Signs You Need an Oil Change

If there’s one aspect of your car’s maintenance that you should always keep up with, it’s your oil changes. This important fluid is imperative for your engine to properly function. Due to its vital function, not changing your oil from time to time can lead to larger engine repairs.

To help Avon, Indianapolis, and Plainfield drivers always stay up to date on their oil changes, Andy Mohr Toyota has written this guide on signs of low oil. Read more to hear all about the function oil plays in your engine and how you can become attuned to your vehicle’s needs.

Schedule Service

Why Do We Need Engine Oil?

Engines have a lot of moving parts that rub up against each other and as such, it’s important to ensure these parts move as smoothly as possible. This is why we add oil to our engines; they help lubricate the engine’s moving parts.

When your engine oil is low, these parts produce more friction and it becomes harder for the engine to operate properly. Over prolonged periods of time, engines running on low oil can begin to show symptoms of damage.

Signs of Low Engine Oil

There are many signs to look out for when looking for low engine oil, but the first sign is simply low oil levels. It’s good to check your engine oil every month or so or even after every gas fill-up.

To do this, lift your hood, find your engine dipstick, and clean the dipstick with a rag. Then, put the dipstick back into the oil reservoir and pull it back out. If your oil is at or below the lower fill line, be sure to fill your oil back up as soon as possible.

Oil Pressure Light

A common symptom of low oil that you may experience before any other symptoms is your oil pressure light. This light is meant to warn you when your oil is getting particularly low and it’s important to change it as soon as possible.

In general, you don’t want to rely on this light to tell you when you oil is low. It’s often more accurate to check your dipstick manually. However, if this light does come on, don’t hesitate to contact a service center.

Oily Smells Inside the Cabin

If you wait for a bit longer with low engine oil, you may notice that an oily smell may begin to waft into the cabin. This smell comes from your engine heating up from a lack of lubrication as the engine gives off a burning smell from the parts rubbing up against each other.

This is an important sign that you should take note of when dealing with low oil. At this point, your oil is very low but there likely isn’t much damage to the engine, so be sure to get your oil changed if you smell any oily odors in the cabin.

You Hear Knocking Sounds from the Engine

If you start to hear a knocking sound from under your hood as you’re driving, that’s a sign that your low engine oil is causing powertrain damage. At this point, your engine’s parts are banging together as they drag across each other without lubrication.

The longer your engine stays without oil, the more likely it will cause larger damage. Take your vehicle in for service as soon as possible and don’t push your vehicle too hard if you find your engine is making odd noises.

Schedule Oil Service with Us

Making sure your vehicle has plenty of engine oil is incredibly important. At Andy Mohr Toyota, we want to make sure you know all the signs to look out for. Our team is here to help Avon, Indianapolis, and Plainfield drivers receive the care they need.

If you’re due for an oil change, schedule a service appointment with us online or over the phone today!

Related Posts

How Often Should you Change Your Oil

Benefits of Changing Oil

Regular vs Synthetic Oil