Checking the oil in your vehicle is one of the most important and yet also one of the easiest things you can do to assure your vehicle is in tip top shape and ready for the road.  Think of oil as the blood which runs through the veins of your vehicle; without oil or enough oil – your vehicle will stop running and cause severe damage to your vehicle’s engine and other components.  It’s a good idea to keep at least two quarts of motor oil in your trunk at all times you never know when you may need it.

On a fairly good car without any problems, you’ll want to check your oil about once a month; however you can do it as often as you like.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Motor Oil
• Paper Towels or Rags
• Funnel

1. First things first, park your car in a well lit and level area and turn off the ignition.  Wait a few minutes for the oil to settle and open the hood.

2. Locate the dipstick, which is a long, metal stick that goes into your vehicle’s engine.  The end of the dipstick usually looks like a hook sometimes this is red, yellow or orange in color and is usually located near the spark plugs (don’t mistake this for your transmission fluid dipstick; if in doubt, check your owner’s manual for the proper location or ask a friend or trusted mechanic to show you the next time you take your vehicle in for service). You should be able to easily wrap your fingers around the hook and pull the dipstick all the way out. 

3. Using a paper towel or rag, wipe the oil off the dipstick and re-insert it, pushing it all the way down.

4. Pull the dipstick back out towards you and look for the word FULL.  If the oil is well below the FULL line, it’s time to add more oil.  If the dipstick has two lines instead of the word FULL, the proper oil level should be midway between the two lines. If you need to add oil, try to add the same brand of oil which has already been used, but if you can’t, that’s okay.  What is important is that you use the proper weight of oil for your vehicle. If you’re not sure what weight to use, check your owner’s manual for the correct information.

5. When adding oil, add a small amount at a time by removing the oil filler cap, which is located on the top of the vehicle engine.  Unscrew the cap from the bottle of engine oil and if you have to use a funnel, place the funnel in the filler area and pour the oil slowly into the engine.

6. Re-check the oil level with the dipstick as you did previously and continue to add oil a little at a time until the dipstick reads at the FULL level or is midway between the two lines.

7. Remove the funnel if you’ve used one, replace the filler cap and you’re done!

When checking your oil, it’s also a good time to note the way the oil looks; if the oil seems to be black or very dark brown, it’s probably time to schedule an oil change.  If the oil appears to be white or milky, the engine coolant is mixing with the engine oil, which is a sure sign of a serious problem, so take your vehicle in for service as soon as possible. If you seem to be adding oil every few days, this could be a sign of an oil leak, so again, it’s time to take your vehicle in for a check-up as soon as you can.

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