Maintenance Schedule

[aft981]

Maybe Steve can answer this one....why is the oil change/service interval so low on the EX? Every 3,750 miles/3 months really seems excessive to me. I drive an average 30-35,000 miles a year, if I stuck to the recommended oil change plan I'd be at the dealer every 5 weeks, which is ridiculous. My Murano that I had before this was, I think, every 7,500 miles, which was more manageable.

Plus, I was just perusing the European Infiniti site, and it states:

"We want to ensure you experience superlative performance, reliability and safety behind the wheel of your Infiniti. Our vehicles require maintenance every 15,000km or 12 months (whichever comes first). Carried out by your Infiniti Centre, you can enjoy the peace of mind that your Infiniti vehicle is in the best hands – experts who care and will return your Infiniti to you in optimum condition."

So why are we told in the US that we need to change the oil more than twice as frequently as they do in Europe?

Forgive me for being cynical, but aren't we just being conned here? Aside from the cost, which I know isn't that huge, but is still something to take into account, I dislike the idea of needlessly wasting oil - there are enough environmental issues we need to be taking care of, without unnecessarily doubling the amount of waste engine oil from all the Infiniti's in North America.

[ayap888]

I just got mine too and was wondering about that. However, there have been discussions about using standard or synthetic oil.

I suppose the 3,750 is for standard oil ... and 7,500 intervals are OK if you use synthetic oil.

I do 5,000 miles on my 2006 Audi A6 using synthetic oil.

[302@12psi]

I believe Infiniti uses a "teir" based system like just about every company. Where they say in idea perfect conditions (temp, no sand/dirt driving, no towing, no excessive short trips, no excessive idling, etc) that you can go around 7k.

Of course the average person deals with this so they drop it down to the 3,xxx interval.

Personally inside warranty I'll suck it up and do what they say. If the thing blows they are going to want receipts documenting oil changes and other basic maintance.

Outside of warranty if you really want to play it safe have someone like Blackstone lab conduct an oil anaylsis on your oil. They will read it for certain things and can give you a pretty accurate guess as to rather you are changing to early or can go long. The lab fee is about 50 bucks last time I checked.

[stickface]

The Service Manual has 3 different service plans. The Premium and Schedule 1 recommend a 3750 mile oil change interval. The Schedule 2 is 7,500.

So Premium and Schedule 1 is a really good way for the dealer to make some extra cash on the paranoid (unless, of course you do drive it really hard).

[jmess]

Schedule 2 at 7500 is your friend and the friend of the environment. I would only invest in better oil (synthetic) or shorter intervals if you plan on keeping the car until the wheels fall off. The dealers could care less what schedule you use when you trade it in as long as the oil gets changed.

[302@12psi]

I'll concur no one cares on trade in.

Warranty work might be a bit different.

[cjre1]

Question:

What if you drive 2,500 miles a year on this car? Can I get an oil change once a year? Will this void the warranty? I heard that oil can last a long now sitting in the car, since it has better properties made for oil.

Can anyone tell me? Thanks.

[jmess]

Check the manual for the 7500 mile oil change interval. I think it lists the months also. My wife drives about as much as you appear to do. Honda recommends once a year.

[cjre1]

Thanks,With the new cars and engines, at least once a year is standard, however, some cars are 6 months no matter how many miles you drive.I will read upon this. Hell, I dont want anything to void my warranty. Most dealers use that as a bible.

[jmess]

Thanks,With the new cars and engines, at least once a year is standard, however, some cars are 6 months no matter how many miles you drive.I will read upon this. Hell, I dont want anything to void my warranty. Most dealers use that as a bible.

If you don't change the oil according to the schedule II miles or time period they (Nissan) can deny a warranty claim related to something lubricated by engine oil. They can't deny a warranty claim for other parts of the car.

[cjre1]

+1.I agree. Thanks.

[lybrian1]

Infiniti should have free maintenances and oil changes like volkswagon

[cjre1]

Yeah right, you are dreaming maybe in 2015.

[gofast24]

Free? Is anything really free? VW caculates their cost to do this and burries it in the price of the car, na? (I worked 27 years for a German engine company). Plus, they get you back into the dealership for who knows whatever other stuff you really dont need or want and they can check the overall condition of the mechanicals at the same time.My dealer in GA not only changed the oil on a new vehicle (because its build date was already one year prior to my purchase date and therefore it was due for a oil change) plus a full tank of gas and a cupon for the next oil change free when I need it.

It also doesnt make any sence to pay $50 for an oil analysis just to find out that you do need to change oil and then go spend $50 for the oil change. We had engines that did not have any oil change intervals listed but went strictly by oil analysis. But these were engines that held over 50 gallons of oil so you can imagine the cost of a oil change when you didnt need one (LOL).

My sons 330i oil change interval is controled by the engines ECU. No mileage is listed and it can go up to 15,000 miles on a change interval. Those Germans are thinking again?

[cjre1]

Most service dealers go with the mileage versus the time and the color of the oil. I say this because a dealer does not know if in fact you changed the oil yourself or some where else, besides the dealer. The dealer looks at the color of the oil to determine if they will void the warranty if something broke caused by how old the oil is.

