On an 02 TB what triggers the oil change indicator to turn on? Is it based on mileage or is there a sensor? Is there a way to reset it after an oil change? On my TB it comes on when you first start it and stays on for a few minutes then goes off.

 

The indicator is triggered by an hourmeter and or the mileage, whichever comes first, usually every few hundred hours or few thousand miles( dont know the exact specifics on yours). My reset is on the steering wheel ( the back arrow button, hold for 3 sec.) it may be different on yours.

 

The computer not only records miles driven, but what type of miles driven...city or highway. So if you do a lot of citydriving, you will be changing your oil more often then someone doing highway miles

To reset it after an oil change, turn the key on with the engine off, and fully depress the gas pedal 3 times in 5 seconds...the light will flash then turn off

 

Is there more than one way to reset it?

This is an 02 TB steering wheel.... same as mine

 

My steering wheel has no buttons on it so I'll try the pedal thing. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

That explains my confusion,

 

the GM OLM- oil life monitor is great.
Oil life is dependant on several things- among them....
THe engine in your car, how you drive, and the oil you use.
Different engines have different characteristics.
How you drive--- city, highway, short drives, long drives, tow, temperatures....
Oil you use--- does your engine call for regular oil or synthetic?

When you reset the OLM- it begins counting down from 100 % oil life.
The system is a mathematical formula. Or an algorithm.
Into the formula- go many variables. BUT what GM has done is studied how OIL (lets say 5W-30) degrades under different conditions. they know how THAT oil will degrade over time and use in YOUR particular engine.
so as you drive- the computer is counting the engine revolutions, the engine temperature, how long your drives are etc. are you towing, are you stopping etc.
all these variables are used on the formula and it begins to Penalize the oil life.
eventually it reaches 0% at which point it displays the light.
some will only have the change oil light... other may have the oil % life left on the Driver information center.
So for example- take Joe and Bill. both have same trailblazers and change oil at the same time and reset the OLM.
Joe- gets in his car and drives for 1 hour in the AM and 1 hour in the PM on the highway.
no traffic- and purrs along at 60 MPH at about 2000 RPM and engine stays at 210.
Bill- leaves for work- also 1 hour away in the AM and PM. But he takes the streets and does alot of stop and go- doing jack rabbit starts.

Bill oil will degrade much faster- and his oil will only go maybe 4000 to 6000 miles.
Joe may go up to 11,000 miles.

Bill does alot of revving when he leaves the red lights, he also stops alot and his engine runs a little hotter from all the idling.
Joe- gets on the highway- engine runs cool, rpm's are low etc.

 

the system will also penalize the count- if you do very short drives where the engine doesnt warm up to temp. towing penalizes, etc.

so theres a bunch of variables used to take into acct the life of the oil.

this is why the owners manual says use 5w-30 that meets GM spec XXXXX.
if it meets that spec- they know how it will degrade.
Use quality filters, and check the oil level often to make sure youre not running low.

Engines that come with synthethic from the factory- have the OLM algorithm that is tunes to synthetic properties...

The OLM does not have sensor that looks at the oil particles in your car.
The OLM does not detect that you changed the oil. You have to reset it.

You can put in Synthetic into a car that came with regular... but it will still calculate oil life based on reg. oil properties.

That being said- I have an 03 TB with the Inline 6. Ive always used my OLM.
My oil changes are done at about 10,000 to 11,500 miles based on the OLM.
When I change oil- I usually remove 6.5 quarts of oil. My engine burns no oil.
I use regular 5w-30 with AC DELCO filter.
I am about to hit 143,600.
This past tankful- I achieved 21 MPG. My average is 18 (city/hwy combined). I did a little more highway this past tankful.
I am currently at about 9000 miles on this oil change.

 

rbarrios thanks for the great info. And here I was worried about going 50 miles over a 3000 mile oil change.

 

just remember-- that the people that promote 3000 miles oil changes are oil companies, auto parts stores, and repair shops- places that will profit from such work.
That being said- the 3000 mile rule was valid for 1960's and 1970's technology were Carburetors DUMPED fuel into the engine.
Todays cars have precise fuel injectors.
But consider that the Inline 6 has 7 quarts of oil..... thats alot of oil to use up.
So you can safely go beyond 3000 miles
Just keep an eye on the oil level.
I had my oil analyzed at about 104,000 miles- with 10,500 miles-
the oil was still good for another 400 miles. the analysis showed oil was doing its job for the mileage it was in use- and the engine wear was minimal.