Oil Change Maintenance Schedule
The oil change is one of the easiest yet most important services your car can receive. Motor oil serves a variety of purposes, including lubricating parts under the hood, regulating temperature of the engine, and helping to filter dirt and debris. So, what type of oil change maintenance schedule should your car follow around Worcester, Auburn, and Shrewsbury? That’s exactly what we’re going to address in this oil change overview.
At Harr Toyota, we’re happy to execute an oil change for you. Before we can do that, though, you need to know how often your car requires this routine service.
How Often Should You Change Your Motor Oil?
The easiest way to think about your motor oil schedule is to have a replacement every 5,000 miles. This is the often-recommended mileage for standard vehicles, yet there are certain models which should be changing their motor oil more regularly.
When it comes down to it, the more stress you place on your engine, the more often an oil change should occur. Part of this has to do with driving habits. If you drive your car hard or if you navigate heavy, standstill traffic each day, swapping out the motor oil every 3,000 miles will help keep your performance sharp.
The other reason you might change the oil every 3,000 miles is because of the type of model you have. Trucks that do a lot of weekly towing or high-performance sportscars or sports coupes should consider more frequent oil changes also.
Signs You May Need an Oil Change
In addition to following a set oil change maintenance schedule, your vehicle will also alert you that an oil change is needed. These are a few signs to be on the lookout for.
Oil Change Light Appears on the Dashboard
Modern cars often have an oil change light that will illuminate on the dashboard when a change is needed. You can look at the owner’s manual of your car to see what this light looks like.
Performance Dips
You know your car well and you know how it normally performs. If the fuel economy begins to drop out of nowhere or the acceleration isn’t as sharp as you are accustomed to, the root cause could be worn motor oil.
Unusual Sounds Coming from the Engine
If you’re driving along normally and hear a range of crackles, grinding noises, or other odd sounds coming from under the hood, it could be parts rubbing together. The reason these parts may be rubbing is because the motor oil is worn and no longer serves as a proper lubricator.
Excessive Exhaust Smoke
If you notice puffs of white smoke coming from the exhaust of your car, it could come down to worn motor oil which needs to be changed.
Keep up with Your Oil Change Maintenance Schedule
Proper car performance around Worcester, Auburn, and Shrewsbury comes down to proper care and services. Following an oil change maintenance schedule of between 3,000 and 5,000 miles will help your car enjoy lasting health. And at Harr Toyota, you can book your visit online and we’ll quickly knock out this common procedure.