How to Reset Change Oil Light on the Jeep Patriot

There are plenty of helpful dashboard lights in today’s vehicles, letting drivers know when something is wrong or maintenance is required. But sometimes, those lights are a source of annoyance and distraction. For that reason, you might like to get rid of them.

In this guide, we’ll focus on one light in particular – the change oil light in the Jeep Patriot – and see how to reset it.

Why You’d Want to Reset the Change Oil Light

Before we dig into the details of how to reset your Patriot’s oil change light, let’s look at some reasons to do so. After all, this light is generally a useful indicator to keep drivers informed when their car’s oil needs replenishing. So, you might be wondering why you’d even want to switch it off in the first place.

The most obvious reason to reset the light is if you’ve just changed the oil yourself (or had it changed by a pro) and the light’s still on. After every oil change, you have to reset the light, as the system won’t automatically do it for you. That allows you to effectively keep track of your oil changes and get a timely alert when the next one is due.

Another reason to reset the light is simply if it’s bothering you or if it’s come on when it’s not entirely necessary. The light is programmed to activate after you’ve done a certain number of miles. But your oil might not necessarily need changing right away. Alternatively, you might have changed it a while ago and forgot to reset the light, putting it out-of-sync.

How to Reset a Jeep Patriot’s Oil Light

Whether the Patriot’s “Oil Change” light is bothering you or you just changed the oil and need to reset it, here’s how. Note that this method should work on any Patriot, from 2007 to 2017 (Jeep discontinued the Patriot in 2017).

1. Get into the driver’s seat and put your key in the ignition.
2. Turn it twice to the “On” position, but do not start the engine.
3. Slowly push down on the accelerator pedal three times. Push the pedal down and take your foot off it each time, and don’t rush.
4. Turn the key back to the “Off” position and remove it.

This should complete the process. You can then put the key back in and fire up your Patriot’s engine, and you’ll hopefully see the “Oil Change” light has gone.

Reasons It Might Not Work and What to Do

In some cases, drivers may find that this process doesn’t work, for whatever reason. The light still shows up, even after completing every step. There are a few reasons why this might happen. You might have rushed through the pedal presses, for example, or you might just have a slightly buggy system.

Either way, here’s what to do. First, repeat the process. You might not have done it quite right the first time. So try it again and again, at least a few times, to see if it’ll work, making sure to take your time on each pedal press. If it still doesn’t work, perform the same steps, but press the pedal five times instead of three.

If all else fails, you may have to turn to the pros. The above process should work, as it was built into the Patriot as a simple manual way to reset the light. If the light’s still on, there’s most likely some sort of underlying issue – like faulty wiring. Pros can take a look, figure out what’s up with your Patriot, and hopefully get it fixed.

FAQs

What does the Change Oil Light mean?

It means what it says – you need to change the oil. At least, that’s the theory. The light is designed to display when the car believes that new oil is needed. But it’s not always accurate. Sometimes, people change the oil but forget to reset the light, or it might come on a little earlier than necessary. Which is why you might decide to ignore or reset it.

When will the Change Oil Light come on?

In the Patriot, the “Change Oil” light is programmed to light up every 3,500 miles, or every six months. Whichever comes first. That’s when the manufacturer believes an oil change will generally be needed. But, as explained above, it’s not always 100% reliable. Sometimes, you might need an oil change much earlier or later than 3,500 miles/six months.

Why can’t you ignore the Change Oil Light?

You can ignore the “Change Oil” light, if you like. But it’s not recommended. At least not in most cases. As stated, the light is a warning. It’s letting you know that the oil in your engine is pretty old and could be gritty or dirty. So you should probably pay attention and schedule an oil change ASAP. However, if you’ve already changed the oil not long ago, you may safely ignore the light.

Reset Your Oil Light in Seconds

There you have it. How to reset your Patriot’s oil light in no time at all. It’s not exactly a tricky procedure, but it can be difficult to figure out at first. You might think you’ve done everything by the book, but the light still persists. In that case, just keep trying. With a few attempts, it should disappear in the end.

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