How to Reset a Chevy Oil Change Light
by Jody L. Campbell
Chevrolet vehicles have featured oil change service lights for quite a few years. Many older Chevys offered this option on the more premium models. Currently, there are a few different methods of resetting the oil change service light depending on the year and model, but for many years there was one popular method on most all models. Now with vehicle information centers (VIC) on newer models, the method has changed drastically.
Vehicles Without VIC
Step 1
Sit inside the driver's seat of the Chevy and close the driver's side door.
Step 2
Insert the key into the ignition and then turn it to the accessory power position (also known as key-on/engine-off). All the lights will be displayed on the instrument panel.
Step 3
Depress the accelerator pedal fully to the floor three times within a five second span.
Step 4
Watch for the change oil light to flash. If it does not flash and remains on, turn the ignition key to the off position and then retry the procedure. After the change oil light flashes, it should go out. If the change oil remains on for five seconds (depending on the year and model Chevy), it may not have reset.
Step 5
Start the engine and wait for all the illuminated instrument panel lights to go out to ensure the change oil light has been properly reset.
Vehicles With VIC
Step 1
Turn the ignition key to the accessory power position.
Step 2
Locate and then depress the button on the VIC with the image of a road or the letter "i" on it. Continue to press the button to scroll through the information center until "oil life" is displayed on the onscreen menu of the VIC.
Step 3
Depress and hold the check mark button on the VIC until the oil life display reads 100 percent. This may take between five to ten seconds.
Tips
- Because there are so many different Chevrolet models, always refer to your specific owners manual to be sure you're performing the procedure correctly before attempting.
- In 1994, the full-size Caprice and Impala models featured a button on the passenger side of the dash inside the fuse box panel. The button was red and required the vehicle to be in the accessory power position and then depress and hold the red oil life button for five seconds to reset the oil change light.
Things You'll Need
- Owner's manual
Writer Bio
Jody L. Campbell spent over 15 years as both a manager and an under-car specialist in the automotive repair industry. Prior to that, he managed two different restaurants for over 15 years. Campbell began his professional writing career in 2004 with the publication of his first book.
