2012 Chevy Malibu OLM question

[Mazda3LA]

Hi everyone,

I just recently bought a 2012 Chevy Malibu. I drive the car no more than 20 miles per week. All short distance drives on the street with an occasional 20 mile drive on the freeway. I'm getting free oil changes and tire rotations from the dealer for the next year and a half. My question to you all is how good is the Chevy OLM and what percentage should I take my car for an oil change. The dealer put an oil change reminder of 5K miles or 5 months, whatever comes first.

 

[AKhan87]

I'm pretty sure your getting bulk oil since your getting "free" oil changes, I would do 5k OCI, oil doesn't have a "half-life" so it doesn't know time.

 

[BobsArmory]

I have found the Chevy OLM to be pretty darned good at doing it's job. My wife's Old 2000 Chevy Impala went nearly 200,000 miles by the time we sold it. We only changed the oil when the OLM light came on, never before. That engine was sludge free and still tight when we sold it.

I used a variety of oils in it, Mobil1, Pen. Ultra, Maxlife, Pen Yellow bottle, etc...

With your short tripping the OLM "might" come on before you see 5,000 miles. As a rule, when I see 10% on the OLM I start to think about oil changes.

 

[CourierDriver]

Nice to hear a good report and see that you to have used several oils thru the years and never blew an engine.

 

[BobsArmory]

Go figure? And it didn't use any more oil during the OCI from the time when it was new till the day we sold it.

Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Nice to hear a good report and see that you to have used several oils thru the years and never blew an engine.

 

[Zaedock]

My wife's Maxx typical interval is 6-6500 in winter and 7-7500 miles in summer. The engine has used Supertech or discount name brand oil it's entire life.

 

[CourierDriver]

Originally Posted By: Zaedock
My wife's Maxx typical interval is 6-6500 in winter and 7-7500 miles in summer. The engine has used Supertech or discount name brand oil it's entire life.


I still have some friends in the expediting business in cargo vans with 500k plus miles running Supertech oil and no problems, go figure, guess all the hype about top grade oil makers is just marketing in those pretty yellow plastic oil containers,lol.

 

[Mazda3LA]

Thanks everyone for all the reply's. Looks like I won't think about changing the oil until the OLM gets to 10%

 

[benjy]

i would like to know what sensors or whatever GM uses. how does the monitor differentiate from a 8 TBM group II oil + a 12.6 group IV oil???

 

[Dave Sherman]

Originally Posted By: benjy
i would like to know what sensors or whatever GM uses. how does the monitor differentiate from a 8 TBM group II oil + a 12.6 group IV oil???


It doesn't. Most OLMs can only predict oil life based on engine revolutions, temperature, operating time, driving habits, etc.. They have no idea what kind of oil you put in, they can only assume you put in something that meets the specifications.