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Your vehicle’s engine is a complicated piece of machinery; but luckily, you don’t need to know everything about it to understand the importance of oil changes. To make the power you need to drive, the engine creates heat, which in excess can cause problems down the line. To help prevent friction and heat, oil is used to lubricate the engine mechanisms.
Over time, the oil used to keep your engine running smoothly will become dirty—this is normal and happens during the course of everyday driving. When the oil is dirty, it becomes less effective at lubricating the engine and can clog parts of the mechanisms. That’s why it’s important to change the oil every six months or 10,000 miles.
Now that you know the importance of oil changes, it’s time to learn what to look out for. Often, your car will let you know when it needs an oil change, by turning on a dashboard light shaped like a small oil can with a drip coming from the spout. This is the change oil light, and it will turn off once the procedure is completed.
Other signs you can watch for are strange sounds coming from the engine. When the oil becomes dirty or old, it’s less effective at lubricating the moving parts, and it can cause the mechanisms in your engine to make strange sounds, like knocking or ticking. You may also notice your car vibrating or shaking while idling, which could also indicate the need for an oil change.
Now that you know what to look for, what should you do when you notice these signs? Visit our service center, of course! We’ll take your car into our service bay and start by removing the old oil. We’ll package it away for proper disposal as used motor oil is an environmental hazard, so it must be disposed of in a specific way.
After that, we’ll inspect the oil filter. This helps to prevent too much dirt and debris from getting into the oil, but it can become clogged. If we can, we’ll clean the filter and put it back; but if it’s too dirty or damaged, we may need to contact our parts department for a replacement.
Then, we’ll top it off with fresh oil. If it has been a particularly long time in between changes or the oil is noticeably dirty, we may run some fresh oil with some cleaner through the engine to break up any clogs and remove any lingering detritus. Once that’s done, we’ll return your Lexus car or SUV so you can drive off.
Now that you know the signs that indicate your vehicle needs an oil change, schedule your next service appointment with the team at Ira Lexus of Danvers, local to the North Andover, Peabody, and Danvers, Massachusetts, communities.
Contact our service center for your next oil change today!
