The maintenance required light is notifying you that maintenance is required according to the driven distance on the vehicle's maintenance schedule. The light illuminates for
about 3 seconds
and then flashes for about 15 second every 4,500 miles after the maintenance has been reset.
How long can you wait to change oil after light comes on?
On vehicles with an oil change light, an oil change is needed when the light remains on after startup. It's best to schedule the oil change within
one to two weeks
. If you primarily do highway driving, you have a little more breathing room than city driving.
What does it mean when your maintenance required light comes on?
What ‘MAINT REQD' Means. The ‘MAINT REQD' light comes on every 5000 miles from the last time it was reset. It in no way indicates any system malfunction; it is simply
a mileage counter intended to remind the user that an oil change is necessary
.
Can I drive my car with the service engine light on?
The rule of thumb is that
if the check engine light is flashing, you can't keep driving the car
. It's an emergency. Often it indicates an engine misfire. If you keep driving, you will likely cause irreversible damage, mostly to the (expensive) catalytic converter.
Is it OK to go 500 miles over your oil change?
Cars can generally go 5,000 to 7,500 miles before needing an oil change
. Furthermore, if your vehicle uses synthetic oil, you can drive 10,000 or even 15,000 miles between oil changes.
What happens when oil light comes on and off?
If the oil light flickers on and off while the vehicle is stopped or at an idle,
there may be a problem with the oil sensor or the pressure is too low
. At the very least, the engine should have 5 PSI when not moving. If the PSI is less than 5, this will trigger the oil light and cause it to flicker off and on.
Can I drive with low oil?
Driving your car with a low oil level will eventually cause serious harm to your engine
, but in the meantime, your engine will not perform as well as it normally does. Your car may become more sluggish and not have as much “pep” as you've been accustomed to.
Does the maintenance required light stay on?
A car's maintenance required light, for instance, may activate once every 10,000 lights, at which point
it will remain on until it's been manually deactivated
.
Why is my maintenance required light still on after oil change?
Most often this just means your vehicle might be due for an oil change. The light will come on and remain on
if the distance driven exceeds 5,000 miles after the maintenance data has been reset
.
Why does my maintenance required light flashing when I start my car?
It's basically just telling you that
your car will need some kind of scheduled service soon
. It could be an oil change, a tuneup, or maybe you need a new timing belt. When the light begins to flash at startup, you have about 500 miles or so to go before the next scheduled service.
What does a solid yellow check engine light mean?
The steady yellow light is telling you to
take a look and fix the minor issue as soon as you can, but it's not usually serious
. The flashing light means that your vehicle's engine is misfiring and you should investigate the problem immediately.
What is the most common problem when the check engine light comes on?
Oxygen Sensor Malfunction
One of the most common reasons your check engine light may come on is that your oxygen sensor is failing. Your local auto repair shop in Western Washington can replace it for you quickly, which will restore your vehicle's ability to measure unburned oxygen in its exhaust system.
When should I be worried about check engine light?
Unlike a Temperature or Oil Pressure light, a Check Engine light is usually not an urgent, “Stop right now or you may cause permanent damage!” type of situation,
unless it is flashing
. If the check engine light is flashing, a more severe problem has occurred.
How long can you go on 0 oil life?
Having a 0% oil life is nothing to be concerned about. You can still manage to squeeze out a decent mileage from the car. You can drive anywhere between
5,000 to 6,000 miles
with no oil life.
Can I change oil every 2 years?
Simply put, as a general rule, manufacturers recommend that you change the oil for a gasoline engine every 10,000 to 15,000 km, or about once a year for “regular” usage (frequent but not intensive) or
once every 2 years if used less frequently
.
How often should you really change your oil?
It used to be normal to change the oil every 3,000 miles, but with modern lubricants most engines today have recommended oil change intervals of
5,000 to 7,500 miles
. Moreover, if your car's engine requires full-synthetic motor oil, it might go as far as 15,000 miles between services!
Why is my oil light on but I have oil?
When the oil light on your dashboard comes on, it might mean
your vehicle has low oil pressure
. This drop in oil pressure could be a sign of a few things: you are low on oil, your oil is dirty, or you have an oil leak.
Why does my oil light keep coming on but my oil isn't low?
Low oil pressure means the pump isn't circulating enough oil, or there isn't enough oil in the system for the pump to circulate
. The oil is important to keeping the surfaces lubricated, so if the oil light comes on and the pressure is low, pull over and turn off the engine.
Will oil light come on if too much oil?
If the oil level is high enough to reach the crank, overfilling can cause all sorts of problems, including a mark on the dipstick. In fact,
the oil light illuminates when the oil pressure is low, not just because the oil is low
.
How long does it take for engine oil to settle?
If your engine oil has fully made its way to the bottom of the engine oil pan, you're able to maintain an accurate reading of your engine's oil level. It usually takes about
10 to 15 minutes
for a vehicle's oil to settle and the engine to cool.
How long does it take for oil to show on dipstick?
If you want to check the oil and have been driving the vehicle, wait
five or ten minutes
to let it settle into the oil pan before checking it. In very cold weather, it may be appropriate to drive the car around a bit first to get the oil loosened up and less viscous before checking it.
Can I just add oil to my car?
To add oil,
turn your vehicle off and wait for the engine to cool. Remove the oil filler cap, and slowly pour in a bit at a time
. Overfilling can cause problems for your engine, so start by adding small amounts at a time and checking the oil level frequently while filling.
Will my car pass smog if maintenance required light is on?
Get Rid of Your Check Engine Light
If your check engine light is on, you'll automatically fail your smog test. In the State of California,
your auto mechanic cannot refuse to test your car if they see the light on
.
