Q: Oil Change

The maintenance minder in the vehicle computer, that reports remaining oil life as a percent, is the only authoritative guide to scheduling an oil change, subject to one caveat: change the engine oil at least once per year, regardless of elapsed mileage. Ignore the oil change sticker that PepBoys placed as it is meaningless. In your circumstance, however, you have to be sure that the oil life system was actually reset to 100% when the oil was last changed. If it was not reset at the last oil change, then you do not presently have an accurate read-out of remaining oil life in which case you should change the oil now and, of course, reset the maintenance minder so that it is usable going forward (no pun intended). If you have your oil changed at any commercial facility, before starting the engine and driving off the lot, open the hood and confirm that there is actually engine oil in the crankcase and confirm that the oil fill cap has been re-installed and is tight. If there is engine oil in the crankcase, confirm that the level of oil is NOT above the full mark on the dipstick. If you want your engine oil changed by a certified mechanic, on a mobile basis right at your location, feel free to schedule service using YourMechanic’s engine oil and filter service request page. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.