How to Check Car Oil

Your vehicle depends on motor oil in order to perform at its best, and if it starts to run low, it can quickly lead to long-term damage. Knowing how to check your car oil levels is important for every driver. Thankfully, the process is simple, and no real training is required. When you learn the steps today, you can keep your favorite vehicle on the Xenia and Fairborn roads for years and years to come.

How to Check the Oil Level in Your Car: Step-by-Step

Some newer vehicles monitor their own oil levels electronically. In these cases, there may not be a dipstick that you can check manually, so be sure to check your owner’s manual before you go searching for one!

Follow these steps if you need to check your car oil levels in the old-fashioned, manual way:

• Park your vehicle on level ground, and turn off your engine. Give it time to cool before you begin the process.
• Open the hood and locate your vehicle’s dipstick.
• Pull out the dipstick and wipe it down with a rag. The oil in your engine moves around when you drive, so you won’t be able to get an accurate read on your oil levels the first time you pull it out.
• Once the dipstick is clean, reinsert it all the way back into its sheath, and then retract it once more.

Different dipsticks have different ways of indicating your vehicle’s ideal oil level. In most cases, you’ll want to make sure that your oil level is in between two marks, above a line marked “level”, or within a zone marked by cross-hatching. You can check your owner’s manual for details on what to look for.

How Often Should I Check My Car Oil Levels?

Drivers should check their oil levels at least once a month, or more often if you often drive under strenuous conditions. If you’re running low on oil, you can always take your vehicle into our Beavercreek service center for a refill. Check out our service specials to save!

If you’d like to refill your oil at home, you should be aware that overfilling your oil tank can be just as dangerous as driving with low oil levels. When you’re adding more oil, remove the cap and add just a small amount at a time, checking the level with the dipstick as you go. If you notice that your oil regularly falls below the recommended line, it’s a good idea to get into a service center right away.

Draining and changing your oil at home is a slightly more complicated process, and it’s a good idea to replace your oil filter when you do it. Contact one of our trained technicians to get tips on how to get the job done.

Let the Kia of Beavercreek Service Team Take Care of You

If you’re in need of an oil change, or just want to have some questions answered, schedule service at Kia of Beavercreek today.