Checking Your Oil Level

This is something that should be required learning when taking a drivers education course and/or new driver's exam. While cars continue to improve in quality it is still necessary to check one's oil level at least once a month. Many people, not just young drivers, are under the impression that the "oil" light will come on when their oil level is low. WRONG! The "oil" light is an "oil pressure" light and if it comes on you may want to stop the vehicle and have it towed to your service garage. But I digress.

Checking one's oil level is something everyone can do - it's quick and easy and it'll tell you if your engine needs oil. If the oil is too high or too low, it can cause trouble for your engine. So, here are 5 EASY STEPS to checking the oil;

1) Make sure that the vehicle is parked on level ground and wait until the engine has cooled down after driving, then locate the dipstick.

2) Pull it the dipstick and wipe it clean

3) Put the dipstick back in until the top of it is seated properly in the dip tube again.

4) Wait a moment then pull it out again.

5) Check the level of the oil. If it's between the high and low marks, you're fine. (If it's too low, add a little.) The high and low marks can be denoted by two dots, an "H" and "L" or a shaded area on the dipstick.

Why not just read the level first time around? The first time you pull the dipstick out, it will have oil all over it and it will be difficult to tell where the level is. That's why you need to wipe it on a rag to get a clean dipstick, then dip it back into the oil to get a good reading.