Oil Changes and Maintenance?

[Bosko Schwartz]

Hello,

I am a new member to the Forum and purchased my one-owner certified used 2011 Equinox LT in January of this year. (Loving it, of course!) I am somewhat confused about oil change frequency, as I have read different things in different places. Some say you should do them every 3500, which is what I always knew to be the “standard.” But some are saying for a 2011 Equinox, you only have to do them every 7500 miles. Sounds a little nuts, but I’m fine with it if that’s the case. Still others say I should just listen to the car, as it displays the remaining “Oil Life” and will alert me when it is time to change. So which is it??? Keep in mind, my last new car was purchased in 2002, a Mercury Courgar, which I had until I traded it in for the Equinox. I understand cars have come a long way since then and waiting longer intervals between oil changes seems to be common.

Also, what are the standard mileage points to have maintenance done, and what is the general cost of those? I just hit 30K, so it looks like I need to do the 30K maintenance.

Thanks for your time!

 

[TheDarkKnightKnox]

Hello,

I am a new member to the Forum and purchased my one-owner certified used 2011 Equinox LT in January of this year. (Loving it, of course!) I am somewhat confused about oil change frequency, as I have read different things in different places. Some say you should do them every 3500, which is what I always knew to be the “standard.” But some are saying for a 2011 Equinox, you only have to do them every 7500 miles. Sounds a little nuts, but I’m fine with it if that’s the case. Still others say I should just listen to the car, as it displays the remaining “Oil Life” and will alert me when it is time to change. So which is it??? Keep in mind, my last new car was purchased in 2002, a Mercury Courgar, which I had until I traded it in for the Equinox. I understand cars have come a long way since then and waiting longer intervals between oil changes seems to be common.

Also, what are the standard mileage points to have maintenance done, and what is the general cost of those? I just hit 30K, so it looks like I need to do the 30K maintenance.

Thanks for your time!

Hello Bosko,

IMPO it always depends on what type of oil you plan on using in your vehicle. In my personal opinion I always use Synthetic which has a better longevity than standard oil. I personally use the High Mileage Mobil one which when used with a Mobil one filter can be changed every 10,000 to 15,000 miles or once a year what ever comes first. The oil is a bit more expensive but is much better for your engine. Since it doesn't need changed as often it is important to check your oil level every once and while.

Your Standard maintenance is located in the owners manual of the equinox.

here is the link to the maintenance schedule, you will find the info in section 11 page 1 (11-1)

http://www.chevrolet.com/assets/pdf/owners/manuals/2011/2011_chevrolet_equinox_owners.pdf

 

[oleg1981]

do the oil change every 5000km with syntch oil and you will not be wrong. im doing every 5000km and using castrol high milage but i have over 150000km.

 

[SCCUBSFAN]

You didn't say if you have the I4 or the V-6. I've read that people that had earlier I4s were having problems with fuel in their oil, which required them to change oil more often.

This is also our first new car in over 25 yrs and I iwas just as unsure as you are to when to change oil, but after going to other sources of info I decided to go this way. I just changed mine at 1313 miles with Mobil 1, will change again at approx. 5300 miles or 4 months, thereafter every 5000 miles or 4 months whichever comes first. From what I read the newer SIDI engines are harder on the oil than the older fuel injected engines.

I'm not mechicanicly inclined so this advice is just from a car owner.

 

[dietz4ibanez]

I just go by the Driver info center most of the time around 5-6k miles... We have the v6 and I don't know how it may differ from the i4.

 

[Bosko Schwartz]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Sounds like around 5K is the general consensus. I don't know if I feel comfortable waiting until 10K or 15K. I will be using synthetic oil and will check oil levels periodically. Oh, and I have an I4, not a V-6. Thanks again!

 

[2010BlkGraniteNox]

I just go by the Driver info center most of the time around 5-6k miles... We have the v6 and I don't know how it may differ from the i4.

