What causes this oil change warning to show up? Is it just the time or mileage since the last oil change, or does it have a sensor to check the oil quality?
It goes off when your car needs an oil change 
Keegan said:
It goes off when your car needs an oil change
I think you missed the point of my question
Keegan said:
It goes off when your car needs an oil change
I think you missed the point of my question
Just joking around, no worries
Keegan said:
It goes off when your car needs an oil change
I think you missed the point of my question
You should check the manual, the system triggers when an oil change is due
Keegan said:
It goes off when your car needs an oil change
That’s a bold claim
Keegan said:
It goes off when your car needs an oil change
That’s a bold claim
I think the reminder is just for oil, not the filter. I keep the same filter until the next change alert pops up. Same way I skipped doing the sway bar links on my Fusion.
@SophieClay
No, that’s not right. You should change the filter every oil change. There’s no separate reminder for it.
Your car probably has a system that tracks the oil life, which you reset each time you change the oil. When the life gets low, it reminds you. But you should still check the oil manually.
It’s mainly based on time, even if you’re not driving much. I don’t drive often, but I have to reset the timer every so often. Still, check your oil to be sure.
esleystanley said:
It’s mainly based on time, even if you’re not driving much. I don’t drive often, but I have to reset the timer every so often. Still, check your oil to be sure.
Mine seems to trigger on mileage. I don’t drive as much anymore, and I haven’t seen the alert for years. Maybe it’s different because mine’s an Energi?
It depends on your car. For my old Fusion, the oil change alert usually comes at around 8,000 miles. I do it every 4,000 or every six months, whichever comes first.
The system just counts the miles from when you reset it. It’s not checking oil condition or anything like that. Typically, it’s set for around 7,500 miles, but it can vary depending on the type of oil and how you drive. For example, if you use conventional oil, you shouldn’t go that far between changes.
The system uses a formula that includes time, mileage, engine runtime, and RPM to calculate when the oil needs changing. For example, when I store my car in winter, the system still says the oil is at 30% even though I haven’t driven it.
@Lucas
I use my Fusion as my winter car because my summer car is rear-wheel drive. It’s interesting that you store yours for winter.
Maybe the oil change is controlled by solar flares or something like that!
I think it’s just Father Time reminding you
There are multiple factors: mileage, time, starts and stops, oil pressure, even engine temp. It varies by manufacturer. For most cars, it’s based on mileage, and you can reset it as mentioned. If you don’t document your oil changes, it could void your warranty. I’ve found info in the owner’s manual or YouTube.
Ford uses an Intelligent Oil Life Monitoring System that calculates oil life based on factors like engine temp, driving habits, and more.
For my hybrid, it’s either a year or 10,000 miles. I think the regular gas engines have a 5,000-mile interval. Honda uses a more complex system that calculates based on starts, idle hours, and time under load. Ford’s system seems simpler.