Understanding the Buick Park Avenue Oil Life and Service Indicators

The Buick Park Avenue is considered one of the most reliable models in its category. While buying a brand new Buick Park Avenue is no longer possible, you can always find damaged or salvaged Buick Park Avenue on Salvagebid.com. While buying a salvage model and restoring it is your best bet to owning this prized sedan; it is important to perform regular oil changes and maintenance to keep it running smooth and steer clear of expensive repairs. The good news is, Buick owners don’t need to worry about standardized maintenance schedules as the smart Oil Life System (OLS) in the Buick tells them when it’s time for an oil change. Continue reading to find out more about the oil life system and service indicator lights.

Oil Life System: How it Works

The Buick’s OLS system is an algorithm-based reporting system that covers several factors including the operating conditions of the engine to determine when the oil change is necessary. The life of the engine oil is determined by factors such as driving habits, terrain conditions and more. Here’s a handy list for understanding your oil life based on the driving conditions.

• If you drive in light conditions (freeway driving, moderate outside temperatures, city driving, no towing, no heavy loads and no extended engine idling), the oil may last for 7,500 to 10,000 miles.

• If you drive in moderate conditions (off-road driving, mountain driving, extended outside temperatures, heavy loads, frequent towing and extended engine idling), the oil may last for 5,000 to 7,499 miles.

• If you drive in extreme conditions (frequent off-roading or mountainous driving, maximum loads, frequent towing, frequent exposure to extreme temperatures and extended engine idling), the oil may last for 3,000 to 4,999 miles.

Apart from the above listed conditions, your engine oil life will also depend upon the model and year of the car as well the type of engine oil used. It is advisable to use the engine oils recommended in the user manual. If you’re buying a salvaged or a damaged vehicle that doesn’t come with a user manual, your local mechanic, service personnel or a simple Google search will give you the necessary information.

Understanding the Oil Meter and Changing the Oil

On the dashboard of your Buick, you can find an oil life meter that displays information in terms of percentages. As soon as the percentage of engine oil hits 15%, your Buick advises you to change the engine oil. This gives you ample of time to plan ahead and get the necessary servicing done soon. It is advisable to not wait too long and have your Buick overdue for servicing after the engine oil levels hit 0%. Doing so will put your vehicle under great risk. Here’s a handy list for understanding the oil life percentage and the necessary action required.

• If the oil life percentage is 15%, your vehicle recommends ‘Service Due Soon.’ You are advised to plan your vehicle servicing.
• If the oil life percentage is 5%, your vehicle recommends ‘Service Due Now.’ You are advised to get your vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
• If the oil life percentage stands at 0%, your vehicle recommends ‘Service Past Due.’ You are advised to get your vehicle serviced immediately as it is overdue.

Once the oil changing is complete, you may have to reset the OLS system in your Buick. If you fail to do so, your Buick may end up showing inaccurate and early service indications causing you unnecessary trouble. Again, if you’re unsure on how to do this, your local mechanic, service personnel or a simple Google search will give you the necessary information.

Wrap Up

Buick Park Avenue has always been a popular and a reliable sedan sporting strong design, high quality interior with a touch of traditional styling and a modern powertrain. Better traction and flatter room in this car give you a better ride quality as well. Many rankings and user polls say that the older models of the Buick Park Avenue are equally good as recent models rolled out before the production ended in 2012. Keeping all the positives of this car in mind, it is clear that finding a used Buick Park Avenue is nearly impossible. But you can always find a salvaged or a damaged Buick Park Avenue for sale on Salvagebid. If you have any questions or wish to learn more about the Buick Park Avenue vehicles listed with us, simply call +1 (503) 298-4300 or fill out our contact form. To get started, all you need to do is register with us.