So, according to the sticker that is on my window i should have changed my oil about 2000 miles ago. I noticed my check engine light came on this morning on my way to school. I mostly drive on the interstate and have been convinced that the sticker on my windshield lies about when i need to next change my oil. My question is, Could me not changing my oil make my check engine light come on? I drive an '03 cavalier and since I've had it (over a year now) I've had no problems.
Generally you want to change your oil every 3,000 miles or 3 months, which ever comes first. I'm not 100% sure of the dash lights on a cavalier but, I drive a chevy too, and I don't have an oil light so this could be your sign that its time to change the oil.
Every 2000 miles! Only if your money grows on trees! Oil change every 3000 to 5000 miles is the norm. All hwy driving tends to make the miles run by fast so trust your sticker! If your referring to the yellow/orange check engine light then that means the onboard computer has found a fault in the engine electronics/emissions. It is not related to the oil in any way. Any competent shop can check it at your convenience. Now if your referring to the red engine oil light then we are probably chatting after your car is in the shop for another engine! The red engine lights means critical engine damaging problem is happening.
That Check Engine light is totally unrelated to when you last changed the oil in your Cavalier. Take the car to Autozone/Advance Auto Parts/Napa or another parts store and have them read your Check Engine Light codes for free to tell you what's really wrong. Your particular car doesn't have an oil-life monitoring system, so there's no way the Check Engine Light would ever know to illuminate either after the oil has degraded or after a set number of miles after the oil was changed.
