when it comes up early it is a surprise. I should have had another week before I needed to have it changed.

How many miles had it been since the last change? Normally cars need their oil changed every 3000-5000 miles. Unless you're using synthetic which almost doubles that.

It was just shy of 3000 miles and I do use synthetic.

OP, you ALWAYS go by mileage. NEVER EVER go by weeks, months, or days. That's just dumb. Car places have those stickers with the mileage for the next change or tire rotation for a reason.

#64 when saying I should have had another week that was based on the number of miles I drive per week.

Actually 64, you're completely wrong. If you don't put a lot of miles on a vehicle, you should still have your oil changed every six months.

Should definitely make sure you don't have an oil leak.

#77, my father and I run a mechanic shop. Please do NOT tell me I'm wrong when I can take apart an engine and put it back together again. You still go by mileage, not this "at least every 6 months" crap. Lets say you had a car that had its last oil change at 51,500 miles. If you're oil change is due at, let's say, 56,000 miles, and you're at 52,897 miles, and your oil is dark when you check it, it's time for an oil change. Some cars are different. My father and I do plenty of oil changes; I think I know a thing or two. Don't you think?

I owned my own shop at twenty. I can tear an engine down and put it back together by myself too.

We've been running his business since I was 12. I'm 22 now. Do the math. My dad read this and says that he has 50+ years experience and I've learned everything he knows from him. If you gave me parts of a tractor engine, or any farm equipment for that matter, I can put it together.

Maybe he did, if it was a cross country trip he could have changed it right before he left and still needed to change it when he got back

Exactly. I'm so glad someone else understands this.

True you can put that much more on however streching change intervals will shorten the life of the engine. And if your engine is turbocharged most likely the oil will be black within 100miles of a change.

Actually not on my car. You have to do some weird combination with the pedals. I asked last time I had it in.

Ussually is press either the brake or the gas 3 times to the floor. But I've seen. Turn cruise on off on hit set 5 times hold resume 3 sec all within 6 seconds

....All while hopping up and down on one bum cheek and humming the theme from friends.

My husband's vehicle has to be driven 10 miles after serving so the signal goes off. And the signal starts for the dumbest things, like low washer fluid in the reservoir. You can do it manually with an OBD but he doesn't always have it on him. We once drove four hours with the low washer fluid signal going off every five minutes, not empty, just low and it was clear, dry and winter, no need to clean the window. Drove me crazy. Those on board computers are such a pain and make me glad to drive a classic and am married to a mechanic. No annoying dings.

Try Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A

Not always. My car has a "maintenance required" light that kicks on every 3000 miles (note: I got my dad to help me change the oil a few months ago, so neither of us even knew we had to reset this too). It takes a weird combination of turning the key and resetting the trip computer to shut it off. I've got to the point where I just ignore it, but it bothered me a ton when it first started. Granted, a light is not nearly as annoying as a sound, but maybe the OP just didn't know how to shut it off or possibly didn't have the equipment to do it - I know my dad can change the oil in his car, but he can't reset the oil life indicator himself and has to have the dealer do it.

That's a new thing older cars didn't have that and I don't trust them (I'm a mechanic)

Amen! I don't trust them either. Mine will say 0% and still be perfectly fine. Those sensors don't go by your mileage or time since the last oil change at all.

Actually they've been around since the early 90's some of the more advanced systems actually count the revolutions of the motor, take the temperature of the oil into account and use current oil pressure to decide when it's losing its viscosity and lubricating abilities. And going off mileage isn't always a good thing I can put 0 miles on my car but leave it running all day long and the oil will have deteriorated nonetheless

It was an oil change warning, not a low oil warning! It's not going to do any significant harm and the FML is more about having to listen to the annoying beep for 200 miles.

Calm the **** down kid