Here’s an ASE G1 test question for you: Technician A says the oil life monitor will reset itself after the oil change. Technician B says the oil life monitor needs to be reset using a scan tool or using the vehicle settings menu. Who is correct? Technician A or B?
Technician B is correct.
No engines have sensors that detect if the drain plug was removed or if the filter was replaced. YOU have to reset the system. Maintenance reminders for oil changes have been around since the early 1980s. Early systems from European and Asian vehicle manufacturers looked at mileage and maybe revolutions of the engine. Today, it isn’t easy to find a domestic or import vehicle without an oil life monitor counting down the oil’s life in the crankcase.
Resetting the oil life monitor might require a sequence of key turns, buttons presses or even mashing the gas pedal to the floor three times with the engine off. For some vehicles, it might require a scan tool to reset the oil life monitor. Some vehicle require navigating a series of menus in the instrument cluster or infotainment system.
Not resetting the monitor can cause an angry customer who might accuse you of not changing the oil. So before you hand the keys back to the customer, make sure you reset the oil life monitor! This video is sponsored by FRAM.
