Have 2005 Roadster. Only put 2,000 miles in last 12 months. Getting ready to take for PA inspections. Do I need to change the synthetic oil even though I only put 2000 miles on the car in the last 12 months? It runs great?

 

Yes. 12 months maximum.

 

Why would my car say 730 days to next service?

 

Hmmm.

One: my car doesn't talk.

Two: I thought the FSS displayed in "Miles" or Kilometers" to next service.

Three: How long has your car been telling you things?

 

Years ago I worked with a guy that had a 280Z with the voice technology.
That thing bugged him to death, he finally found the speaker and cut the wires.
"Your door is not closed"
"Your seat belt is not fastened" etc ....

 

Buddy, there are SO many things I could say.

But someone is bound to tell Tina I said them....

 

Section 4 Pages 106 and 107...
According to the owner's manual the FSS will display either as days to next service or miles.
Mine has the clock symbol so it is "saying" days. What, you guys don't listen when your car talks to you?
My wife accuses me of that all the time.

Section 7 page 202..."The oil change interval for your crossfire is initially set at 7,000 miles (Canada: 11,000 KM)."
Section 7 page 203..."The Flexible Service System (FSS) in your vehicle evaluates engine temperature, oil level, vehicle speed, engine speed, distance driven, and the time elapsed since your last service. It determines when your vehicle needs maintenance service and alerts you in advance. The next necessary service is indicated by the FSS in your instrument cluster. Observe the oil change interval indicated by your FSS system. The system will monitor the driving conditions seen by your vehicle, and will recommend the best interval for servicing your vehicle to maintain it in top condition."

 

and: how does one change it? Hmmmmm?

I LEARNED SOMETHING TODAY!!!

I was also thinking this could be "instant Alzheimer's". "I went to the store fora carton of milk, and it took me 23 days!!!!"

 

I change the oil in my 2007 NA whenever the FSS tells me to. As stated by others, the FSS is monitoring several parameters to determine optimum oil change interval. I'm not putting 7000 miles on the car between oil changes, but the FSS tells me it's time for an oil change. Thus far, I've done 4 oil/filter changes. That's averaging about every 2 years so far. No issues to-date.

Now if I owned an SRT-6, probably every year.

 

If I owned an SRT-6, I think I would be changing oil a lot more than yearly. When I drive I leadfoot. I would also be replacing tires, and other wear parts as necessary. LMAO!

 

Back to the owner's manual. I haven't had the need to try this and from what I read on this forum,
the FSS reset may not be as simple as this appears.
Section 4 page 107...

The counter can also be reset by any individual after the
indicated service has been performed. To do so:

1. Turn key to the ON/RUN position.
2. Within one second press the ****/button twice.
3. The present status for days or distance is displayed.
Within 10 seconds turn the key to OFF/LOCK.
4. Press and hold the ****/button, while turning
the key to ON/RUN again. The present status for
days or distance is displayed once more. Continue
to hold the ****/button.
After approximately 10 seconds, a signal sounds and
the display shows 7,000 miles (Canada: 11,000 km) for
approximately 10 seconds.
5. Release the ****/button.
If the FSS counter was inadvertently reset, have an
authorized dealer correct it.

The message is displayed for approximately 10 seconds
when turning the key to the ON/RUN position,
or while driving when reaching the service warning
threshold. It can be canceled manually by pressing the
****/button.

Once the suggested term has passed, the message plus
either the symbol for Service A or the symbol for
Service B preceded by a – (minus symbol) blinks for
approximately 30 seconds and a signal sounds every
time when turning the key to the ON/RUN position.

The FSS display can also be called up for approximately
10 seconds with the display illuminated by
pressing the ****/button twice within one second.

 

Here's a PDF of the FSS description from the service manual.

Attached is a PDF of the reset procedure. Helps to have it close-at-hand when performing this reset. And I hardly ever get it to work the 1st attempt!

Later,

 

I know how to reset the FSS.

My question was: how does one change the display from MILES to DAYS?

 

I don't think one can change the units from MILES to DAYS. But according to the description of the FSS I attached earlier, there is a symbol with the small wrench & a clock that appears where the time left is in DAYS.

 

You would think that he would have fastened his seat belt and closed his door.

 

Question #2 regarding oil changes (on Crossfire's, or any other vehicle for that matter):

Something I've always wondered, and Im hoping someone has an answer to... I've always read that prior to changing a vehicles oil, a car, bike, etc should be started and run for a period of time to warm the oil, and then drained and changed.

So here is the question: assuming the vehicle was run and turned off after the last time it was driven prior to an oil change, and the hot oil drained down into the pan at that time (along with whatever crud drained down with it), why should the engine be started AGAIN, recirculating all that old oil and crud back up into the engine again, when all that old oil and crud was ALREADY down in the pan in the first place?

I would think that since the oil was hot when the vehicle was turned off from its last drive, it already drained down as much old oil and crud as it was gonna do in the first place (and has had significant time to do so), so why recirculate all that old oil and gunk again just to warm it for an oil change, and potentially not get all the crud down to the pan which was probably already IN the pan from the last time it was driven??

 

Hehehehehehheheeee seems so huh?

 

OK, this one is going to make about three details/assumptions (akin to yours). The oil being heated flows more quickly when warmed to operating temperature (draining contaminants more quickly, not settled on oil pan). Also, any moisture in the lower end (all oil paths) inherent to an engine, will be evaporated, with less contamination to the new oil. Finally, many use a 'topsider' type oil changer (draw oil out of pan through the dipstick tube) and if it is 'cold' it makes it harder to get it out due to a higher viscosity when cold. The instructions for the 'topsider' type devices instruct to run to operating temperature, solving all three points above (except obviousely the people who drain through pan drain BUT the oil will still have the contaminants better suspended IN the oil not 'on the pan').

 

I have always changed oil when at full operating temperature and sometimes I will drive home and pull the car onto my car ramps.
I then crawl under and remove the belly pan and pull the drain plug and allow it to drain overnight and simply finish the oil change the next morning.
I always do my oil changes from under the car and have never used the topsider method.

I prefer to be under the car to inspect and look for anything that might be leaking slowly.
With our belly pans on these cars ya might not see a drip where ya park but you will likely
know you have a leak when removing the belly pan

If it is dry then I'm happy and mine always has been over the 9 years and 84000 miles I have owned it

 

The FSS clock (days) + wrench service indicator should only come on if it has been at least a year since the last time the FSS was reset. If you're driving only a couple thousand miles a year there is no issue with going a bit longer than a year. IMO, even stretching the interval out to two years in otherwise pampered low mileage vehicles isn't going to hurt anything, especially since there are 8 quarts of oil to absorb contaminants and preferably a fleece filter in use.


I change oil no more than once a year, and have stretched it out closer to two years on one occasion. At some point (approaching 2 years after prior reset) the FSS clock appeared with a countdown and something like 40 some days (I can't recall exactly where the countdown started). But it will count down from that point in days (though I've read others report it may skip around, up or down, a bit as it counts down). When the clock gets to 0 days it will then be preceded by a minus sign as it counts up (as in you are this many days late on your service).


At -365 days, the PCM will send a signal to the SKREEM module to disable the starter to avoid damaging the engine until the FSS is reset (just kidding, I made that last sentence up).


Back when Crossfires were stacked up on dealer lots and selling slowly some new Crossfire owners were surprised to learn their Crossfires needed service right away as indicated by the wrench and clock.