[spiderlady]

Hello, I would like to ask a couple of questions. I have a 2012 KIA SOUL. I took my car to mechanic for my first oil change. The mechanic did not understand
difference between the trip and odometer reading. I told him that the Odometer reads 3000 miles. He said it read 10,000 miles. I told him to look at the control
panel, and look at the last bottom numbers. I told him that he would see the letters mi next to the numbers. He asked me if I had my owner's manual with me.
I told him no. He said he could not understand the different numbers. The mechanic insisted that I was reading the wrong numbers and my Odometer was reading close to 10,000 miles. The mechanic said that the oil was to black for a new car that only had 3000 miles. He told me that I should have had the oil changed after buying my new car because I do not know what kind of oil the factory put into the car, and then have oil changed again after driving another 1000 miles. When mechanic was done changing the oil he told me to get my oil changed again after driving 1000 miles. My questions. How often should I change the oil? I thought I was supposed to change the oil every 3000 miles. My other question. The Odometer is the last bottom number on panel that has mi next to the number? I think ODO appears before the mileage reading. Do you think I am reading the correct mileage numbers?

 

[conwelpic]

welcome to the forum with your first posting.

A picture would help, go off the recommended service in the back of the owners manual, its shouldn't be difficult to tell the difference from a trip meter vs the odometer, a trip meter doesn't register more than 999.9 whether its A or B. Is this a mechanic at a dealership - doesn't sound like it? Did you buy the vehicle new?

I have 2012 model and here is the picture of all the various views on the trip computer window, in your case just substitute km for mi. I don't see how you can mistaken the difference and if that mechanic can, then I'm not sure I would be going to him again.

 

[The Old Grouch]

Sounds to me like that mechanic is either 1. stupid, or 2. thinks that you're stupid. More likely it's a combination of both, and he's trying to soak you for everything he can because you're a woman and he thinks he can b.s. you into believing whatever he says. If that "mechanic" (re; scam artist) is working at a Kia dealer, I'd be having a serious talk with the service manager. If it's an independent shop, I'd be making sure that I never went back there ever again.

 

[spiderlady]

Hello, I would like to ask a couple of questions. I have a 2012 KIA SOUL. I took my car to mechanic for my first oil change. The mechanic did not understand
difference between the trip and odometer reading. I told him that the Odometer reads 3000 miles. He said it read 10,000 miles. I told him to look at the control
panel, and look at the last bottom numbers. I told him that he would see the letters mi next to the numbers. He asked me if I had my owner's manual with me.
I told him no. He said he could not understand the different numbers. The mechanic insisted that I was reading the wrong numbers and my Odometer was reading close to 10,000 miles. The mechanic said that the oil was to black for a new car that only had 3000 miles. He told me that I should have had the oil changed after buying my new car because I do not know what kind of oil the factory put into the car, and then have oil changed again after driving another 1000 miles. When mechanic was done changing the oil he told me to get my oil changed again after driving 1000 miles. My questions. How often should I change the oil? I thought I was supposed to change the oil every 3000 miles. My other question. The Odometer is the last bottom number on panel that has mi next to the number? I think ODO appears before the mileage reading. Do you think I am reading the correct mileage numbers?

 

[SoulTraveller]

Get a new mechanic right away! Get an owner's manual .. it will tell you how many miles between oil changes. The oil filler cap has the type of oil imprinted on it. Your warranty will amost certainly call for oil changes at specific mileage/time intervals.

I found this for you: Originally Posted by NCkiatech
Hi all I am new to this fourm! I am a Kia tech in North Carolina. I have been with Kia about 2 years now. (I have been working on cars for over 4). Our dealership reccomends oil changes every 5,000 miles. It does say in the owners manual that you can change it at 7,500. However if you read close it will say under a normal maintenance table, the only way you are going to fall under a normal maintenance table is if you drive on an almost flat surface almost everywhere you go at highway speeds with little stop and go. So for just about eveyone in the US with the stop and go and hills that we encounter we are going to all fall under a sever maintenance table. I would reccomend to go 5,000 and like midiout2 said please use a kia filter. The check valve in the filter makes a huge difference. Thanks!

Thanks for the info, but please clear something up for me: you've only mentioned mileage intervals, what about time intervals? The manual in Canada says 6000km OR 3 months, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. Yet it seems that everyone here completely ignores the time increment, it has't even been mentioned here!

