2011 Grand Caravan Oil change interval

Scotty07 · #1 02-09-2012, 10:25 AM

My 2011 Grand Caravan just hit 5500km and the oil change light came on. I live in the country so I do very little stop and go driving, most driving is at 80km/h. I asked the dealership why so early and they said that Dodge never properly programmed when the light should come on and that it is still using 5000km between changes as the benchmark. He told me I should have the oil changed so then they can reset the indicator.

Now I am on the fence, do I follow the owners manual which states 13000km or do I have them change it every 5000km even though it is early?

Thanks.

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Tizzy1 · #2 02-09-2012, 03:48 PM

Alot of people don't know so they make stuff up that sounds really good. You can do either. The computor is suggesting you change your oil based on the driving habits it has observed. The light can be reset by turning the key on, putting the gas pedal to the floor 3 times and turning the key off. To satisfy warrenty, you just have to follow the owners manual.

First oil, I like to get it out early anyway.

cheeseeater · #3 02-10-2012, 01:10 AM

You change the oil because it is dirty, not because it is worn out. Oil change intervals should be determined by the type of driving you do (mostly city vs. mostly highway), the type of roads you drive on (paved vs. gravel) and the type of engine you have (gas vs. diesel). If you drive mostly 1. city, or 2. gravel or have a 3. gas engine, you should change oil more often than if you drive mostly 1. highway, or 2. paved or 3. a diesel. The average car should have it's oil changed every 5000km (3000mi) OR every 3 months, whichever comes first. If you plan on making a long trip and your oil has been in for 4000km, change it BEFORE going on your trip.

The simple oil check will tell you what condition your oil is in, light brown is clean, black is dirty. Diesel engines cause the oil to turn black quickly - before it needs to be changed - so it is best to use the mileage/time benchmark. If memory serves, the mileage interval is longer too, but I can't recall what it is. Diesel engines shouldn't be an issue in this forum though, so the point is moot.

IMHO, to ensure the best maintenance of your van and to get the best resale value, you should NOT WAIT UNTIL 13,000km (8,000mi). The dealers will tell you this, not because they want to change your oil more often (although lets face it, they ARE in business to make money), but to ensure your vehicle is maintained properly. Oil is the life blood of the engine and dirty blood = bad blood.

DBLR · #4 02-13-2012, 02:35 PM

If you use quality oil and you don't drive in heavy stop and go traffic it should be okay to drive it for 5,000-8,000 miles but if your worried about going a full 8K then use synthetic oil it can go over 8K without any problems. Also don't skim and buy cheap oil filters like Fram cheap filters that don't remove many of the small particles smaller then 25 micron from your oil.

steak59 · #5 02-13-2012, 08:46 PM

I threw the owner's manual into the garbadge can, and use synthetic oil and change it ever 6000miles/around 10,000 kms.
If you want to go 13,000km route, please use synthetic oil. only cost you a little more per year. save u thousands in the long run.
If you are going conventional oil, i wouldn't go over 8000km. See way too many engine failure due to lack of oil change in the past yrs in the shop.