One of the more irritating of lights to appear on a car dashboard is the oil change light. This light is generally created to warn the driver of a timely maintenance for the oil change but could also illuminate in case of low oil. Newer cars will have separate lights to indicate the two differences, but with older vehicles a single oil light or icon is used to portray the need to work with the oil in the engine. There is general importance to these lights as most drivers should be monitoring the miles being put on their vehicle but will overlook the 3 or 10 thousand mark and could be in danger of ruining the internals of their engine.

What to Do if Your Oil Light Is On

Depending on the vehicle you are driving you may have an orange check oil light, or you may have a red oil light, and sometimes your vehicle will have both. The orange check oil light is the general reminder for your vehicle which is most commonly referred to as an oil change indicator light because it’s a basic reminder for you to change the oil on your vehicle. If the oil light on car illuminates red you know you are in danger of damaging your vehicle and should immediately stop your vehicle to assess the situation. Continuing to drive could result in damage due to the lack of oil in the engine, or the contamination of the oil that’s already inside. If you find your oil light flashing you may have a sensor issue, having it looked by a mechanic will allow you to determine the cost of replacement as well as if it really needed to be replaced or not.

How to Turn Off Change Oil Light

If your change oil soon light is illuminated on your dashboard the easiest thing to do to turn off the light would be to comply with the lights directions and get your oil changed. But sometimes changing the oil doesn’t simply resolve the issue, as a sensor can go bad frequently or the issue is larger than a simple oil change. Bringing the vehicle to a repair shop with the oil light on will allow the mechanic to determine if there is an underlying issue being missed, or if it is just a sensor or fuse that needs to be replaced. Some tricks can be done at home, depending on the model of vehicle you have, that will allow you to remove the oil light in the instance it’s staying on even after changing the oil. Here is a complied list provided by NAPA’s Know How Blog:

Chevy and GMC Model w/o VIC

These instructions are based on 2005 and earlier models. If you’re looking how to reset oil light, follow these steps:

1. Sit in the driver’s seat, closing all the doors. Put the key into the ignition and turn key to the accessory position. This is when the light will illuminate.

2. Once the “change oil” light comes on find the enter button on the driver information center. Press and hold the button for 1 second. After a notification from the instrument panel you can remove your key and the light has been reset.

Chevy and GMC Models w/ VIC

The following steps are based on models 2006 to current. The instructions are as follows:

1. Turn on the vehicle so the battery is on
2. When the “Change Engine Oil” comes on find the enter button on the driver information center. Press and hold this button for one second. The light will then no longer display.

Honda Accord

This tip works to reset oil change light on most Honda vehicles, though some may differ depending year and model.

1. Turn on the car’s battery without turning on the engine
2. Find the “select” stem near speedometer and press it until you see the word “oil” or wrench icon appear. Press and hold the icon for 10 seconds, or until the light starts flashing.
3. Release the stem and hold “select” again for another 5 seconds. The light will disappear, and you will be all set.

Though these are just some of the available methods, you may need to look up your vehicle individually to find the exact way to turn off your oil light.

Check Engine Light Oil Change

If you are looking to perform an oil change, we have previously posted an article on how to change oil. Learning how to change your oil is a large money saver and should be something everyone learns how to do on their own vehicle. But, one major downside of changing your own oil is troubleshooting your own check engine lights after oil change when they come on, especially when you did everything correctly. The top 5 common reasons that you may see a check engine light after oil change is as follows:

1. The Oxygen Sensor Needs to be Replaced
2. The Catalytic Converter
3. Loose Gas Cap
4. Spark Plug
5. Airflow Sensors

Running through a list of those will allow you to find the issue in no time, but if you still cannot figure out the issue from the list you will have to bring your car to a mechanic to be looked at. Additionally, if you have our Ultimate® Savers Club you won’t have to pay for any maintenance on your vehicle.