Did you know that your car can potentially drive you 200,000 miles or more? However, this means keeping up on regular maintenance.
Skipping oil changes will result in expensive repairs down the road and significantly reduce the lifespan of your vehicle. Pay attention to your vehicle’s clues that it needs an oil change.
Read on to learn the signs!
1. Mileage
When asking yourself, ‘When should I get an oil change?’ Watch your mileage for an easy way to tell!
Most of the time, you need an oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, but that range leaves a lot of room for questions in between, so pay attention to what’s going on with your vehicle as well.
If you just bought the car from another person, ask them the last date they serviced the car. Visit placasalinstante.com for more information on changing ownership or registration questions.
2. Dashboard Lights
When lights on the dash turn on, pay attention. Letting a little issue keep going on a car can drive it into a huge and expensive problem.
Sometimes you do not even need to ask, ‘Does my car need an oil change?’. The light on the dash may pop on to let you know when the sensors recognize the loss of lubrication. If you ignore this light for too long, your check engine light will come on, indicating that the lack of lubricant broke something.
3. The Oil
Check your oil from time to time. Levels can need a top off between changes, but if they keep falling low, you need a change.
When you pull out the oil stick, also pay attention to how the oil looks and feels. It darkens as it gets too old. Also, when you wipe the stick, feeling grit indicates the need for oil service.
4. Engine Noise
When it gets noisy under the hood, you should pay attention. Lots of moving parts work together to make your car move, and the sound means something stopped working smoothly.
Oil lubricates the engine to prevent metal from scraping against metal. As the fluid begins breaking down, you may hear grinding. If you let it go, you may hear knocking or rumbling, which can indicate damage.
As soon as you hear any noise, check your oil.
5. Strong Odor
You should not smell car fluids while sitting inside of your vehicle. When you do, it indicates a leak or an overheated engine.
If you smell oil and exhaust, then you probably went too long without changing the oil. When the engine overheats, a fire can ignite, so get an oil change right away if you detect this scent.
Make Every Oil Change a Priority
If you want your vehicle to last without spending tons of money on preventable repairs, make an oil change a priority. If it slips your mind, then pay attention to your vehicle. Picking up on the signs early will avoid bigger issues down the road.
We want to help you keep your vehicle safe and reliable by keeping you in the know. Read more tips about automobile maintenance on our website!