[jimmyd]

I have about 11k on my 2018. I have had the oil changed once and tires rotated. Do you think I really need the oil changed every 5-6k miles? We have maybe put 50 gallons in since we have had it.

 

[obermd]

At your rate I'd probably go a full year between oil changes. The car will tell you when it want's one.

 

[jimmyd]

I have a two week reminder on the car, but I think that is a default indicator?

 

[2002]

I have a two week reminder on the car, but I think that is a default indicator?

Your maintenance message is probably saying A1, correct? Or it might say A01. A is for oil change, 1 is for tire rotation, 0 is for inspection (brakes, suspension, etc). What people have found is that if you have an A1 message, after rotating the tires you can reset just the tire rotation reminder and then the whole maintenance message goes away until the next time something is due. If that happens then it means it was really only tire rotation that was due, not oil change.

So then why does it also list code A when it is only time for tire rotation? The only explanation anyone has come up with for this that I know of is that Honda assumes you will go to the dealer for tire rotation so while there they figure you might as well get the oil changed at the same time. However for most people they don't need the oil changed that soon, like in your case with so few miles using gas. However you should still change the oil once a year. Some people think even once a year is too often if you rarely use the gas engine however it does state in the owners manual that if you don't get a reminder you should change the oil at least once a year.

 

[obermd]

Your maintenance message is probably saying A1, correct? Or it might say A01. A is for oil change, 1 is for tire rotation, 0 is for inspection (brakes, suspension, etc). What people have found is that if you have an A1 message, after rotating the tires you can reset just the tire rotation reminder and then the whole maintenance message goes away until the next time something is due. If that happens then it means it was really only tire rotation that was due, not oil change.

So then why does it also list code A when it is only time for tire rotation? The only explanation anyone has come up with for this that I know of is that Honda assumes you will go to the dealer for tire rotation so while there they figure you might as well get the oil changed at the same time. However for most people they don't need the oil changed that soon, like in your case with so few miles using gas. However you should still change the oil once a year. Some people think even once a year is too often if you rarely use the gas engine however it does state in the owners manual that if you don't get a reminder you should change the oil at least once a year.

In other words, Honda is driving business to their dealerships with their nanny maintenance system that tries to get you to do more maintenance than the car actually is asking for. This is possibly the biggest thing I dislike about the Clarity (the other is that the electric motor isn't big enough to propel the car in all situations by itself).

 

[Clarity_newbie]

"In other words, Honda is driving business to their dealerships with their nanny maintenance system that tries to get you to do more maintenance than the car actually is asking for. This is possibly the biggest thing I dislike about the Clarity (the other is that the electric motor isn't big enough to propel the car in all situations by itself).[/QUOTE]"

Which is why I pay zero attention to the Honda Maintenance Minder. May be useful to some folks I guess but useless to anyone with a modicum of common sense.

Love the Clarity the car...Honda USA however is pathetic and their dealership network follows suit.

To answer the OP question...in my opinion any OCI should be based on ICE miles. Currently I use 15,000 miles on the odo as the barometer because at 15k odo...I have ~4500k miles on ICE which equates to using the ICE 30% of the time. At one year since OC, I will draw a sample of the oil and send for analysis to gauge life left and will base next OC on scientific data.

After 2 oil changes...and two lab analysis...I will probably settle on 20,000 miles odo/2 year OCI. This assumes the lab results will fully support oil life out to 24 months...which I fully expect.

Keep in mind 20,000 miles on odo only equates to 6,000 miles on ICE if I maintain the 70% EV/30% ICE usage split which I most likely will...or I'll adjust accordingly.

Hope this helps.

 

[jimmyd]

Appreciate the responses. I wouldn't think changing it that often makes sense. Especially with what the dealer charges. Is there a way I can tell how many miles the motor has been running for sure? I would venture to guess 30% tops. MPG says 199.99
Must be the max on the car.

 

[Clarity_newbie]

One common way is to keep track of gallons of gas at every fill up...you can multiply 45 mpg x gallons of gas to approximate ICE usage...the remaining is EV miles.

The 45 mpg comes straight off the mahroney sticker which states 45 mpg as determined by the EPA.

I personally use a slightly higher mpg since I keep track of my miles/mileage. The data indicates the Clarity I drive gets a higher mpg but using the EPA figure is close approximation.

Hope this helps.

 

[4sallypat]

I'm glad mine gets changed for free at the dealer everytime the MM says it needs one.

 

[Clarity_newbie]

I'm glad mine gets changed for free at the dealer everytime the MM says it needs one.

You might consider transparency about your "free" oil changes. Just be up front about the maintenance contract and all is well.

Good lawd son...life's too short.

 

[don7778]

My maintenence minder says oil change due in 5 weeks. The only problem is It has been saying that for 3 months. I drive mostly on Battery so I am doing the once a year oil change

 

[Leabhras]

Bullseye!

