Before  I ask I intend to change my oil every year as I have done with all my previous cars.

My question is how does the oil life status work using the fordPass app. Do people actually use it to tell them when to change their oil or is it just a timer like a service reminder. I've never came across this facility before.

 

I owned my Focus for 23 months but only covered 125 miles...it still had 100% oil life when sold.

So it doesn't seem to be timed.  Some engines have an oil quality sensor.  Others rely on mileage.

Wow that's low mileage. Yes it shows its not a timer. Mine is showing 56% and it will be coming up in a couple of months time to 12months since its last service. My car according to ford has a 2 yearly oil change interval , hence why I was thinking it was just like a service reminder ( timer ) also why I said I intend to change my oil yearly before everyone tell me that. Thanks for the reply Tom.

My current car has 12 month intervals anyway, but I had my previous 1.0 ecoboost changed annually over my 5 years ownership. I got this done at my local dealer in conjunction with the annual convenience check, but I did note that (presumably because it wasn't an "official" service action), they didn't reset the oil life. I found it approached zero as I got near the 2 year "official" service interval, which seems to suggest it works on time.

Ford however do say (see below) it is a condition monitor and some members on here have reported oil life near zero long before 2 years so maybe my experience is coincidence.

 

INTELLIGENT OIL LIFE MONITOR

 

The way you drive can significantly affect how often you need an oil change. The Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor (IOLM) in Ford vehicles monitors your engine oil and will alert you with a message in the instrument cluster if the oil needs changing. To help increase the time between your oil change intervals, we recommend the following:

• • Avoid leaving the engine running when at a standstill. This increases fuel consumption and causes unnecessary wear to your engine.
  • If you don’t use your vehicle regularly, try to ensure you run it above 1,700 rpm for at least 15 minutes every week.
  • If the message ”oil change required” is displayed, please contact your local Ford Dealer.
  • The IOLM will be reset by your Ford Dealer after the engine oil has been changed.

 

Some other makes, e.g. VW Group vehicles on variable servicing interval, which requires a different (and even more expensive!) oil, certainly do monitor oil condition.

 

54 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

My current car has 12 month intervals anyway, but I had my previous 1.0 ecoboost changed annually over my 5 years ownership. I got this done at my local dealer in conjunction with the annual convenience check, but I did note that (presumably because it wasn't an "official" service action), they didn't reset the oil life. I found it approached zero as I got near the 2 year "official" service interval, which seems to suggest it works on time.

Ford however do say (see below) it is a condition monitor and some members on here have reported oil life near zero long before 2 years so maybe my experience is coincidence.

 

INTELLIGENT OIL LIFE MONITOR

 

The way you drive can significantly affect how often you need an oil change. The Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor (IOLM) in Ford vehicles monitors your engine oil and will alert you with a message in the instrument cluster if the oil needs changing. To help increase the time between your oil change intervals, we recommend the following:

• • Avoid leaving the engine running when at a standstill. This increases fuel consumption and causes unnecessary wear to your engine.
  • If you don’t use your vehicle regularly, try to ensure you run it above 1,700 rpm for at least 15 minutes every week.
  • If the message ”oil change required” is displayed, please contact your local Ford Dealer.
  • The IOLM will be reset by your Ford Dealer after the engine oil has been changed.

 

Some other makes, e.g. VW Group vehicles on variable servicing interval, which requires a different (and even more expensive!) oil, certainly do monitor oil condition.

 

Thanks,  that seems to be the way mine is heading 1 year nearly 50% another year it could  possibly be nearly zero. I'll will be resetting mine in a couple of months time as I'm doing the services myself,  I was just wondering as I had never come across it before. If as Ford say it does monitor the condition of your oil , that's a good thing to have.

I have a 2023 fiesta (servicing every 2 years, no oil change officially required after 1 year) which is only a couple of months old and I noticed that the oil life monitor has already dropped to 94% after only 500miles or so. I was fiddling with the display settings and found I could reset it to 100% from there so just an indicator I guess.

On 11/13/2023 at 5:00 PM, Eric Bloodaxe said:

 

Some other makes, e.g. VW Group vehicles on variable servicing interval, which requires a different (and even more expensive!) oil, certainly do monitor oil condition.

