# How long until First Maintenance on 2012 Routan?



## ~RevRichmond~ (Sep 24, 2012)

OK, I've had more that one answer from people on the phone and online. :screwy:I'm wondering when the very first oil-change and service should be performed on our brand-new 2012 Routan. I know it sounds like a kinda dumb question, but like I said, seems that I can't get a straight answer. Thanks guys.


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## tuanies (Oct 16, 2009)

8,000 miles per oil change on the Pentastar 3.6L.

Some dealers are still confused by the 6,000 interval of the older 3.8L and 4.0L engines


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## ~RevRichmond~ (Sep 24, 2012)

tuanies said:


> 8,000 miles per oil change on the Pentastar 3.6L.
> 
> Some dealers are still confused by the 6,000 interval of the older 3.8L and 4.0L engines


Man, that seems like such a LOT of miles! What's funny though, is that I also received something in the mail from Herzog-Meier Volkswagen stating "After your 4,000 service your next factory recommended maintenance is at 8,000 miles." You can understand my confusion. 
Thanks alot for the info. Out of curiosity, where did get your information? 
Thanks again, friend.:thumbup:


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## taxman100 (Apr 30, 2011)

The interval changed for 2011 and the new 3.6 liter engine. That being said, there is an oil change indicator built into the car, and my dealer has changed the oil when that indicates it needs to be done. That usually happens somewhere in the 4,000 mile timeframe. 

Still, they sometimes seem confused over whether they are doing it due to the indicator, or because of the free maintenance requirements.


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about the Pentastar engine.

Many times VW and/or Audi have the first OCI at half the miles of the regular OCI, either due to special break-in oil or just the the thought that brand new engines will wear more initially and therefore have more particles, etc. that need to be changed out of the first batch of oil/filter. VW has gone back and forth on that concept, but seem to have moved away from it lately after adding in the "free" maintenance package for the first 3/36 of ownership. Audi on the other hand has seemed to have stuck with the first OCI being at half the regular interval, even on some models that have exact same engine as the VW cousin where VW has maintained the regular OCI on the first oil change.

Does the Pentastar require synthetic, or is dino-oil acceptable? 8k mile OCI is nothing on synthetic, so I wouldn't sweat it. I'd be a little more hesitant pushing a dino-oil that far though. The VW TDI motors (for example only) are far more demanding on oil (esp. 2004+ model years) than most other engines, and they've had 10k OCIs here in the U.S. for years and some of the exact same motors in Europe have variable OCIs that can go up to 20k or even 30k miles. Some of the obsessive-compulsive oil types at the TDI forums web-site routinely take oil samples and send them off to the lab and the reports have proven that the oils are good for 10k miles and even way more than that. So I wouldn't worry about 8k mile OCI if it's running synthetic. After being brain-washed on the 3k OCI for the past 30 years here in the U.S., it's just a matter of breaking the old conventional wisdom.

Is the Pentastar 5w20 or 5w30? Some of the other manufacturers have run into problems with older engines engineered for 5w30 and switching to 5w20 in recent years as the recommended oil to eek out an extra 1 or 2 MPGs to satisfy EPA req'ts. Toyota is one that has run into oil sludge problems. I think perhaps the Chryco 3.8L pushrod might be another with the consumption issues. The Pentastar, however, being a recent design may very well have been engineered for 5w20. I don't know. But I'd be even a bit more hesitant running 8K intervals on dino oil if it's 5w20.


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

What does the owner's manual say? Whatever it says, I'd go with that and ignore the dealership's "advice". It's likely 8k mile or 6 month max, or within 500 miles of when the oil change indicator illuminates, whichever occurs sooner. If your dealership is willing to do the first OCI at 4k miles as part of the pre-paid 3/36 maintenance, then I'd take them up on that offer. But otherwise, just stick to the owner's manual.


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## early74B (Feb 18, 2009)

*Although we have an '09 ...*

the initial 'indicator' for an oil change came on at a little under 3K the first year we owned it but as VW 'free' maintenance wouldn't cover it went with the 6K that they did. It seems once the tech reset it, it now comes up about 6K from the last time regardless. I had a boss with a company leased MBZ E430 that just followed the oil change indicator and seem to recall the first it came on was close to 10K -- as the car was leased he went with that although recall he wasn't all that comfortable with it but got used to it; that was during the days that MBZ covered maintenance like BMW continues to do today. We also own a smart fortwo with a less than 1.0L 3 cylinder that uses sync oil at 10K increments but you're right --- many still stick to the 3K even though for the majority of new cars it's a waste but perhaps piece of mind for many people (and keeps the Jiffy Lube people employed!!)


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## kctdi (Jan 24, 2004)

I do the first change on a brand new engine at 1,500 km regardless of what the manufacture or dealer say. Then I follow mfg recommendation from there.

But that is just me.

KC.


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