Oil Life Monitoring System Description

The oil life monitoring system informs the driver that the engine oil must be replaced by lighting up of oil change request light. This system is only software programmed in ECM and it is not necessary to use exclusively for oil life monitoring system.

ECM has degradation (%) index and a non-degraded oil is indicated as 100%. The system reduces the degradation index according to the driving conditions and especially according to the regeneration. When the degradation reaches 0%, the oil change request light blinks.

In the process of forced DPF^® regeneration, post-injection occurs during the power stroke of each piston. For details of the forced regeneration of DPF^®, refer to DPF® Description:D16AA.

The fuel injected at this time reaches and washes engine cylinder walls; this degrades the engine oil. The oil loses lubricating efficiency as the number of times of forced DPF^® regeneration increases. If the vehicle is driven at extremely slow speeds over very short distances repeatedly, the chance of diluting the engine oil with unburned fuel may increase and eventually raise the engine oil level quickly. In such a situation, there may be instances where the engine oil level exceeds the permissible level earlier than the reach of the oil degradation index to 0%. For the methods of engine oil level inspection and adjustment, refer to Engine Oil Level Check:D16AA.