I have a 2015 MDX Tech with AWD. We've had the car for 3 months now with 3,500 miles.

There's an indicator on the car saying 50% oil life. That seems awfully early for a notice, doesn't it?

At how many miles should we change the oil? This car is synthetic oil, right? I thought with this new oil you don't have to change as often.

Please help. Thanks.

 

the indicator says you have 50% oil life left.

wait until the indicator says you have less than 15%, then change it.


I believe its not telling you to change it, rather its showing you the life left.
at less than 15% it will SCREAM AND WHINE AND YELL AT YOU.

 

OK. Do you know how do I remove this message from the display?

 

scroll over so that it shows you a different display.

 

3,500 miles and 50% Oil life is fine - that means 7000 miles between oil changes which sounds normal.

 

I just got my TL oil change at the upper 5000s. I'm assuming this is actually calculated by the car according to your driving style, lots of city vs hwy etc.

 

Doesnt quite work like that


the MID bases its algorithm on several factors. start ups, RPMs, and many more.

it's easier on the car if you do steady state driving, a la freeway driving.

if you're constantly revving the engine, racing from stop light to stop light, the computer will def. take this into account and decrease oil life faster than if you were to do highway miles.

 

Wow. So there's actually some intelligence to this oil percentage calculation?

I did not know that. Was thinking it's just a generic counter primarily to increase Acura's service revenue.

 

Please read your Owners Manual.

 

For factory fill I would go longer. More like 5% or so, since the factory oil is high in Moly for breaking-in the engine.

 

I learn something new every day

 

actually, why wouldn't one go for the change between 0-5% no matter if it is or not the Factory fill? I mean, it is telling you it still has 15% life left, as opposed to No life (0%). Would you do that with the rest of your resources, dispose of them at 85% of usage?

 

I went many years doing 3000 mile oil changes and that was a pain in the butt because it seemed like I was always in the shop. Now with the Acura's and using the computer with the way I drive it tells me to change the oil at about 5500 miles. If you look on Carfax they say the recommended change milage is 7000 miles now.

 

Well, if you're OCD like me about my cars, I usually change mine around 10-15%. I don't look at it as wasting resources, but cheap insurance on my engine. If you really want to be scientific about it, you should do a UOA to confirm the MM and go from there.

 

I usually call to make an appointment at 10%. I then bring the car in a week after.

Except for the original fluid that I brought it in at 5%.