The PQIA recently stopped at a convenience store in Warren, Ohio, and to our disappointment we once again found Mileage 365 on the shelves. Mileage 365 is a product that PQIA has seen on store shelves in Ohio in the past and found it to have deficiencies serious enough that the oil will likely cause harm to an engine. And the samples we obtained during our most recent visit to Warren, OH are likewise deficient.
In addition to the poor quality of the product in the bottle, the labels on the Mileage 365 Motor Oil fail to provide information on the company that manufactures and/or distributes it. This is a violation of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) and the Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulations. See Labeling – Responsible Party. Further, the labels fail to comply with NIST Handbook 130 -2020 (Current Edition) – Uniform Laws and Regulations in the Areas of Legal Metrology and Engine Fuel Quality, Section B. Uniform Regulation for the Method of Sale of Commodities, Subsection 2.33.1. Labeling of Vehicle Engine (Motor) Oil Required. (See page 201-203), and Section A. Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation, Subsection 5. Declaration of Responsibility: Consumer and Non-Consumer Packages (See Page 60).
Consumer are advised not to put their engines at risk by using Mileage 365 Motor Oil!
Although the label on this product does not claim it meets any API Service Category or SAE Viscosity Grade (or any other specification for that matter), the test results on this sample indicates the product lacks any meaningful level of additives to protect engines from wear, sludge, and corrosion. Also, the cold crank viscosity at -30°C is 69% higher than the specification for an SAE 5W-30 motor oil. In addition, the viscosity at 100°C is 4.3% lower than the minimum specification for an SAE 5W-30 motor oil. Further, the levels of silicon and copper in the product indicates it may contain used oil and abrasive material.
For these reasons, this product is NOT suitable for use in automobile engines.
Although the label on this product does not claim it meets any API Service Category or SAE Viscosity Grade (or any other specification for that matter), the test results on this sample indicates the product lacks a sufficient level of additives necessary to protect modern engines from wear and deposits. Also, the viscosity at 100°C is 15.2% lower than the minimum specification for an SAE 10W-40 motor oil. Further, the levels of silicon, iron, and copper in the product indicates it may contain used oil and abrasive material.
For these reasons, this product is NOT suitable for use in automobile engines.
This is not the first time PQIA has found issues with Mileage 365
Below is a list of other times PQIA has issued consumer alerts on this brand.
Brand | Type and grade | Purchase location | Date tested |
|---|---|---|---|
Mileage 365 | Youngstown, OH | 8-8-2020 | |
Mileage 365 | North Lima, OH | 4-25-2018 | |
Mileage 365 | North Lima, OH | 4-25-2018 | |
Mileage365 | North Lima, OH | 4-25-2018 | |
Mileage 365 | North Lima, OH | 4-25-2018 | |
Mileage 365 | Cleveland, OH | 9-15-2017 |
So how can a motor oil that would likely cause harm to an engine and fail to comply with labeling laws still be found on store shelves, and what can be done to protect consumers from it?
The unfortunate reality is that although there are laws to protect consumers from defective and harmful products and assure proper labeling, the sheer number of consumer products and stores in the US makes it challenging for states to scrutinize all of them. Importantly, however, state authorities typically do take action when consumers in a state bring such issues to their attention. In Ohio, this means contacting the auditor’s office in the county where such products are sold.
PQIA has brought this issue to the attention of the Auditor’s office for Trumbull County in Warren Ohio where the most recent samples of Mileage 365 were purchased.
