These days, many newer cars have oil-life monitoring systems that automatically detect when an oil change is needed and notify the driver with an alert on the instrument panel. As a result, most people will only need to change the oil in their cars, trucks, and SUVs every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, according to AAA. Since today’s vehicles run more efficiently, you won’t need to spend your time constantly worrying about whether or not you should schedule an oil change.
But just because you don’t have to change the oil in your vehicle as often as you used to, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concerned about it. You should still get yourself into the habit of checking your oil on a regular basis. So, realistically, how often should you check your oil? What should you look for when you check it? And when should you be concerned about your vehicle’s oil and bring your car, truck, or SUV in for service? Continue reading to get the answers to these questions.
How Often Should You Check Your Oil?
As previously mentioned, people no longer need to worry about changing the oil in their vehicles every three months. That rule of thumb has gone out the window thanks to the advancements made within the automobile industry. However, you should still check your oil about once a month. By monitoring your oil frequently at home, you’ll be able to ensure you have enough and aren’t running low. You’ll also be able to evaluate its color to see whether it might need to be replaced.
You don’t need to take your car to a service center to check your oil. You can do it yourself in just a few minutes once you know the steps and what to look for. It’s one of the basic car maintenance jobs that you should learn how to perform so that you don’t ever end up driving around in a car with old oil or, worse, no oil.
How Do You Check Your Oil?
Checking your oil is a straightforward task. When you’re ready to get started, you’ll want to make sure you follow these simple steps to ensure you get the job done right:
- Park your car on a level surface.
- Make sure your car has been turned off for at least five minutes.
- Pop your car’s hood and look for the oil dipstick, which usually has a brightly colored handle.
- Remove the oil dipstick, wipe it off with a clean rag, and put it back in before taking it out again.
- Look at the oil dipstick to see where your oil level is.
- Inspect your oil to see what color it is.
- Put your oil dipstick back in place and close your car’s hood.
This whole process should take about five to 10 minutes at most and will provide you with valuable information about the status of your car’s oil. While checking your oil, you might also want to take the opportunity to review some other aspects of your vehicle. For example, you can examine your coolant and windshield wiper fluid levels, as well as your tire pressure.
What Do the Marks on an Oil Dipstick Mean?
The oil dipsticks in varying makes and models of cars, trucks, and SUVs are all slightly different. But they all have designated marks that tell you how much oil is in your car. There will typically be two marks, one at the top to show when the oil tank is full and one at the bottom displaying the lowest level that the vehicle can safely operate. Anything above the lowest mark indicates levels within a safe range. However, if your oil level is close to or below the lowest mark, you should immediately top off your tank.
You never want the oil in your car to go higher than the full mark or lower than the low mark. Ideally, your oil level should hover somewhere in between them. By checking your oil, you can easily keep an eye on how much you have. In addition, you’ll be able to spot a potential oil leak if you notice the level dropping more dramatically than it should each month.
What Can You Tell Based on the Color of Your Oil?
The amount of oil in your vehicle will be the most important thing you’ll need to check for. However, the color of your oil is another important indicator of whether you might need to change your oil soon.
Under normal circumstances, your car’s oil should be clear amber, caramel, or tan. When your oil is this color, this indicates that the oil is fresh and clear of dirt and debris. There will, however, be times when your car’s oil will start to turn dark brown or even black. This is a sign that you should consider changing your oil sooner rather than later. Old or dirty oil like this is often filled with contaminants that will eventually cause damage to your vehicle’s engine if you aren’t careful.
Bring Your Vehicle to Bountiful Mazda for an Oil Change
Did you just check your car’s oil and discover it needs to be changed? Whether you live in Bountiful or the surrounding area, our service team at Bountiful Mazda would be happy to provide you with an oil change today. We are proud to offer Genuine Mazda Premium Oil, specifically engineered for optimal performance, protection, and fuel economy. You can be sure your vehicle will be running its best when you get back behind the wheel of your car following an oil change at our auto dealership.
In addition to providing quality maintenance and repair services, Bountiful Mazda also has a large selection of certified pre-owned vehicles on our lot for those wanting to purchase a like-new vehicle without breaking the bank. We invite you to come to take a look at them the next time you’re in the market.Contact us today to schedule an appointment at our service center or to arrange a test drive in one of our certified pre-owned vehicles.
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