Ford IOLM

[Kuato]

There has been some speculation here about IOLM/OLM's so I thought I would collect some data. This is from a 2013 F150. I have always thought that Ford's IOLM was a 10000 mile / 6 month counter, and once I saw that this oil change would be 99% highway miles and less than 6 months I started keeping track of the IOLM and mileage. Here's the data:

miles.....IOLM........interval......IOLM change
30388....37%
31037....30%.....649 miles..........7%
32001....21%.....964 miles..........9%
32119....19%.....118 miles..........2%
32828....12%.....709 miles..........7%
33071....10%.....243 miles..........2%
33191.....9%......120 miles..........1%

So even though I didn't catch the IOLM just as it changed each time, it's easy to see that for every 100 miles, the counter reduces by 1%.


Thoughts?

(I noticed the trend earlier on in the OCI but didn't keep track until later)

 

[Kira]

Does this data support the notion that this OLM (what's an IOLM?) is basically just linked to the odometer and nothing more?

I'm so anti toys-in-cars I'd happily embrace anything which deflates them. Kira

 

[The_Eric]

I'd say the only thing your observation supports is that it tends to drop in a linear fashion when driving strictly highway miles. You haven't brought enough info for anyone to assert whether the IOLM really is or isn't intelligent.

 

[jimbrewer]

The iolm on my 2012 F-150 is absolutely not a count down odometer based on personal observation. They have a spot on their web site that generally describes the parameters. I understand that the monitor on the Fiesta back then was count down, but I expect it's iolm by now, too.

The algorithm is pretty rudimentary. It doesn't like inactivity. It doesn't like short commutes where it doesn't warm up. It doesn't like extremely cold weather. In about that order. It does like long highway trips, to the extent that it rewards you for taking one with a slow down in the countdown that persists for a few days after your trip ends. If I recall correctly. Assuming of course that your commuting habits are otherwise short haul.

It's kind of like having dnewton riding with you.

Based on my uoas, it's accurate and very conservative.

 

[jimbrewer]

The iolm on my 2012 F-150 is absolutely not a count down odometer based on personal observation. They have a spot on their web site that generally describes the parameters. I understand that the monitor on the Fiesta back then was count down, but I expect it's iolm by now, too.

The algorithm is pretty rudimentary. It doesn't like inactivity. It doesn't like short commutes where it doesn't warm up. It doesn't like extremely cold weather. In about that order. It does like long highway trips, to the extent that it rewards you for taking one with a slow down in the countdown that persists for a few days after your trip ends. If I recall correctly. Assuming of course that your commuting habits are otherwise short haul.

It's kind of like having dnewton riding with you.

Based on my uoas, it's accurate and very conservative.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: Kira
Does this data support the notion that this OLM (what's an IOLM?) is basically just linked to the odometer and nothing more?

I'm so anti toys-in-cars I'd happily embrace anything which deflates them. Kira



I think so, at least for highway driving. See below. (The "I" stands for intelligent)



Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
The iolm on my 2012 F-150 is absolutely not a count down odometer based on personal observation. They have a spot on their web site that generally describes the parameters. I understand that the monitor on the Fiesta back then was count down, but I expect it's iolm by now, too.

The algorithm is pretty rudimentary. It doesn't like inactivity. It doesn't like short commutes where it doesn't warm up. It doesn't like extremely cold weather. In about that order. It does like long highway trips, to the extent that it rewards you for taking one with a slow down in the countdown that persists for a few days after your trip ends. If I recall correctly. Assuming of course that your commuting habits are otherwise short haul.

It's kind of like having dnewton riding with you.

Based on my uoas, it's accurate and very conservative.


Got a link to that page? I'd be interested to read their information but haven't found it on my own, but I did locate several discussions and an old Ford page from 2008.



@The_eric: yes it does show that it counts down in a linear fashion with highway miles. That's what I'm saying, that it's just a counter. I never made an assertion it was "intelligent", I only said that in my opinion it's a counter. No need to put words in my mouth.



When the odometer and countdown are synchronized for 10k highway miles, it's a counter.

I once had my truck parked at an airport for two weeks. On my return the IOLM was down 7%. When the calendar and countdown are synchronized for 6 months, it's a counter.

Perhaps the "intelligent" part of IOLM comes from the fact that these two are coordinated to bring about an oil change at 10k / 6month intervals, whichever comes first. Perhaps that's the maximum, and harsher driving would bring about a shorter interval, per jimbrewer's algorithm.

I wouldn't mind seeing someone's statistics from all city driving to see how the IOLM handles it.

 

[C4Dave]

The owner's manual for my 2014 Fusion says to change the oil by the IOLM, but don't exceed 10,000 miles or 1 year.

Early in the oil change the IOLM was predicting a 11-12,000 mile OCI (mostly highway miles), but as it gets closer to 10,000 miles on the oil it counts quicker.

It is not a count down timer in my Fusion, but it won't let you go past 10,000 miles or 1 year.