My "work Nox" which had the I4 would run 12K+ before the OLM asked for oil change. 10K seems the standard these days, it was revised on the HFV6 because of timing chain issues.

If you use a high quality oil (I was even use NextGen) in my setup, a quality filter (personally I only use Wixx in my personal cars) you should have no issues following the OLM. On my Nox I did it ever 6-7k which was about 6months, on the Impala (3.6 HFV6) I'm pushing closer to 10k. On the Audi TDI (special oil LOL..cannot find it locally), but its OLM goes by a mileage and not a %. Which makes sense really. States to change it @ 10K. GM's OLM is goofy in the fact its not actually testing the oil, its just using a bunch of parameters to come up with what GM could've stated was a X mileage range on quality oil!

 

[dietz4ibanez]

My "work Nox" which had the I4 would run 12K+ before the OLM asked for oil change. 10K seems the standard these days, it was revised on the HFV6 because of timing chain issues.

If you use a high quality oil (I was even use NextGen) in my setup, a quality filter (personally I only use Wixx in my personal cars) you should have no issues following the OLM. On my Nox I did it ever 6-7k which was about 6months, on the Impala (3.6 HFV6) I'm pushing closer to 10k. On the Audi TDI (special oil LOL..cannot find it locally), but its OLM goes by a mileage and not a %. Which makes sense really. States to change it @ 10K. GM's OLM is goofy in the fact its not actually testing the oil, its just using a bunch of parameters to come up with what GM could've stated was a X mileage range on quality oil!

Yeah that's all it is based on in the GM cars... Mileage, speed of miles and how much idle factor in... If we drive highway only we get higher on the OLM and city only it goes down about 1000 miles.

 

[NoobNox]

I don't pay any attention to the oil life monitor in the DIC and get mine changed every 6k miles or so. I use Mobil 1 and know that it will maintain viscosity for longer than 6k....but I really don't trust any filter to not get clogged or have the filter element break down.

 

[burnbomber]

The longest I've gone on the oil life monitor percentage countdown, was to 40%. That was almost a year. I use synthetic, too.

 

[08PILOT]

I don't pay any attention to the oil life monitor in the DIC and get mine changed every 6k miles or so. I use Mobil 1 and know that it will maintain viscosity for longer than 6k....but I really don't trust any filter to not get clogged or have the filter element break down.

Pretty much the same here. My manual said 4K oil, 6K tires.

So I use Mobil 1 Full Synthetic and do Both every 5K ($75)

 

[burnbomber]

My oil life monitor was just reprogrammed. Pretty sure it was to shorten the oil change frequency. I get antsy when I hit 7k between changes, and my oil life monitor never went much below 50% oil life before I changed it.

In the past, I used Wally world s-tech full synthetic, but the last change was to Mobile 1 full synthetic to get Dexos rated oil.

 

[Black02Silverado]

All good responses. Basically if you go 5 to 6k on an oil change you will be fine. Unless you drive a lot of short trips, under 10 miles. Then you can still go the 5 to 6k but I would use a synthetic for better protection. An AC Delco filter will work just fine, if you wanted a little better filter the Purolator Pure One filter would be a nice upgrade.

Another thing when you go 5 to 6k you can incorporate a tire rotation at the same time.

Since you just got it, it would be interesting to know how many miles you go before your OLM gets down to 10%.

 

[prheaume]

I stick to the oil life monitor in the DIC but never let it go to 0%. Right now I'm at 15% and I will do the flush tommorow. It always depend of your millage. One time I was over 6k with still 30% on the monitor. But at this time it was mostly city millage so it goes down quicker.

 

[islandreamer]

Right before my 3rd engine oil and filter change (at about 17,180 miles), I took the oil life indicator down to 3% at which I had covered a little over 6350 miles or close to 7 months since the last. My average speed at that time was a little over 28 mph and I have about 50/50 city/highway mix. I am now using full syn by Penzoil Platinum and K&N engine oil filter (w/ 1 inch nut). We'll wait and see the next engine oil & filter change mileage.