no longer performs adequately. Avoid wastage of money by getting an oil change and other maintenance work done on the car at the right time. It also contributes to the car’s longevity, meaning more years of reliable service.  

Bottom line

Understanding the significance of your oil life percentage and acting accordingly is possible once you know what it means. It’s important to note that oil changes are distinct from oil replacements. Oil changes involve a full system flush and the addition of fresh oil, while oil replacement merely includes replenishing the oil level. To extend the life and improve the performance of your engine, always ensure that oil changes happen at proper intervals.   

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