Do you know what it looks like for your car when you’ve skipped an oil change or gone too long in between oil changes? There are a few ways your car tries to let you know something is off. Here’s what MotivWerks wants you to know.
There’s an Oil Leak
Any time that you spot an oil leak, even if you just had an oil change, you need to get the situation inspected. Oil should not be leaking if all is well, and that means a leak is telling you that all is not well. Take the car to an experienced technician to figure out what is going on.
Dash Warning Lights Are On
When something isn’t working right with your car, the engine control module lets you know by turning on dashboard warning lights. These lights are your sign that there’s something going on and that you need to take a closer look. The problem could be with something else in the engine, but if it’s been a long time since you got your oil changed, that could be what the light is trying to warn you about.
There’s a Lot of Exhaust Smoke
Your car’s engine burns fuel to run, and that means that there’s carbon residue. Your car’s exhaust system funnels that out along with fumes from the combustion process. When the car is burning more gas than usual, and doing so inefficiently, that creates a lot more carbon residue. You’ll see that as exhaust smoke, usually darker exhaust smoke. This usually happens because the engine is running hotter than usual, there’s a lot of dirt clogging up the works, or the parts aren’t lubricated properly. Oil is responsible for all of that.
Gas Mileage Is Getting Terrible
Going back to that bit about how combustion works, if the engine isn’t running efficiently because engine oil isn’t doing its job completely, then it’s working harder than it should. When that happens, more gas gets funneled through the fuel lines into the engine to get the same job done. You burn more gas for the same result. That’s poor gas mileage, all due to overdue oil changes.
Want to get back on track with oil changes? MotivWerks in Chambersburg, PA can help. We can also help to ensure that all your auto repair and service needs are met. Give us a call and we can set up an appointment to handle whatever your car needs.