GM’s Oil Life System and Simplified Vehicle Maintenance Can Help Consumers Save Time, Money and the Environment
3000-mile oil changes may be unnecessary
- California EPA and General Motors team up to Help Drivers Reduce Oil Consumption
- How the GM Oil Life System works (Flash demonstration)
- Frequently Asked Questions on GM Oil Life System & Simplified Maintenance
- Driving Greener (Video)
- The 3,000 Mile Oil Change Myth (Video)
- Visit www.3000milemyth.org for more information
- How GM Simplified Maintenance Changes Everything (Flash graphic)
How frequently should drivers change their engine oil? Common industry practice suggests changing a vehicle’s oil every 3,000 miles, while others are suggesting longer intervals such as 5,000 or 7,000. To be sure, ask the GM experts at Goodwrench and they’ll offer a simple solution that can protect your wallet and the environment from unnecessary oil changes. The Goodwrench experts will say that if you own a GM vehicle, you can let your vehicle tell you when its time for an oil change. GM's patented Oil Life System can double or even triple the time between oil changes when compared to traditional 3,000-mile recommendation simply by evaluating driving conditions.
"Most owners of GM vehicles no longer have to worry about deciding when to change their engine oil because leading-edge technology will determine the right time for them," said Peter Lord, executive director, GM Service Operations. "Simply visit your Goodwrench service lane for an oil change service when your oil life monitor appears on your driver’ information panel and you won't have to worry about how many miles you have driven. This alone could save consumers significantly on the number of oil changes they purchase over the life of the vehicle."
Over 97 percent of GM vehicles sold in U.S. are equipped with the GM Oil Life System. Today, there are more than 31 million GM vehicles on the road that are equipped with the Oil Life System in the U.S. The system itself uses an algorithm that tracks engine revolutions and temperature and predicts oil life based on these parameters and driver use.
GM's Simplified Maintenance Schedules Challenge Industry Assumptions
The GM Oil Life System technology allows all Goodwrench Service Lanes to offer a more Simplified Maintenance Schedule for every GM car and truck they care for. The new schedules are a departure from the typical industry approach of basing maintenance intervals on mileage. Instead of a complicated list of different services to be performed at different mileage intervals, GM's Simplified Maintenance Schedules are based on the oil life system.
The first time the oil life monitor light appears on the dash, Goodwrench technicians will offer a Maintenance I service package which includes an oil and filter change, a four-tire rotation, visual inspections of the fluid levels and brakes and a resetting of the system. The next time the oil life monitor comes on and a customer comes in a Maintenance II service package is recommended, which includes everything in Maintenance I, plus a professional inspection of the suspension and steering components and the transmission. After the first two visits, drivers will alternate between the two schedules always using their oil life monitor light as a guide. It’s that simple. Since the system must be reset to work properly and many of the required maintenance services can be complex, GM recommends taking GMOLS-equipped vehicles to the GM experts down the Goodwrench service lane at any GM dealership across the nation.
"Simplified Maintenance Schedules take the guesswork out of when to change oil and it eliminates the need to make decisions regarding routine maintenance," Lord said. "Basically, when the light comes on you bring the vehicle in for maintenance and the technician can perform an oil change along with other necessary maintenance items such as checking belts, rotating tires and changing the air filter."
Equipped with the GM Oil Life System, the average GM vehicle typically needs oil changes half as often as the 3,000 mile recommendation. Based on driving 15,000 miles per year, this could mean between two to three less oil changes annually. If used as intended by all drivers of GM vehicles equipped with the system in the U.S., that would equal more than 100 million fewer gallons of motor oil would be consumed annually, compared to the 3,000 mile interval.
Consumers should check their owner's manual to determine if their GM vehicle has GMOLS. If it does, a Goodwrench technician can service and reset the system at the vehicle's next oil change. If it doesn't, they should follow the oil change recommendations listed in their owner's manual. The engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a year even if the GMOLS indicator does not come on.
