Checking your engine oil isn’t something that needs a mechanic or a trip to the workshop every time. If you’re at a gas station, you already have what you need to do it right there. The goal here is to show you the correct way to check your engine oil so you don’t risk damaging your motor over time.
Newer cars may have oil life monitors, but that doesn’t mean you should skip this basic check. It takes just a few minutes and can save you a massive repair bill later on.
When and Why You Should Check Engine Oil?
The reason to check the engine oil is so important because today’s vehicles have oil life indicators, and a monitor on the vehicle’s computer is supposed to tell you when to change the oil.
The problem is that the oil life monitors that the top auto engine manufacturers use in their cars don’t just count miles. Instead, they rely on engine RPM, total runtime, heat cycles, and internal algorithms to decide when the oil should be changed. That number, whether it’s 25% life left or 96%, shows up in your instrument cluster.
But don’t rely on it completely. It might say your oil is still 80% good even though you’re already 5,000 or 6,000 miles past your last oil change. Here’s another catch. Just because the monitor says the oil is okay doesn’t mean your engine still has enough of it left.
This is because car motors burn oil as they run, especially newer models or those that may have a weaker engine. So even if the oil quality is fine, the level might drop, and you wouldn’t know unless you check. By that time, the damage has already been done.
What Is the Best Way to Check Engine Oil?
The old standard to change the car engine oil was 3,000 miles, and that routine saved a lot of engines. But with newer engines, that range is approximately 5,000 miles. However, to avoid any damage, you need to check your oil once a month or every time you fill up your gas tank or when you head out on a given day—whatever is comfortable and consistent.
This guide will go through that procedure.
Step 1. Do the Oil Check Preparations
In the first step, park the car on even ground or a road.
Then, crank it up and warm the engine for 3-5 minutes. Then, turn it off and let it sit for another 3-5 minutes.
Step 2. Locate the Dipstick
Next, pop the hood of your car and look for the dipstick. It usually has a yellow/orange ring or handle on top of it. Be careful not to confuse it with the transmission fluid dipstick, which some older cars also have.
If you’re not sure which one is which, open your owner’s manual and recheck.
Step 3. Prepare to Check the Engine Oil
Before you grab the dipstick, get a paper towel or a rag. Once you have that ready, go ahead and grip the dipstick with your index finger and thumb and slowly pull it out. Wipe off any oil that’s on it the first time. You’re not reading it yet—you’re just cleaning it.
Step 4. Read the Engine Oil Level
After wiping the dipstick clean, slide it all the way back into its tube. Push it in completely and then count to three. This gives the motor oil time to settle back on the stick.
Now pull it back out and check the level. You’ll see two hash marks or small holes —one showing the full line and one showing the add line. That whole space between them is considered safe. If the oil shows up within that area, you’re good.
To double-check, wipe the dipstick clean again and repeat the process. If one side of the stick shows the level near full and the other side doesn’t, go with the side that looks lower. But always read the dipstick twice to be sure.
What to Do If Engine Oil Shows Up Low or Overfilled?
If the engine oil level is below the add line or there’s no oil showing, that’s a problem.
Low oil doesn’t mean the oil is bad—it just means there’s not enough of it. That’s why doing this check on your own is a big deal. If you’ve ever gone with engine repairs, then you know that skipping this small step can turn into paying a lot of money for repairing the engine parts or a complete replacement. So, stop driving the car and top up immediately.
On the other hand, excessive oil means one thing. Your mechanic has done a poor job and overfilled the oil during the last interval.
Although you can fix the overfilled engine oil yourself, it is better to call a mechanic, report the issue, and take the car to the shop to have them drain the overfilled oil.
Why the Oil Change Sticker Still Matters
If you just write down the mileage from the odometer after your last oil change, that’s the best way to track it. You don’t need to rely on the oil life monitor to tell you when it’s time. That monitor might show you a higher percentage of oil life left, but the truth is, you might only be 500 miles away from your next oil change.
That’s where the sticker comes in. When you note down the reading from the odometer manually on a sticker and paste it somewhere on the car, you always know how many miles are left before the next change. It’s simple. You’re not guessing based on some percentage that doesn’t reflect the actual miles.
It also helps you check the engine oil at regular intervals. For example, every 1,000 miles, you can pop the hood and take a look. That way, you steer clear of any oil level issues before they turn into bigger problems.
The Real Cost of Skipping the Engine Oil Check
Neglecting an easy engine oil check can lead to one of the worst kinds of engine damage. If your oil runs low and you keep on driving your car, the damage becomes irreversible. The only way to fix this is to go through a gruesome process of rebuilding the engine or replacing it, and that can cost thousands of dollars.
So this small five-minute habit protects you from all of that. You just saved your engine and maybe even your whole car by pulling out a dipstick and checking what’s on it.
Conclusion
In this short guide, you’ve learned how to check engine oil the correct way. One thing that should always be followed is that, just like in all repair instructions, you should look at the owner’s manual.
If you’re unsure or don’t want to do this, then always go to a local service repair facility. But it’s still a good idea, at least once a month, to check the engine oil—or at every gas fill-up.
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