A significant reason for getting regular oil changes and checkups is that it’s an essential part of ensuring your vehicle remains safe and healthy for the long run. By keeping an eye on your oil’s health, you’re in the position to catch any potential issues before they can erupt into heavy problems. At our service center, we believe that taking a proactive approach toward your oil is the best way forward. When you take preventative measures, you’re safeguarding your vehicle’s future.

We believe that having access to your owner’s manual is an important part of maintaining your vehicle’s oil health, as it includes the maintenance schedule. However, we know that not every driver has access to one, but there is a simple solution: manual oil inspection. We encourage you to inspect it once a month, twice if you’re engaged in heavy traveling. When checking your oil, you’ll want to make sure it’s a translucent amber color that has little or no particles floating around in it.

The first and perhaps most common sign is when the Check Oil light illuminates on the dashboard. This can often mean a few different things, like there not being enough oil in the system to function properly or that it just needs a simple refresh with an oil change. Of the signs to encounter, this is the easiest to handle.

The next sign involves noise. Drive for long enough and you’ll become adjusted to the sounds emanating from your car’s engine. It becomes a problem if the level of noise rises to unusual levels and is accompanied by banging and clanging. This can signal that your oil has failed to protect the parts from scraping against each other. When you experience this, schedule service immediately.

Wrapping up, the last sign to look out for is the onset of distinctly “oily” odors. Now, you’ve experienced the unpleasant scents that result from driving a combustion engine, but it’s when you first notice those oily odors that you need to be careful, as they’re often accompanied by plumes of white smoke coming from under the hood or exhaust pipe. When you encounter this sign, schedule service sooner rather than later.