This thread has hit the bullseye for me! Generally I really like the car, but that dang warning light is my pet peeve.
You pull on that thread and it also shows that Honda is not really embracing a move away from ICE. The dealerships love selling their oil change package too much.

 

[obermd]

This thread has hit the bullseye for me! Generally I really like the car, but that dang warning light is my pet peeve.
You pull on that thread and it also shows that Honda is not really embracing a move away from ICE. The dealerships love selling their oil change package too much.

This isn't just a Honda problem. Dealerships make roughly half their income from their service department. EVs simply don't need the same level of service as ICEVs need. Another interesting item that came out during the recent UAW/GM strike was that the car manufacturers themselves don't need as many people to make EVs.

Electric Vehicles are a disruptive technology - this is fundamentally why so many people are fighting them with FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). Oil industry executives know that the bulk of their profits come from selling gasoline and motor diesel fuels. Auto dealerships won't push EVs because they know their service departments, which account for half their profits, won't be getting the business. Unions are fighting them because it takes fewer people to build an EV than an ICEV.

 

[jimmyd]

I found out how to reset all the things it wants me to do. Ao1
oil- chassis check and tire rotation. It is in the settings and vehicle part somewhere. No more warning!

 

[don7778]

And to make it just a bit more complicated Mobile one oil has a version that goes 15,000 miles and one that goes 20,000 miles between changes. Growing up in the 50's we changed oil every 3000 miles. So once a year or every 10000 miles is ok by me.

 

[hp79]

I got the oil change nag screen coming on so I did the oil & filter change. While at it, I also replaced the drain plug with a Fumoto valve. I thought I maybe filled 2-3 times but realized I only had one 3 gallons of gas fill up during last year. I also added Stabil, but I should probably try to use more gas. ODO is around 7500 miles.

When I drained the oil, it drained out like water. Very runny. I drained 3.6qt, and put in 3.5qt Castrol Edge 0W20.

 

[obermd]

I got the oil change nag screen coming on so I did the oil & filter change. While at it, I also replaced the drain plug with a Fumoto valve. I thought I maybe filled 2-3 times but realized I only had one 3 gallons of gas fill up during last year. I also added Stabil, but I should probably try to use more gas. ODO is around 7500 miles.

When I drained the oil, it drained out like water. Very runny. I drained 3.6qt, and put in 3.5qt Castrol Edge 0W20.

I would burn the gas tank "empty" at least once a year and refill it to roughly half a tank. This will give you about three gallons of fresh gas each year and more than enough to keep the fuel pump covered.

Your oil was more than ready to replace. One of the reasons oil needs to be replaced is that it really does have an in-engine shelf life, even when not being used.

 

[leemell]

You don't need gas stabilizer. The fuel tank is pressurized to keep gas stable. When it reach the point it needs to be burned, the car will burn it, down to half a tank to leave room for fresh gas.

 

[2002]

When it reach the point it needs to be burned, the car will burn it, down to half a tank to leave room for fresh gas.

I don't think we really know what Clarity does if the gas gets really old, say over a year, as there is nothing in the owners manual about it. While there are people who have gone a year without putting in any gas most them purposely burn off gas when it has been that long and refill. I don't know of anyone who has gone more than a year without refilling so we don't really know what Clarity does in that case if anything, other than continuing with the occasional brief start ups. If the engine has not been run for several weeks (or months in some cases) it will start up but then it only runs until it has warmed up and gotten things circulated then it shuts off again, using a tiny amount of gas during this process.

The Chevy Volt had a pretty sophisticated fuel management system and would pop up messages when it had not been filled in a long time recommending to burn some gas. If the messages are ignored it will start up the engine similar to Clarity and run for a while. But I'm not sure if even the Volt will burn off half a tank of gas.

 

[obermd]

I don't think we really know what Clarity does if the gas gets really old, say over a year, as there is nothing in the owners manual about it. While there are people who have gone a year without putting in any gas most them purposely burn off gas when it has been that long and refill. I don't know of anyone who has gone more than a year without refilling so we don't really know what Clarity does in that case if anything, other than continuing with the occasional brief start ups. If the engine has not been run for several weeks (or months in some cases) it will start up but then it only runs until it has warmed up and gotten things circulated then it shuts off again, using a tiny amount of gas during this process.

The Chevy Volt had a pretty sophisticated fuel management system and would pop up messages when it had not been filled in a long time recommending to burn some gas. If the messages are ignored it will start up the engine similar to Clarity and run for a while. But I'm not sure if even the Volt will burn off half a tank of gas.

The Volt's Fuel Maintenance Mode triggers when the average age of the gas in the tank is estimated to be one year (give or take a few days). It will then run as a hybrid even with a full battery until it empties the gas tank or you put at least two gallons of gas into the car.