 

I read on a Skoda Forum that some of their cars (and VAG) have a sensor in the sump to measure oil quality, although I'm not sure what it actually measures though. I know you had to use 'long life' oil to a certain VW spec when on variable servicing.

I know we are going a little off topic, but in this explains how VAG does it, 

http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_224.pdf

However, I don't think Ford has any sensors to measure oil quality, and the 'oil life', I believe is simply calculated by mileage and time covered.

Have a 'FORD TOURNEO CONNECT FLAME' it had the oil change and service yesterday yet the app says the oil life is 50%, it was on something like 12% when it went in (had to book almost a month in advance to get the service done).

Had the car less than a year and it has been nothing but a nightmare, the first frost last Christmas killed the drivers side electric window (something I read at the time was a known fault that ford had supposedly rectified) took weeks to get it booked in. Kept reporting faults when there weren't any, took in to have that sorted and it was another known common fault, took weeks to get it booked in. A few months later and it has started to do that again, ie. the crash alert goes off randomly, and the parking sensors come on at traffic lights and say there are obstructions when there aren't any. Just discovered when I got a new scooter that we can't put the double seat up properly to increase the boot space for my new scooter so it is a job and a half to get it in (will have to book it in again for that) and each time it takes weeks to get a slot to get it looked at.

Luckily as it is a mobility car they pay for the repairs as part of me paying the monthly amount for the car.

 

I used to recommend Ford highly (people thought it odd as I worked for BMW at the time) I will never touch a Ford car again, I am beginning to think it is called the Flame for a reason.

On 11/13/2023 at 3:49 PM, steveg19 said:

Before  I ask I intend to change my oil every year as I have done with all my previous cars.

My question is how does the oil life status work using the fordPass app. Do people actually use it to tell them when to change their oil or is it just a timer like a service reminder. I've never came across this facility before.

 

I’ve changed my oil on 24000 mile reset the oil life percentage only use proper Ford oil it only done 6000 mile then it was back to 10% so changed it again now only drove 200 mile and it’s already down to 86% service interval is 18000 why is it dropping so much so fast 

12 hours ago, Tony watson 13 said:

why is it dropping so much so fast

Hi, Tony.

I've never bothered with Ford Pass after seeing lots of negative comments about it.

Out of interest, do you see the same percentages when you check through the information display in the car? Have you had a "change engine oil soon" or "change engine oil now" message come up  in the car? 

Otherwise, it could simply be your usage is such that more frequent changes are required (short journeys, lots of starting and stopping, etc.). It does mention (tucked away in the in the Ford Service Portfolio issued with a new car) that changes could be required in as little as 6,000 miles depending on use.

What is the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor system in my Ford?

The Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor (IOLM) system in your Ford calculates when your engine oil needs changing based on how you drive, alerting you through your instrument cluster when a service is due.

The IOLM system in your Ford calculates when your engine oil needs changing based on your vehicle's usage, operating conditions, and the time since your last oil service. It constantly monitors your driving behaviour, factors like frequent short trips, heavy loads, or prolonged idling can shorten engine oil life, while steady motorway driving may extend it.

The IOLM system will alert you when to change your engine oil by displaying one of the following messages on your instrument cluster:

• Change Engine Oil Soon: This indicates your vehicle has approximately 5% engine oil life remaining, and the engine oil and filter should be replaced soon.
• Oil Change Required: Your vehicle has no engine oil life remaining, and the engine oil and filter should be replaced now.

To help optimise your engine oil life and overall engine health, please consider these recommendations:

• Avoid leaving your engine running unnecessarily when your vehicle is stationary, as this increases fuel consumption, pollution, and engine wear.
• If you do not use your vehicle regularly, please ensure you run it for at least 15 minutes each week, maintaining an engine speed above 1,700 rpm.
• If you see the Oil Change Required message on your instrument cluster, please contact your Ford Dealer to schedule an appointment. Your Ford Dealer will reset the IOLM once the engine oil has been changed.

For information specific to your vehicle and maintenance intervals, please refer to your Owner's Manual.