No matter what, I would keep a log and you will be set. They will have to prove that by you not changing the oil on the time schedule will void the warranty. I think not.

[louis1800]

Hello All, we have ours EX back in 1/1/09 and this is the 2nd oil changes we have on this car. Well, this is my wife vehicle so she’s the one that bring the car to the dealer. The 1st service is a normal oil change and this time they charge more because they are doing more to it? The dealer claimed that the service recommends first 3750 miles you do oil and 2nd 3570 mi (7000mi) you do the oil plus. If this goes on as a normal route maintenance this is going to be a very expensive car to own. We live in the Midwest and our climates are more harsh then other area but I never heard of anything like this before. We own Volvo/Honda/Acura and now Infiniti; if I know about this service requirement with Infiniti I will not sell it so much to my wife! Anyone of you is experiencing the same like me? Or I am speaking out of line! Thanks for any comments or feed back.

[squiggyacfd]

My prior vehicle (Chevy Trailblazer SS) told me how much "oil life" my vehicle had. Specifically, it stated to change the oil when the engine oil life had less than 20% or every year . Granted, the Chevy did take Synthetic oil, however, my dealership gave me free oil changes. I had my SS for 3 years and changed the oil 3 times. When I leased the EX, I figured I would receive free maintenance for the term of the lease just like all other so called "luxury" brands. I will gaurantee you that I will NOT be changing my oil every 3750 miles. I will use the 7500 mile schedule so I can at least trade this vehicle in without them saying I didn't follow the maintenance schedule. Since I drive 10000 miles or less a year and I get the first oil change for free, I am only planning on paying for 3 oil changes in 3 years. Honestly, if Chevy was still leasing, I would be logged onto a Trailblazer SS forum. I am not that impressed with Infiniti at this point.

[cjre1]

+1, Since I drive less than 2,500 miles a year, I will use the 7500 mile service interval.

[giguy]

I purchased new EX35 2011 a 4 months ago. I have about 3800 miles already. I purchased a schedule 2 maintenance plan which covers oil changes/maintenanace every 6 months/7500 miles. Schedule 2 was suggested for less harsh conditions/highway driving etc. Dealer and infinitiusa.com recommends what's listed below.
SCHEDULE 1 (more severe operating conditions),
every 3,750 miles or 3 months,
whichever comes first
Use Schedule 1 if you primarily operate
your vehicle under any of these conditions:
• Repeated short trips of less than 5 miles
in normal temperatures or less than 10
miles in freezing temperatures
• Stop-and-go traffic in hot weather or lowspeed
driving for long distances
• Driving in dusty conditions or on rough,
muddy, or salt-spread roads
• Towing a trailer, or using a camper
or car-top carrier

SCHEDULE 2 (less severe operating conditions),
every 7,500 miles or 6 months,
whichever comes first
Schedule 2 features 7,500-mile service
intervals; with Schedule 2 fewer maintenance
items are regularly checked or
replaced than with Schedule 1.
Generally, Schedule 2 applies only to
highway driving in temperate conditions.
Use Schedule 2 only if you primarily
operate your vehicle under conditions
other than those listed in Schedule 1.

This is also in the maintenance manaul.

The question I have is that under schedule 2, I am not due for a maintenace/oil change for 2 more months or 7500 miles, whichever comese first.
Then why is the dealer sending me reminder calls and flyers in the mail that I am overdue for an oil change and the warning indicator light is going off for the maintenance?
How do you reset the maintenance indicator for every 6 months/7500?

[jmess]

The owner's manual has instructions on how to set the warning intervals.

[Tasman]

It sounds like your dealer has a pretty aggressive robo-reminder system. Phone calls and mail reminders? Surprised they are not sending emails too. Actually, I doubt that the system they are using to "remind" owners is at all correlated to the service pack you bought. Ignore their notification system or better yet, have the dealer take you off of that. I bought my 2011 10 months ago and decided to go to the dealer to have an oil change (sent me a coupon) at only 3,200 miles. Glad I never got a nagging dealer reminder so it must be dealer specific.

And as posted, the maintenance reminders are owner set so read the manual on that.

[EXceptional]

Ours gets done by the Dealer once a year, since we never put on the Mileage/Month intervals in the Booklet.

As a result, our Change intervals are all out of whack.

Our Warranty is close to expiring, so I'll be doing them myself, soon.

This is a good Thread! Thanks for everyones input.

[giguy]

Thanks for the feedback.
It looks like the reminder has to be changed separately on both display panels.

[box_of_lego]

On my previous vehicle (Benz) I changed oil when the Computer told me to (I will obey ) Generally it went well past a year , and the stealership used only Quacker state synthetic ..... that car had 350K on trade in .

Currently , the infiniti dealer I bought my EX from offers unlimited oil changes for 10 bucks for as long as I own it .

So first oil change was at 4000km i figure when I take the car in for ANYTHING I will get an oil change .

I guess I should think environmentally tho ....

[EX-KAT-35]

I guess I should think environmentally tho ....

Why is that?
You got a good deal going on there.
Oil is already recycled at ALL dealerships.
Cars run less efficiently with dirty oil.
...
...
and so on...

[box_of_lego]

Ya! Like Kat sez !!