I have a 2009 Chevy Silverado. Was reading the owners manual and it says that it will let me know when it is time for an oil change. I keep checking and at 7,400 miles it says I still have 35% oil life remaining. I have always been used to changing the oil every 3 to 5 thousand miles and I am not used to waiting so long. The manual says it computes driving conditions etc to let me know when it is time. I check the oil level on a regular basis. Should I stick to a certain mileage or go by this info before having the oil changed?

Hey TBass! Here is a personal experience from me!

I had a 1985 Buick with what is known as "idiot lights" (whatever that means!!) Those lights never came on while I was on a little trip to Dallas. They did not come on when all the oil eventually drained out from a trauma to the oil filter.

Eventually the Buick's motor seized along about Plano.

With the engine dead....and the key still on.....the oil warning light came on!

I don't think things have improved very much with warning devices that "tell you" something is wrong with the vehicle.................except the one that says, "Your door is ajar"

That one works REAL good!

There should be a recomended maintenance schedule in the owners manual. I would at the least go by that, 3 to 5k for conventional or synthetic blend should be the norm and maybe 7.5k on full synthetic. You have to remember that the manufacturer wants you to buy a new vehicle soon and/or often. You have to consider the source though being a Ford guy. Plus I have to deal with computers all day and sometimes get tired of them pushing me around so I do rebel from time to time. My wife has a Toyota and works at a dealership and her car's maintenance light does come on and tell her when it is time for service which is a good thing because she surely won't take my word for it.

The light in my Tacoma came on right at 5k. I think the Toyotas are just triggered by mileage. In the GMs the computer is supposed to do all the work like Tbass says. The question is do you trust it. I say no. I used to change oil every 3 then I went to 4 and then to 5. Oil is better quality these days and I do not tow as much. Oil change shops and auto parts stores still want you do it every 3 for obvious reasons. From what I have read 3 is wasteful for most people's driving habits.

As stated it is all about one's driving habits my personal vehicle doesn't get driven much except for weekends and time off work as I drive a company vehicle. I change the oil in my personal vehicle every 2k and usually takes 3 months to run that many miles up at best. On my company vehicle I change it a 5k intervals because it see's alot of heavy duty use and I'll put 20k to 24k on it a year. I believe most manufacturers are recomending 5k intervals and I know some guy's that are running full synthetic at much longer intervals and that would be the only way I would run over 5k. IMHO

TBass,
I have an 08 GMC with the same system. I usually change mine out when I get to 25%. Just follow the DIC recommendation and you'll be fine. If there's a problem then GM will have to eat it since you followed their recommendations.

If it makes you feel better then you can change oil every 3k-5k but I don't see why. I've read a lot on engine oils and the oil we use today is much better than the oil used even 20 years ago. I don't see any reason to change it at 3k or 5k for that matter.

Just change it every 5000 miles with a quality oil.

Now that right there is the best policy I have heard today!

+1

Change mine every 5K with Mobil 1 synth, regardless what the monitor says. Easy to remember and oil still looks pretty good. I have an '08 Chevy w/5.3 and put 25K per year on it. I could probably go 7500 miles between changes, but it's just easier to remember at 5K.

5000 and rotate tires too

Thanks for all the info guys. I kind of agree with everyone who suggests 5000 miles. Like BNKrust said it is just easy to remember instead of keeping track of the oil life remaining or waiting for a message to remind me to change it.

I change on the 5's too, easier to remember and if you do it yourself, doesn't really cost that much!

I change the oil myself also. Not so much for the savings because often they run specials for the same amount it costs me to buy the oil and filter.

The reason is.........I DON'T TRUST A YAHOO TO CHANGE MY OIL!! (unless I am that Yahoo and then it's alright!

what i dont like is the little arse oil filter that my 5.3 takes, what happend to the 5.0,5.7 filters. seems to me a bigger filter would be better. but idk, after all it does hold 6qrts.