How to Check Car Oil

One of the most essential parts of your vehicle is its motor oil, designed to lubricate the engine’s moving parts and keep it from overheating. Since it’s important that your oil always be topped off, you should have a general idea of how to check your car oil. Fortunately, the service team at Twin Lakes Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram has everything you need to know in the guide below – check it out!

Learn How to Check the Oil Level in Your Car

The first thing you’ll want to do when learning how to check car oil is consult your owner’s manual to see if your Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or RAM has a traditional dipstick or an electronic oil monitor. If your vehicle has a traditional dipstick and you’re checking the oil manually, follow these steps:

1. Park your vehicle on level ground and turn off the engine. Wait until the engine is cold before starting.
2. Open up your vehicle’s hood and locate the dipstick.
3. Pull out the dipstick and wipe any excess oil off the end.
4. Re-insert the dipstick all the way into its tube, then pull it out again and examine both sides to see where your oil level is.

Although many dipsticks have slightly different ways of indicating the proper oil level, it should be fairly easy to see. For example, if the top of your oil streak is between two marks or within a cross-hatched area, then the level is good, and you don’t need to do anything. If it’s below the proper level, you’ll need to add more oil according to the oil grade listed in your owner’s manual. When adding more oil. Remove the filter cap and add a little oil at a time until you reach the proper level on the dipstick.

Why Check Your Car’s Oil Level?

Why should you learn how to check the oil level in your car? You always want to make sure you have the right oil level so your car can keep running in the best possible condition in Lafayette and beyond. You’ll want to check your oil at least once a month to make sure everything is at the right level and you don’t have any surprise leaks. Oil changes are part of your car’s regularly-scheduled maintenance and are usually performed twice yearly, although the exact interval varies based on your make and model. 

What Are the Signs You Need an Oil Change? 

There are many different signs that it’s time to take your car off the Logansport roads and bring it in for an oil change. The most common signs include:

• Excessive vehicle exhaust 
• Falling oil level 
• Noticeable engine noise 
• Oil texture is gritty 
• Oil level is low 
• Illuminated “check engine” light 
• Shaking while idling 
• Ticking noises during start-up 

Get Your Oil Inspected and Changed at Twin Lakes Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Now that you know how to check the oil level in your car, you can keep an eye out for when your vehicle needs maintenance. If it’s time to get your oil changed, you can schedule an appointment with our service team at Twin Lakes Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and we’ll get you back on the Winamac roads as soon as possible! We also offer oil specials updated all the time for drivers looking to save on their next regularly-scheduled maintenance appointment.