Do you know how to reset oil life on 2012 Chevy Malibu? The 2012 model year may have probably been considered old or outdated for you, but it doesn’t mean that you should neglect your car maintenance and care. In fact, if you are able to care for your ride, and keep it on the top performance, you can make it last for good, regardless the age. Even old cars can still perform and run well if you care for it properly. You probably don’t think that knowing how to reset it would give you a lot of benefits, but it doesn’t hurt to learn one.
How to Manage the Reset Procedure
You should know that different model years would lead to a slightly different ways of doing it. So, even if you know how to reset oil life on 2012 Chevy Malibu, you’ll find out that the detailed process may be a bit different if you have to do it for the newer year models, such as 2017 or 2020. Read on to know the details.
Chevrolet Malibu 2008 to 2012 Year Model
If you want to know how to reset oil life on 2012 Chevy Malibu, this would be the right time. And since it’s applied to model years from 2008, those having older Chevrolet Malibu can also try it on.
- Turn the ignition key to position ‘On’, but DON’T activate your engine
- Press the button ‘Info’ as well as the left arrow (⏎) button at the same time and hold it off for a while.
- After doing it, you should be able to access ‘Personalization’ menu
- Press the button ‘Info’ again and again until you see ‘Oil Life Reset’ button
- Again, press the ⏎ button and hold it off (no need to press it together with ‘Info) this time until you see ‘Acknowledged’ being displayed
- At this point, you have reset the oil life indicator light. If you want to be sure, turn the ignition off. Start the engine and double check whether the indicator has been back to 100%
Chevrolet Malibu 2013 to 2015 Year Model
What if you take the car to a garage to have the oil changed, but they forget to reset the indicator light. If this is the case, you need to perform the reset on your own. But don’t be discouraged; you only need to access the buttons found on the turn signal level.
- Turn the ignition and don’t turn it on. This is usually on the position ‘Run’ without actually starting it off. If your car model is using ignition button, press the ‘Stop/Start’ button and hold it for a while. Don’t press on the brake pedal.
- You should be able to access the menu ‘Vehicle Information’ screen
- Make use of the available menu button. Find the section ‘Vehicle Information’ so you can get the information displayed there
- Scroll down until you find ‘Remaining Oil Life’. Use the thumbwheel to go up and down so you can access the ‘Oil Life’ information
- Hold the button ‘CLR/SET’ for several seconds. Then, you would be ask to confirm your action to reset the indicator light
- Choose ‘Yes’ by using the thumbwheel. Your indicator light would be returned to 100%
The Newer Chevrolet Model Year Model
This method may be different from the process how to reset oil life on 2012 Chevy Malibu, but the entire procedure is basically almost the same.
- You want to activate the ignition without starting the engine. Turn it to the first position, which is On position. If your vehicle comes with the push button type, press the button ‘Engine Stop/Start’ once. Don’t hold your brake
- Then, press the gas (accelerator) pedal 3 times, all the way down. Do it slowly and thoroughly. Do it in an interval of 5 seconds
- Turn that ignition off. For your push button vehicle, press that button ‘Engine Stop/Start’ once. Again, without you having to hold the brake. It should reset the indicator back to 100%
- Check the condition the next time you turn the engine on. You should see the indicator in 100% condition.
The previous method isn’t the only available way that you can do. You can do the following steps:
When you turn the signal level, press the button ‘Menu’ so you can see the Driver Info Console
Your steering wheel has buttons. Use them to scroll the menu. Find the section ‘Remaining Oil Life’
Press the button √ and hold it off for a while. This action would reset the indicator light back to 100%
How Reliable the Oil Life Indicator Is?
Most car owners believe that oil life indicator systems are just sensors – and those sensors are pretty simple. However, the systems aren’t just regular sensors. They implement calculation and exact measurements (taken from the computer of your vehicle) to find out (and then figure out) the best service life. The indicator light is basically a ‘warning’ system that would be on once your car detects that it needs oil change. It would be off when the oil is fresh or new, or when the oil is still in good condition. So, when you see the indicator light on, don’t underestimate it. Make sure to do the change right away.
This is the importance of oil life monitoring technology. Most people think that oil life sensor is tracking the amount of remaining oil, but it’s actually for tracking the quality of the oil. When the oil is still fresh (usually after a change or after you buy a new ride), the indicator would show the percentage 100%. As time goes by, the numbers would decline. It shows that the oil quality is deteriorating; it’s getting poorer.
The best thing that you can do is to perform a regular change. You can also track your mileage; whichever comes the first. Yes, you will have to prepare a certain budget for this, but it’s such an inexpensive precaution to keep your engine runs and operates smoothly. Never underestimate the importance of the indicator light – or the necessity to change the oil.
All in all, this article is about caring and maintaining your Malibu 2012. As you can see, you’ll find out that knowing how to reset oil life on 2012 Chevy Malibu can be advantageous at some point.