Essential Guide: Checking Your Car’s Oil Level

Keeping your vehicle’s engine running smoothly is vital for its longevity, and one of the most straightforward but crucial tasks in maintaining your car is checking the oil level. Oil is important for keeping the engine’s parts moving smoothly, reducing friction, and ensuring the engine works well. This guide will walk you through the steps necessary to check your car’s oil level, why it’s essential, and how frequently you should perform this task to extend the life of your vehicle. Whether you’re a first-time car owner or a seasoned driver, understanding how to maintain your car’s engine oil levels can help prevent future engine problems and keep your car on the road for longer.

When to Check Engine Oil Level?

Before driving, check the oil while the engine is still cold. However, remember that cold oil takes up less space and may give you a false reading. Check the level of oil approximately 10 minutes after switching off the engine. At that time, the engine will be cool enough to avoid burns, and the oil warm enough to get an accurate reading.

Changing your engine oil according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule is essential. In the past, drivers often checked their oil levels with a dipstick weekly, but this is less necessary for newer drivers unless you have an older car model. Still, newer cars may need oil added occasionally, so it’s good to check your engine’s oil level regularly. Whatever vehicle you have, fuel quality, extreme temperatures, and stop-and-go driving can lead to higher oil consumption.

Step-by-Step Process for Assessing the Car’s Engine Oil Level

Turn Off the Car

Avoid checking your car’s oil when the engine is hot or running, as this might yield inaccurate readings. If you’ve just driven the car and it’s warm, wait 10-15 minutes for it to cool down before checking the oil level. Furthermore, ensure the vehicle is parked on level ground to get an accurate reading.

Pop the Bonnet

You can find the handle to open the hood in one of the front footwells, usually shown by a small car symbol with an open hood. Many older Ford models need you to unlock the hood by turning a key in a slot behind the front badge. Pulling the handle will make the hood pop up. To fully open it, lift the hood slightly and look underneath for a catch to pull or push. To see better, you may need to bend down. After releasing the bonnet, lift it. Raise it a little and feel under for a latch you need to pull or push. You may need to bend down once more to locate it. In certain vehicles, the latch extends from the radiator.

Find the Oil Dipstick

Lift the bonnet to find the dipstick once you’ve parked your car on a flat surface. Usually, it’s located on the left side of the engine, but in some vehicles, you might find it on the right side or in the centre, especially in 4-cylinder engines. The dipstick has a yellow or orange circular handle, making it easy to spot. Pulling it out, a long metal rod will come out of the engine compartment.

Arm Yourself with a Cleaning Cloth

A microfibre cloth is suitable for cleaning the dipstick, but you can also use a clean rag, towel, or toilet paper. If using toilet paper, tear off a thick piece to stop the oil from leaking through. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean from top to bottom, and put it back in place until it clicks. Allow 10 seconds for the oil to distribute across the stick’s surface.

Check the Oil Level

Take out the dipstick and check the tip. A gauge should indicate the minimum and maximum oil levels, which may be shown on the dipstick’s metal or plastic cap. The gauge shows a different oil level than where the oil actually is.

Clean the Dipstick Again & Repeat

Repeat steps four and five to ensure the reading is accurate. If the oil level is near the top mark on the gauge, everything is good. If it drops below two-thirds, add more engine oil. At the end of the dipstick, you’ll see a pattern with an “F” for “Full” and an “L” for “Low,” which shows the fluid levels (usually 1 quart low). Sometimes, the stick has two small holes to mark the “Full” and “1 Quart Low” levels.

Assess the Colour of the Oil

The dipstick shows your car’s oil level and gives information like when to change the oil, its temperature, quality, and more. While holding the dipstick, check the oil’s colour. New oil is usually clear and hard to see, but gets darker as it picks up dirt from the engine. If the oil is very dark, it’s time to schedule a service or get an oil change. After you’re done checking, put the dipstick back. Indicators that the dipstick shows regarding the car’s engine oil include:

• Black Oil Adheres to the End of the Dipstick

The car’s engine oil is old, contaminated, and needs to be changed.

• Orange-Yellow Oil Sits on the Dipstick

If the engine oil level is between the “Full” and “Low” marks, your car’s engine has sufficient oil.

• Brown Oil Clings to the Dipstick

This signals that the engine oil level in your car is low and requires attention and replenishment.

• A Black Substance Sticks to the Dipstick Up to a Certain Level

This means the car’s engine oil is too hot, which indicates the engine is overheating. If the oil isn’t changed soon, it can break down, lose its ability to lubricate, and possibly harm the engine.

Check Oil When There’s No Dip Stick

Modern high-end European cars do not have a dipstick to check the oil. Instead, drivers check the oil level using a dashboard app that is a part of the car’s operating system. This feature can be accessed through the large “Infotainment” screen in the centre of the dashboard or the displays on the driver’s side. How you access it can vary depending on the car’s make and model. The system uses sensors in the oil pan to measure the oil level, showing messages like “Oil Level OK” or “Oil Level Low”. However, these systems only tell you how much oil is present, not its quality, leaving some uncertainty about its condition.

Do the Needful

Based on the dipstick results, take appropriate action. If black oil is present at the end of the dipstick, perform a complete oil change. If brown oil is only at the tip, add more oil. Should the black substance reach a specific level on the dipstick, let the engine cool and recheck the readings after a few minutes.

Conclusion

Regularly checking your car’s oil level is crucial for maintaining its performance and longevity. Ensuring that the oil is at the correct level helps to avoid engine damage and can improve fuel efficiency. Cultivate the habit of checking your oil every few weeks or prior to long journeys. By doing so, you’ll contribute to a healthier engine and a smoother driving experience.