Checking your car’s oil is not only an essential car maintenance task but it is also one of the easiest car maintenance tasks out there. You can save yourself hundreds of dollars by checking and refilling your own oil, you just need to know how to do it.
Here’s a look at a quick oil check guide for anyone who wants to learn how to check his or her car’s oil.
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Step 1 – Park your car on a flat level surface. Any other surface will give you incorrect readings for your oil levels.
Step 2 – Let the engine cool. If you check the oil levels when the engine is hot you can get lower readings than when it is cool.
Step 3 – Open the hood. Your car’s oil is located in the front of the car under the hood. The release level for your car’s hood should be located under the dashboard.
Step 4 – Use the dipstick to measure the oil’s level. Every car has a dipstick that is located near the engine. Pull on the loop and remove the dipstick. You will want to wipe off the dipstick before using it but after that you can place it back in and pull it out slowly.
Step 5 – Read the oil level. Once you have pulled the dipstick out you can check to see if you have the proper oil level. If the oil is at the line that says full you have enough, if it’s below the line you can add a little oil to your engine to make sure your car is at the proper oil level.
Doing this simple car maintenance will ensure your car’s engine will operate properly.