 

[jimbrewer]

Originally Posted By: C4Dave
The owner's manual for my 2014 Fusion says to change the oil by the IOLM, but don't exceed 10,000 miles or 1 year.

Early in the oil change the IOLM was predicting a 11-12,000 mile OCI (mostly highway miles), but as it gets closer to 10,000 miles on the oil it counts quicker.

It is not a count down timer in my Fusion, but it won't let you go past 10,000 miles or 1 year.


I think that's it. The manual says IOLM or maximum of one year or 10K, but I suspect the IOLM is rigged to go off at those two data points anyway. I wouldn't call that a "count down" odometer, but building in a couple of parameters into their algorithm.

Mine went off at 8300 miles. As a low-mileage driver I can attest that it burned off points faster parked a few days than by my low mileage driving.

The truth is, not many of us have driving habits that would cause us to radically change our drain intervals. I bet 85 percent of us are between 7500 and 10K miles.

PS. Sorry, I can't find the link either.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
@The_eric: yes it does show that it counts down in a linear fashion with highway miles. That's what I'm saying, that it's just a counter. I never made an assertion it was "intelligent", I only said that in my opinion it's a counter. No need to put words in my mouth.



When the odometer and countdown are synchronized for 10k highway miles, it's a counter.




My intent wasn't to put words in your mouth. You asked for our thoughts on your notes- and used the words "I have always thought that Ford's IOLM was a 10000 mile / 6 month counter" and "it's easy to see that for every 100 miles, the counter reduces by 1%."

I took that as you were saying that the OLM is not intelligent and since you were asking for thoughts, I replied that you didn't have enough data to assume it was just a mileage counter.

After subsequent replies, I can see what you were trying to articulate...

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Originally Posted By: Kuato
@The_eric: yes it does show that it counts down in a linear fashion with highway miles. That's what I'm saying, that it's just a counter. I never made an assertion it was "intelligent", I only said that in my opinion it's a counter. No need to put words in my mouth.



When the odometer and countdown are synchronized for 10k highway miles, it's a counter.




My intent wasn't to put words in your mouth. You asked for our thoughts on your notes- and used the words "I have always thought that Ford's IOLM was a 10000 mile / 6 month counter" and "it's easy to see that for every 100 miles, the counter reduces by 1%."

I took that as you were saying that the OLM is not intelligent and since you were asking for thoughts, I replied that you didn't have enough data to assume it was just a mileage counter.

After subsequent replies, I can see what you were trying to articulate...


Roger that, thanks.

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
Originally Posted By: C4Dave
The owner's manual for my 2014 Fusion says to change the oil by the IOLM, but don't exceed 10,000 miles or 1 year.

Early in the oil change the IOLM was predicting a 11-12,000 mile OCI (mostly highway miles), but as it gets closer to 10,000 miles on the oil it counts quicker.

It is not a count down timer in my Fusion, but it won't let you go past 10,000 miles or 1 year.


I think that's it. The manual says IOLM or maximum of one year or 10K, but I suspect the IOLM is rigged to go off at those two data points anyway. I wouldn't call that a "count down" odometer, but building in a couple of parameters into their algorithm.

Mine went off at 8300 miles. As a low-mileage driver I can attest that it burned off points faster parked a few days than by my low mileage driving.

The truth is, not many of us have driving habits that would cause us to radically change our drain intervals. I bet 85 percent of us are between 7500 and 10K miles.

PS. Sorry, I can't find the link either.


So perhaps it can be said that it's a counter for highway miles, with an algorithm to reduce based on driving habits?

 

[itguy08]

Why is it so hard to understand what they say:
http://owner.ford.com/how-tos/vehicle-fe...ite-MFPR0515OIL

This used to be on Ford's website:
http://v6mustangperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Oil-Change-faq.pdf

It's not a counter any more (early versions were) and does take into account your driving patterns. The data is out there on what it does.

Mostly highway miles or miles where everything warms up and it will most likely go to 10k. Do lots of short trips, high RPM, etc and it will most likely be less. Idle a lot, tow a lot, etc and it will be much less.

Like we always suspected, most people's usage is not severe unless they drive a very short distance all the time.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Why is it so hard to understand what they say:
http://owner.ford.com/how-tos/vehicle-fe...ite-MFPR0515OIL

This used to be on Ford's website:
http://v6mustangperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Oil-Change-faq.pdf

It's not a counter any more (early versions were) and does take into account your driving patterns. The data is out there on what it does.

Mostly highway miles or miles where everything warms up and it will most likely go to 10k. Do lots of short trips, high RPM, etc and it will most likely be less. Idle a lot, tow a lot, etc and it will be much less.

Like we always suspected, most people's usage is not severe unless they drive a very short distance all the time.


Thanks for the link, neither of us found it...guess we're not in IT! Not much detail on the algorithm in the video.

It did say that you would get a notice if you had gone a year without a change - so in my mind that's a 12 month counter in the background.


Originally Posted By: from LINK provided
The Intelligent Oil Life Monitor does not use oil quality sensors – it is entirely software based.