I know that everything about our famed HHR is great and they can do no wrong but...lets use this thread to help GM weed out the rarely used or practically useless functions. For example:

The oil life indicator on the DIC. I got an oil change the other day and I promptly remember to reset the oil life on the DIC. THen it dawned on me: what kind of indicator is it if I have to reset it myself? THere isn't any sensor to really detect whether or not my oil needs changing...just this thingy that counts down according to....miles? If I don't reset it whenver I get the oil changed...it doesn't serve any purpose in terms of when I need to get it changed. Unless there is some kind of underlying purpose, this thing is worthless...most people ignore it and get it changed every 3000 anyway

 

Ahh, not by miles. Read your owner's book.


Edit...Oh, and GM's consumer survey ssays that MOST people DO pay attention to it. Maybe that's the problem.

 

even still...if I don't reset it, will it realize Im running clean oil or does it actually detect anything?

 

No but, I'm not being sarcastic here, if you don't understand the correct function of it, how can you criticize it? And the reset responsibility goes to the oil changing facility....unless of course you change your own.

You know, it's like saying your a/c isn't working properly when you don't even turn the correct switch(s) on (which, according to this forum and others, a lot of people do).

 

Here's what's in the owners manual.

Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and filter. This is based on
engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on
mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at
which an oil change will be indicated can vary
considerably. For the oil life system to work properly,
you must reset the system every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE OIL SOON message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) will come on. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-42. Change
your oil as soon as possible within the next 600 miles
(1 000 km). It is possible that, if you are driving
under the best conditions, the oil life system may not
indicate that an oil change is necessary for over a year.
However, your engine oil and filter must be changed
at least once a year and at this time the system must be
reset. Your dealer has GM-trained service people who
will perform this work using genuine GM parts and reset
the system. It is also important to check your oil
regularly and keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
Page 5-16

 

But, you do raise a question in an interesting area. What about the duplication of the DIC coolant temperature and the engine temperature gage??

 

Useless function: Ice Possible Warning - I've had mine indicate that when it's 32 degrees outside. Now where I live, when it's that cold, chances are ice is possible on the roads. Don't see the need for the car to tell me that.

 

I just wonder if the engine warranty will still be honored if you didnt change the oil every 3000-5000 miles, but only changed it according to when the DIC said so.

 

There's no such thing as a totally smart system. The way I see it and understand it, it doesn't/can't sense if the oil is clean. It does a calculated guess on what the oil life is based on miles + driving conditions (short/long trips, engine temp) you're putting the car through. The algorythm (not sure if this is the correct word/spelling)the system uses in it's program is based on real time testing. By reseting the system, you're basically telling it time to start the oil life count down. It's there as a convenience

 

Now that is an example of duplication of functions.