When To Schedule Car Oil Changes: 6 Sign It’s Time

Car oil changes are one of the most important things you can do to extend your automobile’s life, but they’re frequently overlooked by drivers who don’t know the signs. To help keep Canadian motorists safe, today’s post spotlights the top-6 signs it’s time to book a car oil change at your local TIRECRAFT.

Top-6 Signs You Need To Schedule A Car Oil Change Right Away

1.   Excess Vehicle Exhaust

In 2021, most modern vehicles do not spew visibly exhaust from their tailpipes. So if you see what looks like a plume of oily smoke trailing behind your vehicle, it’s highly likely that you need to schedule a car oil change. More often than not, excess vehicle exhaust indicates that the motor oil is well past its prime.

However, excess vehicle exhaust may also be caused by other engine problems, such as cracked gaskets, so be sure to get a complete inspection before you pay for an oil change.

At TIRECRAFT, we offer a wide range of automotive inspection and repair services in addition to our car oil changes. As such, our technicians will be able to pinpoint the problem and provide a solution, without you having to visit another shop.

2.   Rapidly Falling Oil Level

We often hear certain vehicles described as “gas-guzzlers,” and rightly so, but no vehicle should guzzle oil. If you find that your oil level seems to drop quickly, and that you constantly need to “top it up,” your oil system has likely developed a problem. Book a car oil change service ASAP to get to the bottom of it—your repair could cost less than your next bottle of engine oil, and save you thousands more over the long term.

3.   Engine Making More Noise Than Usual

One of the primary functions of motor oil is to lubricate your engine so that all of its parts move freely. When oil ages, thins, or becomes poorly textured, parts grind together, creating friction that can cause serious damage and even catastrophic engine failure over time. Sometimes you can hear this friction in the form of a loud knocking, scraping, or ticking, before any major damage is done. If your car is making any unfamiliar noises, contact your local TIRECRAFT as soon as possible.

4.   Improper Oil Texture

Don’t panic if your oil darkens slightly while running through the engine, but do take action if you notice any grittiness. To assess oil texture, check your oil as you normally would, then touch the end of your dipstick with two fingers. If there’s any grit caused by small particles of grime, you’ll feel it right away.

5.   Vehicle Shaking While Idling

As we mentioned previously, oil is an essential engine lubricant that prevents important parts from rubbing together. If your engine is short on oil, you’ll feel the friction in the form of abnormal shaking and vibrations while idling. And if you think all that friction is hard on the driver (it is!), just imagine what it’s doing on your engine’s critical components…

But don’t worry—TIRECRAFT technicians are standing by to help, whenever and wherever you need a car oil change.

6.   It’s Been 5000km Or 3 Months Since Your Last Car Oil Change

TIRECRAFT recommends scheduling a car oil change and service every 5,000km or 3 months of driving—whatever comes first. You can view our full recommended maintenance schedule on the TIRECRAFT website.

Schedule A Car Oil Change At Your Local TIRECRAFT

Use the Find a TIRECRAFT Tool to find one of our 220+ locations around the country and set up your professional car oil change today, or visit our Car Oil Change page to learn more about our service.

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