How to Check Car Oil at Home

Part of being a responsible driver is making sure you properly maintain your vehicle for both its optimal performance on Pleasanton roads and your safety. Learning how to check car oil levels and quality in your vehicle is a valuable skill to ensure the health of your oil and thus, your engine. Read on below to learn how to check car oil from the service team at East Bay MINI Authorized Service Center. If you feel more comfortable having our trained technicians inspect your oil health in Pleasanton, please schedule service!

How to Check the Oil Level in a Car

First, you'll want to determine if your vehicle has an electronic oil level monitor or only a traditional dipstick. If you have a newer model, it most likely has an electronic monitor. But, you can reference your owner's manual for specific information on your vehicle to find out for sure. If your model only has a traditional dipstick, here is how to check the oil level in car reservoirs like yours:

1. Park your vehicle on level ground for an accurate reading
2. Turn your vehicle off
3. Allow time for the engine to cool
4. Pull the latch to release your hood
5. Prop open your hood
6. Locate the dipstick using your owner's manual
7. Pull out the dipstick
8. With a rag, clean the oil off of the end of the dipstick
9. Put back the dipstick in
10. Remove it once more
11. Take note of the oil level on both sides of the dipstick; checking your oil level at home is really that easy!

Your dipstick most likely has a cross-hatched area. If the oil streak falls within this area, your engine has enough oil for safe driving on San Francisco roads! If not, add a little bit of oil at a time until it reaches the proper level, re-checking the dipstick as you go.

Get More Service Tips From Our Service Center

Now that you know how to check the oil level in car reservoirs to ensure it has enough, you can go ahead and check your own oil level. You can do this right in your very own Oakland driveway. If you discover your oil is low or off-color, it's time for maintenance. Collect the materials to change your oil or schedule service with our technicians. We are committed to providing Livermore drivers and beyond with high-quality oil and servicing! For more service tips just like this one, browse our online archive of tips and tricks!