The oil change light on your Chevy or GMC is meant to keep you on track with your vehicle's scheduled maintenance. The oil change light is triggered when the vehicle has counted down the expected life of your oil to zero. If you've had your oil changed at an authorized dealer, the technician will reset the light as part of the service.
But if you've had the service preformed elsewhere – or if you've changed the oil yourself - you'll need to reset it yourself. Here's the easy way to reset the oil light on your Chevy or GMC.
Oil Light Reset Methods Vary from Model to Model
Oil lights have been a standard feature on Chevy and GMCs for years. Newer Chevys will have a built in Vehicle Information Center (VIC), but older models don't. If your GMC is 2006 or newer, it comes with the GM Oil Life System. Oil light reset methods will vary from model to model, so when it in doubt consult your owner's manual.
If You Own a Chevy Without VIC or a 2005 or older GMC
1. Sit in the driver's seat with the doors closed. Insert the key into the ignition and turn the key to the accessory power position. All the lights will be displayed on your instrument panel.
2. Within five seconds of turning the key, depress the accelerator fully to the floor three times.
3. Watch for the oil light to flash and turn off. If the oil change light does not turn off, turn the key to the off position and retry the process.
If You Own a Chevy with VIC
1. Turn the key to the accessory power position.
2. Locate and press the VIC button. The VIC button will have an image of a road or the letter "i" on it. Repeatedly pressed the VIC button until "oil life" is displayed on the onscreen menu.
3. Press and hold the check mark button on the VIC for five to ten seconds until the oil life display reads 100%.
If You Own a 2006 or Newer GMC
1. Turn the key to the accessory power position.
2. While the oil life message is displayed, press and hold the Enter button on the Driver Information Center for one second.
3. The Driver Information Center will display a reset acknowledgement message. Turn the key to the off position.
After you've reset the oil light, turn the key to the off position. Then start your vehicle. If you have successfully reset the oil maintenance light, it will not appear until your car is ready for another oil change.
Every time you get your car's oil changed, it's important to reset the oil change indicator light on your dashboard. If you don't reset the indicator, you may find that your car will indicate that you need another oil change far sooner than it should.
It'll be difficult to remember when you should have your oil changed if your car is constantly alerting you at the incorrect time. You could end up overspending on oil changes, or if you ignore the alert when the oil truly does need to be changed, you could end up doing damage to your engine.
It's easy to avoid these problems by resetting this light yourself in just a few simple steps so that you can continue to drive around Glen Allen, Ashland, and Short Pump without an issue. For any assistance or to ask a question, contact your team of experts at Richmond Ford West.
Step 1: Turn the Ignition to Run
There's no need to fully start your car's engine. Simply insert your key and turn it until the car's dashboard lights come on.
Step 2: Scroll to Settings Menu
Use your steering wheel's control buttons to scroll to your car's Settings menu. When you get to the menu, press the right arrow button.
Step 3: Scroll to Vehicle Menu
In the Settings menu, scroll to the Vehicle menu and press the right arrow button again.
Step 4: Scroll to Oil Life
Scroll to the Oil Life section in your Vehicle menu, and press the right arrow button one more time.
Step 5: Hold OK Button
Hold down the OK button on your steering wheel until the display shows Reset Successful.
Step 6: Start Engine
When you've finished, turn the ignition off, and then start the engine to be sure that the oil light reset was successful.
Congratulations, you've successfully reset your oil light!
Signs You Need an Oil Change
Don't forget that there's always a chance you could need an oil change before your indicator light tells you so. It's important to be aware of your car's health by periodically checking the oil level and quality. If you don't have your oil changed regularly, your car's engine could suffer serious damage that could cost you a lot of money.
- If your oil looks dark and dirty, your engine won't run smoothly. This is one of the key indicators that you need to have your oil changed.
- Any smell of oil in your vehicle's cabin is also a sign that there could be an oil leak in your system or that your engine is burning oil.
- Pay attention for louder-than-normal engine noise or loud knocking sounds coming from under the hood, as these could be signs that your oil is low and the engine isn't running smoothly.
- Any smoke emitted from the tailpipe of your vehicle is typically a bad sign. This could indicate that there's an oil leak in your engine.
Never ignore any of these signs that something could be wrong with your vehicle. Always contact your dealer near Glen Allen, Ashland, and Short Pump for assistance. If these tips don't seem to be working on your vehicle, consult your owner's manual or contact our team at Richmond Ford West.