# How to confirm if the engine oil is successfull or not for 2012 Chevy Malibu? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chevrolet, malibu\ **Created:** [October 9, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025 "2016-10-09T02:42:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Veren](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/veren/32/3219_2.png) [@Veren](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Veren)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/1 "2016-10-09T02:42:44Z")
I have 2012 Chevy Mailbu and today at 82000 miles I have drained the oil, changed the oil filter and bill with new synthetic oil. reset the oil life on the meter. But how to confirm if the oil has changed properly? any indication on the screen? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/2 "2016-10-09T02:47:30Z")
Not sure what you are asking. The oil monitor will do it’s job now if that is what you mean. I assume you change according to your manual. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/3 "2016-10-09T02:47:35Z")
The screen isn’t going tell that the oil change was a success or not. Just check the oil level on the dipstick, if it’s not low and not overfilled, and if there’s no sign of a leak under the car, then you’'ve changed the oil. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/4 "2016-10-09T02:49:19Z")
You check underneath for leaks on the ground and check the dipstick. What screen ? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 2:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/5 "2016-10-09T02:51:32Z")
What is your exact question . . . ? Do you want to know if you’ve successfully reset the oil life monitor? Do you want to know if you’ve successfully added oil, filter, tightened the drain plug bolt, etc. . . . ? If your car has a multifunction display, it will usually indicate that the oil life monitor has been successfully reset? And if it doesn’t, the absence of the oil change symbol usually means you were successful ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/6 "2016-10-09T02:52:55Z")
The oil is changed properly when it’s drained from the engine, the oil filter is replaced, and the engine is refilled with the proper amount/weight of oil. This is not rocket science. And nothing on the screen will indicate such. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Veren](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/veren/32/3219_2.png) [@Veren](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Veren)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/7 "2016-10-09T04:45:56Z")
yes I did according to the owners manual ---
**Author:** ![Veren](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/veren/32/3219_2.png) [@Veren](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Veren)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/8 "2016-10-09T04:47:02Z")
yes oil life shows properly, just thinking if anything else needs to be done or not ---
**Author:** ![Veren](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/veren/32/3219_2.png) [@Veren](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Veren)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/9 "2016-10-09T04:47:38Z")
I did exactly same. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Veren](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/veren/32/3219_2.png) [@Veren](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Veren)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/10 "2016-10-09T04:49:59Z")
there is no leaks beneath… on screen we have to manually reset it and there is no unusual light-on the display. seems like everything is good. I just started this thread to make sure about what I did is right and I am not missing anything. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/11 "2016-10-09T04:50:32Z")
look in your owners manual. Tells you what all you need and at what mileage. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 4:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/12 "2016-10-09T04:57:54Z")
Does oil life now show 100% . . . ? ---
**Author:** ![Veren](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/veren/32/3219_2.png) [@Veren](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Veren)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 4:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/13 "2016-10-09T04:58:33Z")
yes, but I did that manually from the console. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/14 "2016-10-09T13:19:09Z")
You’re good to go! This must be your first time changing oil. If you didn’t do these things the first time, add them the next time: 1. Warm up the engine first. This will thin the oil and it will drain faster and more completely. 2. Lube the filter threads and gasket with oil before you screw it on. Have a good day. ---
**Author:** ![Veren](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/veren/32/3219_2.png) [@Veren](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Veren)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/15 "2016-10-09T17:32:32Z")
I did lube the gasket but not the filter thread. I will do it next time. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/16 "2016-10-09T19:49:57Z")
As mentioned previously check the oil level ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/17 "2016-10-09T20:07:19Z")
IMO the OP was mainly interested if he successfully reset the oil life monitor ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/18 "2016-10-09T22:40:57Z")
I think he wants reassurance that he did what needs to be done when you change the oil. Sounds to me like he did that OK, but he should check the levels of the radiator coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, wipe down the battery top, look at the fan belts for cracks or nicks, check the air pressure in the tires and the spare, top up the windshield washer fluid, wipe down the inside of the windows with crumpled dry newspaper, wipe off the headlight covers, and if he’s feeling industrious oil the hood, door and trunk hinges with oil, not WD-40. ---
**Author:** ![auto-owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@auto-owner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/auto-owner)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-confirm-if-the-engine-oil-is-successfull-or-not-for-2012-chevy-malibu/96025/19 "2016-10-10T00:15:21Z")
_I did lube the gasket but not the filter thread. I will do it next time._ **The bolt that the filter threads onto will be already oil-soaked. Apparently the only thing left for you to do is make sure you put the oil-fill-hole cap back on. Forgetting to replace that thing is no dang good.**