Uh oh! The last oil change shop forgot to put a “Next Oil Service” sticker in your car and now you’re unsure if your oil needs changed or not! The rule of thumb is roughly 3,000 miles or 3 months, can you think back that far? Can you remember the last time your oil was changed? If not, no worries! Here are a few easy things you can check to see how your car’s oil is doing.
One of the best indicators is the color and level of the oil. To check this, pop the hood of your car and pull your dipstick. Then wipe the oil off, reinsert it, and remove it again. Observe the level, where is it between the low and high marks? If it’s towards the lower end of the marks it may be time for an oil change or top off. Now, notice the color. Oil is amber in color when it’s fresh and is more brown-red when dirty. If the oil on your dipstick is black, it needs to be changed.
Fresh, amber colored oil; this vehicle recently had an oil change.
After that, if you’re still not sure, start up the car while the hood is open. Do you hear any unusual metallic ticking sounds coming from the top of the engine? If you do, turn the car off immediately and have it inspected by a certified mechanic. This could indicate your vehicle doesn’t have enough oil or isn’t moving oil properly through your engine.
Also, most modern cars have an option to set an oil change service reminder. You can have your lube tech reset this at every oil change to make sure you don’t miss another oil change!
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