Consumer Law

Auto Care Myths Cost Consumers & Harm the Environment

By Kemnitzer, Anderson, Barron, Ogilvie & Brewer

Dealers and oil changer companies typically recommend changing oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles. On November 6, 2008, GM issued a statement that this recommendation is the biggest myth in the car business. GM has a Oil Life System (OLS) in almost all its models that monitors combustion events, engine temperature and other parameters to gauge oil's life. Using the data, OLS tells drivers exactly when their engine oil should be replaced. Changing oil when OLS indicates it is time to do so, a motorist who drives 15,000 miles a year would make two or three fewer oil changes a year as compared to changing oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles.

If all drivers of GM vehicles equipped with OLS use the system as intended, they would save more than 100 million gallons of motor oil annually compared to the 3,000 mile interval.

There are environmental consequences to too frequent oil changes. The American Petroleum Institute states that 1 billion gallons of motor oil are sold each year of which 185 million gallons are improperly disposed in the trash or down a drain.

The California EPA encourages drivers to follow the manufacturer's recommendations on oil changes. Manufacturers that do not have an OLS system in their cars typically recommend changing oil every 7,500 miles,

Other myths--today's electronically controlled engines do not need "tune-ups" and there is no need for chassis lubrication, annual radiator flushes, or routine wheel alignment.

Full post as published by Lemon Law Blog on November 20, 2008 (boomark / email).