Signs Your Car Needs an Oil Change

Oil changes are important for your vehicle’s performance, and knowing the signs your car needs an oil change is important for maintaining performance near Omaha. Knowing the common signs of needing an oil change are important for keeping up with your vehicle’s maintenance service. Typically, your vehicle will need an oil change every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, but if you’re noticing any of these following signs, they may be warning signs that your car needs an oil change immediately. This could include your car shaking while idling, has increased engine noise, or thick exhaust. Read more about the common signs that your car needs an oil change from Sid Dillon Buick of Lincoln, then schedule service today!

Common Signs of Needing an Oil Change

The oil in your vehicle’s engine is essential to its operation. Oil lubricates the engine components and transfers heat away from the engine block, allowing your vehicle to perform safely and efficiently on Beatrice roads. However, because oil changes are months apart at a time, drivers can forget to perform this essential service. If you’ve noticed any of the following signs, your vehicle is overdue for an oil change at our service center.

• Increased Engine Noise: Oil breaks down as it ages, making it a less effective lubricant as time goes on. If your engine is louder than before, it’s possible that the small components in your engine are not being properly lubricated from old oil.
• Shaking While Idling: If your vehicle is shaking while it’s idling, then the parts in your engine aren’t being properly lubricated. This is caused by increased friction as the engine runs.
• Ticking Sounds When Starting the Car: The oil in your engine begins to circulate as soon as you start your car. If the oil has an improper texture, it may take longer to circulate, which can cause a ticking sound.
• Low Oil Levels: The oil levels in your car will deplete over time, which is why it’s important to have your oil changed regularly and check your oil levels monthly. If your oil levels are consistently low, bring your vehicle in for service, as this may indicate a leak somewhere in the system.
• Irregular Oil Texture/Colors: The oil in your car should be amber in color and free of any contaminants. If you notice your oil is darker in color, thick, or has tiny pieces of debris in it, you should schedule service and have your oil changed as soon as possible.
• Excess Exhaust: Most new vehicles don’t have visible exhaust emissions, so if you notice thick exhaust coming from your vehicle, it could be a sign that the motor oil is too old to work properly. Bring your vehicle in for service as soon as possible.
• Frequent Check Engine Light: If your check engine light is persistent, then it’s signalling to you that there is a problem within your engine or one of its systems. Bring your vehicle to a local service center to have the code read and the issue fixed.

Recommended Oil Change Frequency

How to know when your car needs an oil change is one thing, but it’s also important to know how frequently you should be getting an oil change. Most new vehicles need to have their oil changed every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, but some pre-owned models may need to have their oil changed every six months – or 5,000 miles. However, if you frequently go off-roading, racing, or do heavy towing, you may need to have your oil changed more frequently.

You should check your oil levels once a month along with your tire pressure to ensure that your vehicle has enough oil and that the oil isn’t an odd color or has contaminants. This makes it easier for you to know when your car needs an oil change, as well as prevents any small issues from becoming major problems.

Trust Our Oil Service Team Today at Sid Dillon Buick of Lincoln

If you don’t know when your car needs an oil change, or it’s starting to show signs that something serious is wrong, it’s time for you to schedule service today with our expert team near Hickman. We’ll take care of getting your vehicle in and out in no time, so contact us today.Ready to get more in-tune with the needs of your vehicle? Discover the signs you have bad spark plugs today!