Your Guide to Symptoms of Low Engine Oil

One of the most important routine services to stay on top of when maintaining your vehicle are regular oil changes, as they can have a positive impact for the health, safety, and lifespan of your car. Knowing the symptoms of low engine oil will ensure that you know what to look out for should your oil run low, and can even save you from engine repairs down the road.

In the end, knowing how to identify low engine oil will keep your car running well for many years around the roads of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and South Valley, NM. Keep reading to check out Land Rover Albuquerque’s guide for symptoms of low engine oil, and contact us with any questions you may have!

Symptoms of Low Engine Oil: What to Look out For

• Oil Pressure Warning Light: The oil pressure warning light works with a sensor that monitors your engine fluid levels. This is the easiest way to determine if your car needs to be brought into the shop for a quick oil change or refill.
• Loud Clunking Sound: Engine oil is used to lubricate the many moving parts of your engine; if you’re running low, your parts will begin to clunk and grind under your hood. If you hear a clunking sound, bring your car to the shop immediately, as driving it any further could result in engine failure without proper lubrication.
• Burning Oil Smell: These burning smells may be similar to when you burn cooking oil or butter at home in your kitchen. If you smell burning oil, pull over immediately—you could potentially have an oil leak. Give your engine time to cool down, then check your dipstick to determine if there’s a leak.
• An Overheating Engine: When you’re low on engine oil, all the moving parts of your engine are affected. Without proper lubrication, they can start to grind together, and that metal-on-metal contact can cause the engine’s temperature to rise. If you sense your engine overheating, pull over right away, allow it to cool down, and then check your oil level with your dipstick. Bring your vehicle into the shop for an oil change ASAP if this happens.

How to Prevent Symptoms of Low Engine Oil

In order to avoid the negative symptoms of low engine oil, it’s important to stay on top of your vehicle’s routine oil change intervals. In a mild climate like Albuquerque, NM, you’ll want to get an oil change roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles, or once or twice per year. By adhering to this suggested interval, you can avoid all the symptoms we mentioned above, like an overheated engine, loud clunking sounds, burning oil smell, and your oil pressure warning light turning on.

Visit Us for Your Next Routine Maintenance Check!

In order to keep your car safe out on the streets of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and South Valley, NM, you’ll want to check out our service and parts center here at Land Rover Albuquerque, where our team of experts will be happy to assist you in any and all of your car maintenance questions and services. Schedule an oil change today!