Oil Change Frequency for Clarity

I figure the ICE runs about 20% of the miles and only when we take out of town trips. So every 10,000 car miles is only 2,000 ICE miles. Therefore I have the oil changed every 10,000 miles which I feel is more than adequate.

 

I only drive about 7000 miles a year (90% in EV mode), so I do once a year oil changes. My first one is due in March, being 1 year since I bought my Clarity.

 

If you keep track of fuel consumption, at 40mpg, 100 gallons would be 4000 miles.

That might be a good time to change the oil. Or after 12 months, which ever comes first. Or send some oil out for a fluid analysis. This may cost more than just changing the oil. Or follow the MM in order to be compliant for warranty issues.

Remember the Fram oil filter commercials?
You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.

My motorhome takes 6 gallons of oil, 2 fuel filters and an oil filter every 15,000 miles or 12 months. It’s $300 at a minimum, but a new engine is $30,000. Don’t be cheap.

 

Anyone notice any difference in MM behavior on 2019 model versus 2018/2017 models? I assume no change.

As far as oil life, unless there is something wrong with your engine (all Claritys being 3 years or newer) there shouldnt be, your oil at 12 months should be nearly as good as it was when you put it in even on a newer model full ICE automobile (sub 10k miles 100% on ICE). Modern engines are amazing.

That being said, better be safe than sorry 5 Quarts of 0W-20 at Walmart (Mobile 1 or Volveline) full synthetic is $23. Clarity takes 3.5Quarts, but you are unlikely to drain it all, so 5 Quarts should about last you two changes. Filter is $5 to $10 depending on brand. Better spend 30 minutes and $20 on a change once a year than be sorry later.

Especially the first oil change, I would change that as soon as MM pops, you want to get all of the potential particles out that are there from the engine break in period.

I havent had MM come on yet (car is only a month old), but once it does I plan to follow it. Just because its so cheap to change it. Honestly, the worst part is taking the old oil to the recycling place.

 

A data point from a 2019 -- I have 11,000 miles and have not yet had to do the first oil change. I got an A1 from the Maintenance Minder around 7500 miles, but when I reset the tire rotation it went away, just recently came back with an A01 "service soon"; showing 3 weeks so it'll be at a little over 12,000 miles.

I drive 90-95% EV, so in theory the engine has only 1-2K miles on it. But I don't think a pure ICE Honda's MM would go to 12K, so it seems like it's factoring actual ICE use into account somehow.

It's a bit hard to tell just skimming reports because of the way the MM combines the services unless you know to reset just one item. But even then, you don't know which to reset and can only try one -- for example, I might try resetting the tire rotation again just to see if the oil change is really needed (yes, I know it's been over a year since the car was manufactured so it's time), but I'm actually curious if just changing the oil and resetting that would give more time to the next tire rotation (which in theory shouldn't be needed until 15K...if I'd actually rotated them at 7.5K. Shhhh!).

 

Tbh the maintenance minder is scaring me a bit now a days.
I did my own oil change back in like July and the maintenance minder is still telling me 3 months to my next oil change with the car having 12,000 miles right now. Kind of getting antsy to rotate the tires at the least

 

Half a tank of gas (in the Clarity) isn't even 20 pounds, which isn't even 0.5% of the car's weight. You're not saving anything doing that.

Both times my AO (again, on USA models, that's a letter "Oh", not a number zero) maintenance notice has come, it's been shortly after I went on a 600 mile trip and back (obviously in HV mode all the way).

 

My .02 (Canadian, no less): I do my oil (myself) every 12 000 km or so, given I have just over 46 000 km on it and have driven all but 10 000km of that on pure EV. It's ridiculous, but easy enough to do. And inexpensive since I do them myself.

It does look ridiculous, though, when all that practically fresh oil comes out of the drain...

 

I change my own oil and go about 6000mils like th book says. Back in June i Used Castorl edge ow-20 and a framfilter. Salesman told me to make sure it was changed evry 5-6000 for company to back car. time for the next 1.

Edd