[Giovanni Dicesare]

Message came up a bit over 5k miles to have the oil changed..
my question and asssumption is there some sensor for oil degradation?
In the manual it states this message will come up if you do multiple short drives.
Just an FYI: I drive the car Hard!!

 

[ibehardnock2001]

Strange. The Giulia just has a dumb oil mileage counter. It does not have a sensor to "sense" the oil like Mercedes. Nor does it have an oil life meter as GM does. It should only give you a message once it reaches the predetermined mile counter.

The only time that you should change your oil below the 10k mark (per the manual) is if your car is categorized as a "Heavy Usage Vehicle" and to be considered, it must meet certain parameters. It so, then the oil should be changed at the 4,000 miles.

 

[MacGeek]

The 2.0L doesn't have fixed oil change intervals, it does calculate (not directly sense) oil degradation.

 

[ibehardnock2001]

Like GM's oil life meter? That's great! Why is this feature is not mentioned in the manual? That is a great feature!

 

[MacGeek]

Sure it is mentioned, right in the Maintenance Plan table.

 

[AlfaAndy]

The 2.0L doesn't have fixed oil change intervals, it does calculate (not directly sense) oil degradation.

My understanding of the (modern) algorithms used by automobile manufacturers to determine when to change the engine oil, are based primarily on actual fuel consumption compared to what is considered normal consumption.
Under "normal" driving conditions, Alfa believes that 10k is a proper oil change interval. It determines normal by monitoring the fuel consumption. If you are using the vehicle as a taxi with long periods of idling, many short trips, start and stop driving, OR, you are pulling a heavy trailer and using large throttle openings and higher coolant temeratures, OR, you are playing Rickey Racer all of the time on the street or track, you are using more fuel. The ECU "knows" this and may shorten the interval for the oil service. Perhaps it keeps track of other data as well. Number of trips to the red line, amount of time at WIDE OPEN THROTTLE, etc. To my knowledge, no engines actually check or test the oil for degradation, viscosity, or debris, internally.

 

[JuliaQ4-Nut]

Sure it is mentioned, right in the Maintenance Plan table.

You also posted above:
The 2.0L doesn't have fixed oil change intervals, it does calculate (not directly sense) oil degradation.

Sorry, I'm a little confused by your posts.
My Giulia 2L owner's manual shows designated oil change intervals every 10k miles (16k kilometers) or every year.
Also I don't understand what you mean by oil degradation? How does it calculate that?
I now know the Giulia Q4 has no dip stick and we have to rely on the oil bar gauge (about 8.8oz per bar usage). My previous cars almost never used any oil
but I understand the Giulia does. I already have bought a quart of Pennzoil Euro LX 0W-30/Fiat/Alfa spec to top off as needed between oil changes. My driving habits
are generally very moderate.

Thanks for any further explanation.

 

[ibehardnock2001]

I just find it strange that there is no setting in the infotainment were you can access the Oil Life percentage (as you can with GM vehicles). I only see the mile counter for changing the oil at 10k/1 year intervals and the oil level amount.

So the car is actually performing algorithmic analysis based on driving data and will notify you to change your oil accordingly? As Giovannis post?

 

[AlfaR568]

According to the owners manual:

"The actual interval for changing engine oil and replacing the engine oil filter depends on the vehicle usage conditions and is signaled by the warning light or message in the instrument panel. In all cases, never exceed 1 year/10000 miles"

I am wondering if Alfa Romeo oil changes work in a similar way my Abarth does, based on engine temperature, short or long distance, high rpm, long engine idling periods, stop and go traffic, etc...

 

[AlfaAndy]

Message came up a bit over 5k miles to have the oil changed..
my question and asssumption is there some sensor for oil degradation?
In the manual it states this message will come up if you do multiple short drives.
Just an FYI: I drive the car Hard!!

GD,
Have you asked your Dealership about this (perhaps) premature notification for oil service? Reply?
As I stated in an earlier post on this thread, the algorithm may be seeing your "hard driving" and is calculating correctly.

 

[MrMegadeth]

I just find it strange that there is no setting in the infotainment were you can access the Oil Life percentage (as you can with GM vehicles). I only see the mile counter for changing the oil at 10k/1 year intervals and the oil level amount.

I can see mine adjusting the time to change the oil. When I bought the car it said 10k miles and 365 days. It now says 6400 miles and 320 days. I do not have 3600 miles on the car. It is de-rating the oil life faster than the simple mileage would dictate.

 

[Dr. Klopek]

I can see mine adjusting the time to change the oil. When I bought the car it said 10k miles and 365 days. It now says 6400 miles and 320 days. I do not have 3600 miles on the car. It is de-rating the oil life faster than the simple mileage would dictate.

I have noticed the same. I thought maybe it was accidentally reset.

 

[MrMegadeth]

I only have 2800 miles on the car though but the car has 3600 miles of oil wear. I'd think resetting would cause the opposite, less oil wear - yours is saying you have more life on the oil than 10k miles?

 

[Macca]

I have noticed the same. I thought maybe it was accidentally reset.

Bingo. I thought the same. I've done only 3200km in mine but they have all been fast back road pleasure runs. The system is dropping almost 2km for every 1km I travel when I'm driving hard in Race in manual shifting at the limiter for extended periods of time...

 

[Dr. Klopek]

I only have 2800 miles on the car though but the car has 3600 miles of oil wear. I'd think resetting would cause the opposite, less oil wear - yours is saying you have more life on the oil than 10k miles?

I don't drive very much. 490 miles in 6 weeks. What I have noticed is that the oil mile counter is counting down from 10,000, but the oil date counter started at 365 but seems to be counting down slower than the actual number of days, and I don't know why.

 

[Giovanni Dicesare]

My oil counter says i have over 3k miles to go before an oil change.. i will be calling dealership tomorrow

 

[AlfaJohn]

Is the first service - the 10K/1year covered by Alfa Romero?
Thanks, John

 

[Alfaholico]

Is the first service - the 10K/1year covered by Alfa Romero?
Thanks, John

I think his big brother Cesar Romero covers the first one ....!!! :x

 

[AlfaJohn]

I think his big brother Cesar Romero covers the first one ....!!! :x

Found this on the Alfa website:
1yr
10,000mi
Complimentary First Service

Coverage only applies to 17MY and newer Alfa Romeo vehicles excluding all 4C Coupe and Spider

 

[AlfaJohn]

I think his big brother Cesar Romero covers the first one ....!!! :x

OOHH... I see what I did there. Good grief..my apologies..I better get this right after taking delivery today!! Romeo!!