Do you guys rely on the maintenance light?

I was wondering how many people rely on that light to do their oil. I just got my truck, I know that I should be getting close, I have to check the invoice to see what the original miles were to tell how close I really am to needing my oil done. Part of me thinks I should just wait for the indicator to come on, what do you guys do?

 

I do, I think the light trips 5000 miles after u reset it...I just wait for it to go off but I starting getting the supplies couple 100 miles before I exspect the light to trip I keep track of mileage and maintence

 

When the light comes on I think it trips before the 5,000 mile mark to give you a heads up that it's coming close for the change. If it blinks at you all the time then I think you hit your mark. Prior to my Taco purchase, I had my Rav 4 and kept a close eye on mileage. Since my Taco purchase and my first oil change under my belt, I have the sticker from the dealership when the mileage is at 5,000 miles. So I go by that now. It wouldn't hurt to set your odometer trips (either A or B) to keep strictly for your mileage. I have to do that next trip to get my oil done.

 

I change at 3000 so no, I just use my trip B to keep up with miles.

 

always rely on it, the light is the best thing they have done to the modern car.

 

I do it at 5000 miles regardless of the light coming on. Doesn't always seem to come on in exactly 5k from when it was reset.

 

What light? Mine has never came on once in the 2+ years I've owned my truck. (2010)

 

You change it before it comes on.

 

sometimes i do

 

huh? it doesnt reset itself when it detects clean oil. maybe he drives very very little and he GETS it changed before it comes on..i get it.

i like the light. i do write the current mileage and date on the oil filter with a gray sharpie marker. just in case.

 

Not at all, it's more of a nuisance to reset it than to actually change the oil. 5,000 or 6 months whichever comes first. I've never relied on "idiot" lights.

 

I also use my trip B to keep track on my oil change intervals, but it typically coincides with the maintenance light.

 

Your avatar is creeping me out....

 

Since it starts flashing at 4500 miles I use it to remind me that the 5k is coming up so I can gather up supplies for the change. Even w/o the light, it's not hard at all... change when the odo is at 35k, then 40k, then 45k, 50k, 55k.... If you can count by 5's, you can change your oil on time.

 

No, I use trip B for tracking OCI. At ~4500 miles the "MAINT REQ'D" light starts flashing and it serves the purpose of a reminder to start watching trip B, and at that point I reset the light immediately just because it's annoying. So I reset it twice every oil change: once when it first lights (to remind me 5k is coming soon) and again when I actually change the oil. I don't know why the light annoys me, maybe I'm just more comfortable with having fewer warnings lit up on my dash. BTW the light will burn steady anytime the ignition is on when 5k is reached.

 

With fully synthetic, you can rely on the light, I do, but if you're running conventional then the light interval is too long.

 

Seriously? My owner's manual says 5k so I really must question this.

 

i rely on the light all the time. When it starts blinking i gather all the supplies and do the oil change when i got free time. I do this to all my toyota vehicles.

 

I do all my own oil changes and I drive it a lot and it still has never came on.

And I've went over the recommended 8000 km oil change interval and still don't get a maint req light on. I dunno...