How to Check Your Car's Oil Level (with Video)

by IndianAuto Team | 11/08/2020
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Checking your car's oil level has never been easier with the simple steps in this article. Check it out now!

Do you know that cars also have blood like us? Just as we have haemoglobin flowing throughout our body to help us alive, the oil helps the cars function smoothly by keeping the engine from residues and overheating. However, unlike us, the car cannot supply nor replace the used oil, so they need someone to change the fluid, or add more if the oil level decreases. The bad news is that if the dirt builds up a lot in the oil, you must replace new oil.

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Luckily, the good news is that you don’t need to replace the oil very often because it takes a long time for the oil to be too dirty. Nevertheless, you have to check the oil level frequently to assure your car has enough oil to function smoothly. Because the oil level in a car can be decreased, your car may be insufficient in oil. Therefore, if not enough, you need to add more.

oil tank, oil cap, and oil dipstick

Paying attention to the oil level is also a necessary maintenance step.

How to check the oil level in a car

It is not too tricky to inspect the oil level in a car if you want to see whether you have to add additional oil into the oil tank. The only tool you need is an oil dipstick, which is available in most cars. However, some car models don’t have the dipstick. Therefore, you should read your car manual to know the method to check the oil level in such cars. For cars that have dipsticks, you can check the oil level in just 5 simple steps:

1.  Let your car engine cool

Nobody wants to burn themselves with hot metal materials on a car. Therefore, you need to wait for your car to cool down before touching the oil tank. Normally, it takes at least 10 minutes for a car to cool down after the engine was completely turned off.

2. Pull out and clean the oil dipstick

Locate the oil dipstick. Note that, usually, there are two dipsticks, one is the oil dipstick and one is the fluid dipstick. Remember to pull out the right one. After taking out the dipstick, clean it before checking the oil level.

an oil dipstick

The oil dipstick shows you how much oil left.

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3. Put the oil dipstick back into the pipe

Put the clean dipstick back into the pipe to start checking the oil level in a car. Some dipsticks might be tricky to put into the pipe, so you may spend a bit of time doing so.

4. Check the oil film on the dipstick

After putting the dipstick back into the pipe, pull it out again. Now, observe the oil film on the dipstick and see whether the oil level is enough. When the oil level only reaches the “add” level, you have to supply your car with more oil.

*Although oil becomes black quite quickly, its quality often remains good. Use your index finger and thumb to rub the oil. If there is any smudge left, it’s time to change the oil.

5. Put the oil dipstick, again, back into the pipe

Lastly, when you know the oil level, put the dipstick back into the pipe again.

How to check the oil level in a car

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All in all, you need to pay attention to the quality and oil level in your car. The time to check/replace the oil usually relates to the mileage, so check your car manual to see if there is any guideline about when to change oil. The process is quite simple as stated above. However, some people worry too much about the oil’s level and quality when it decreases a bit and turns a little black. You must know that you only have to add more oil when the level just can reach the “add” level, and you should only replace the oil when it is too dirty.

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