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Top Five Signs Your Car Immediately Needs an Oil Change

Oil is as important for your car as blood is for your body. The only difference is that your body keeps making new blood cells on its own, and the vehicle cannot. Your car engine has to be lubricated from time to time to have its components move and operate nicely. Failing to do so can reduce the fuel economy and even lead to expensive engine damage.

Of course, the type of oil and its change time varies as per your car’s engine model. The year of its manufacturing also plays a crucial role. Fortunately, there is not much hassle you have to go through. Refer to your owner’s manual, and you can know the specific oil required for your car’s tune-up. But do it timely so that you can take care of the coolant system and keep the engine free of debris and deposits.

In case, you are wondering about the signs that indicate a need for new engine oil, here are the top five of them –

  1. Loud Engine Noise

As just mentioned, motor oil is a must to keep your engine parts working smooth. When it stops doing its job, you can hear strange knocking and rumbling. These may not sound problematic at first but can be the reason for some serious problems on the way. With time, the noise can become intense and a sure sign that the engine is tearing apart due to lack of lubrication.

  1. Oil Smell or Fumes

If you smell gaseous fumes in your car, then it is probably the oil leak. Usually, diesel engines produce soot-like exhaust, but in gasoline engines, you get to see very little colored exhaust. However, there is a slight smell expected, but not anything crazy. Only a bluish fume from the exhaust is a warning and signals that the engine is overheated and needs an oil change.

  1. Dark Oil Color

Fresh motor oil always has some sort of transparency and amber tone to it. As time passes, it gets filled with debris and other particles and becomes dark and gritty. You do not know when it starts to happen, so checking on your engine oil once a month is advised. The dipstick oil check is a staple for every car owner. If it becomes dark brown or black, then you can call your local auto supply store to provide you the desired engine oil.

  1. Low Gas Mileage

As the oil gets old, it thickens and causes more resistance to the moving parts in the engine. Due to that, the car has to take an extra load and consume more fuel. So, if you see reduced car mileage, blame it on your engine oil. Hesitation or lag in gear shifts can also be a clear indicator. In that case, book a visit to a service center nearby and get the motor oil changed at the earliest. If you have recently traveled a lot and the distance covered goes beyond 3000 miles, it is better to change the oil anyway.

  1. Warning Lights

An obvious alert of oil change comes from the vehicle itself. The ‘change oil’ light illuminates when there is not sufficient oil in the system, and the ‘check engine’ light illuminates when the situation has gone to the point that the engine can breakdown any moment. Thus, you must refer to your owner’s manual to understand what each light means – whether low battery, a burnt-out tail light, transmission malfunction, or something else to take appropriate action on time.

 

 

 

 

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