If I were to follow this, I'd be changing the oil at 2000 km because that's all I drive in a typical 3 month period in my life - what do you say?

 

[Buzz]

I've merged the two threads conwelpic...........

 

[The Old Grouch]

If I remember correctly, I believe that there was a t.s.b. sent out by Kia stating that almost everyone here in the U.S. falls into the normal service category, not the severe. That means oil changes every 7500 miles.

 

[SoulCollector]

Hold the TRIP button down with it on the trip menu. It will reset the trip readings to ZERO. Now show him, can you reset an odometer? I THINK NOT! Your mechanic is dumb as a box of rocks or hes ripping you off.

 

[thewerzinator]

Your mechanic is dumb as a box of rocks or hes ripping you off.

Why not both?

Back to the original poster, yes, absolutely seek a new mechanic!

 

[conwelpic]

time to resurrect this again: - you can follow what the experts say or ignore it, it's your choice



and check out this video on automotive myths:

Videos - Autos - MSN CA

 

[Lakeman]

Is everyone missing that this is the FIRST oil change? Nothing should read 10,000 miles! Sounds to me like the car has been driven 10,000 miles on first oil change and I bet it was never checked. The reason the mechanic told her to change it after 1,000 miles next time is because the oil he drained out was so dirty that he wanted her to run it for about 1,000 and change it out to help clean everything up. Poor car

 

[Zippydog]

or first oil change of a used car? I don't know that the OP said it was brand new... could be wrong..... just sayin

 

[Lakeman]

That's true

 

[TechnoMage]

Is everyone missing that this is the FIRST oil change? Nothing should read 10,000 miles! Sounds to me like the car has been driven 10,000 miles on first oil change and I bet it was never checked. The reason the mechanic told her to change it after 1,000 miles next time is because the oil he drained out was so dirty that he wanted her to run it for about 1,000 and change it out to help clean everything up. Poor car

Poor Car is right! On the first oil change the oil should be almost clean and clear.
I've bought used cars before, that had been so neglected that it took engine cleaner and several oil changes to get all the gunk and goo out of the engine. Having been there myself, I can somewhat sympathize with the mechanic in the previous story.

It seems like the argument about Normal vs Severe just goes on and on, usually without anyone ever reading just what constitutes "Severe". Yes, oil will break down with TIME as well as miles, so people who don't drive a lot of miles are doing their car a great disservice by only changing their oil once or twice a year.

As a driver with over 50 years and a million miles + under my belt, I can assure anyone who will listen, that "there is no way in Heck that you can OVER maintain your engine, but you sure as heck can UNDER maintain it." If I'm going to error, I'll choose to error on the side of caution every time.

I've had my last FREE oil change from my dealer and I already have my Kia Filter and jug of 5W20 oil and a magnetic oil drain plug all ready to do my first oil change in my own back yard.
I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[Lakeman]

Techno are you saying that the oil drain plug is not magnetic? I just ordered 3 magnetic plugs for my Harley Davidson (oil, trans, primary) that are more than 1,000 times stronger than the stock Harley ones. If the Kia plug isn't magnetic where did you get one?

 

[TechnoMage]

Dang, I posted all that info somewhere, on this very forum, I think.
Just a sec....lemme see if I can find it.

Pause:


Got it!


I got this little bad boy at my local neighborhood "Advance Auto Parts" store.
It was pretty cheap too. Less than $4 if I remember correctly. I've bought them for my last three cars. They do come with a plastic washer....toss it and use the crush washer that comes with each Kia Oil filter. I've seen those plastic washers split and leak.

A Magnetic drain plug is just a very small indicator of what might be going on inside the engine. But then if you don't check it but once a year (like some) the engine could be coming apart and you'd never know it.

I'll be changing my oil again (myself) by mid summer (three months) and I'll install the new magnetic drain plug then.
I'm actually looking forward to it! I do love doing my own maintenance.
At least once a week, I'm under my hood, checking fluid levels, looking for leaks, etc. For as long as I've been in the workforce, 40+ years, I've been involved in "Preventive Maintenance", to one type of mechanism or another.

So it's just "Same old stuff, , Different Day".

I hope you find what you want.

TM

 

[Lakeman]

So you are saying that the stock plug isn't magnetic? Thanks for the info on Advance Auto Parts. Does the owners manual say to change the oil at XXX or 3 months? If so I think 3 months is ridiculous and I will not be doing that.

 

[conwelpic]

would be nice to hear back from spiderlady to find out what happened :think