Do some research on OLM systems.They are not useless and recycled or not your wasting oil on those 3k oil changes.To each their own.Warranty calls for at least a 6 and 6 to keep the lifetime warranty in force.Many oils have been sampled and tested on these OLM systems and show OK to run the amount of time it indicates. I know folks who really pay attention to percent left which WE don't have and when OLM says change now etc.Its been a godsend to many.The WEB is not ate up with people following the OLM and tore up engines.In fact the opposite.

 

I agree, 3000 is a waste unless your getting it done for free of course.

 

so why after slightly more than 2000 miles did the original posters oil change light come on again? full synthetic should last 6000+ easy with "normal" driving.

I have changed my oil in my Acura TL every 7500 miles with Mobil1 synthetic for the past 120000 miles. Got a valve adjustment at 150000 miles and the shop said the engine looked brand new up top.

granted this engine is not used for towing but has seen quite a bit of time with 6500+ RPMs...I think people are overly obsessed with oil changes and need to use common since.

 

Differnce of opinions are fine here....again, it is only a waste of oil if it matters to me. Either way the oil is still used and recycled.

But to reiterate again, my 300,000 mile warranty from Valvoline, which is not covered under the "Lifetime" warranty. IF Chrysler were to determine that the oil breakdown caused the damage to the engine then that "lifetime" does not apply. Valvoline backs it for 300K. It doesnt take much to actually foul engine oil through the intake system or lack of cooling so automatically assuming your oil at 6,000 miles is fine is absolutely ludicrous without actually checking it or changing it. In my opinion it is just easier for me to change it as I check it. On top of that, back in the day many people actually "checked" their oil level and color often as recommended....that never happens much any more does it? We assume too much.

 

Mine just came on at 2990 miles.
I do tow with the truck

 

The original poster did not have 2K on his oil and as a result the light decided to come on.

The computer is not "sensing" oil breakdown or clean/dirty. It takes into account your driving habbits and enviornment (cold, hot, ect). When he changed at 3K the computer had no idea he had new oil. It kept racking up the miles until it said, OK, based on your habbits and environment 5K is where you should change, once again, the computer had no idea he did it at 3K.

With all of that said... And I said this before.... I will change my oil when the computer tells me when it can give me an accurate MPG reading, which is FAR easier to do than gauge my driving habbits to determine my oil quality.

Every 5K mine gets new SYN in it. My change light came on at 5400, 400 miles after I changed it.

 

Considering the calculations are completely based on dino-oil the light will always come on earlier then when synthetic needs to be changed. Not sure about Dodge but some say the dealers can adjust the light for synthetic.

My thoughts are pretty simple: Dodge engineers put it in there to work not to be a waste of time and Dodge agreed to back-it-up with a lifetime warranty on the motor so they must trust it.

I still send a sample of my oil to the lab to both check on the oil and see how the engine is wearing.

 

Not true at all. I went to synthetic and the 2 of my trucks would have the oil change light come on every 2200-2400 miles. Yes I did reset the oil change monitor each oil change. after 3 oil changes and the indicator coming on to often, I went back to non synthetic oil and the indicator comes on between 5200-6000 miles now. Not to mention we had lifter tick with the 2 trucks when running valvoline full synthetic. Dealer said it was not a good thing to run full synthetic in the 09 hemi and to use semi synthetic or regular oil only. For all I know it could be the South Texas temps that cause the problem.

 

I stand (actually sitting) corrected! As crazy as it sounds, I do not doubt you.

 

I guess I just need to restate what my point is. The system in place is not very accurate as many have affirmed in their posts. It works to a degree but the degree of error is too great IMO. I personally would rather see a system where I can set the reminder to come on at my own intervals. Out of interest however I would like someone to share info in a year and again at two years showing their "oil change by light intervals" to show what the system is really doing for them. By theory, my light should come on again at about 11,000 miles...we'll see.

It may be fun to start an oil change interval/driving habits thread later on for everyone to compare with. Thanks for the input guys.