How to Check Car Oil

Some newer vehicles have electronic oil monitors that don’t use traditional dipsticks, so start by checking your owner’s manual for the automaker’s recommendations. Checking your vehicle’s oil is easier than it sounds. If you’re at home and checking the oil manually, simply follow these steps:

• Make sure the vehicle is parked on level ground and that the engine is turned off and cold.
• Open the vehicle’s hood and find the dipstick.
• Pull the dipstick out of the engine and wipe any oil from the end of it.
• Re-insert the dipstick all the way back into its tube, then pull it out and look at both sides to see where the level is.

Dipsticks help indicate where the proper oil level is. If the oil streak is between two marks or within a cross-hatched area, the level is at a good place. If it’s not, you will need to add more oil. It’s important to make sure you’re using the correct type of oil when adding more or changing the oil out completely. Be sure to buy the grade recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual, remove the oil filler cap, then add oil a little at a time until the dipstick indicates you’ve reached the proper level.