Ford extends oil-change intervals

Ford Motor Co. said it is raising the recommended engine oil-change interval from 5,000 to 7,500 miles starting with its 2007 models. The company said on March 21 that higher oil-quality standards and new engine designs were responsible for the change, which affects vehicles driven under normal conditions. Some manufacturers, such as Honda Motor Co. and General Motors Corp., have stopped recommending oil-change intervals on all or most of their models, instead relying on sensors that measure oil-temperature extremes and engine revolutions over time to calculate oil life and tell drivers when to have their engine oils. (March 22, 2007)