Any modern-day vehicle comes with an engine oil replacement interval of ten thousand kilometres or more. Nevertheless, due to increasing traffic and lowering speeds, a vehicle engine runs for a longer period and increases engine oil consumption. Low and high engine oil levels can be harmful and have adverse effects on your vehicle's performance.

Therefore, knowing how to check the engine oil level becomes imperative.

Continue reading this article and know the steps required to check the engine oil level in a car!

The process of checking a vehicle's engine oil is a simple and quick maintenance project which almost any individual can do by themselves. Steps to check the engine oil level of a car are – 

• Step 1: Find a fluff-free rag or a piece of old fabric to check the engine oil level.
• Step 2: In case you are not accustomed to what’s under the bonnet of your car, read the owner’s manual of your vehicle. You will find information about where to locate the dipstick. 
• Step 3: Warm up your car before checking the engine oil. 
• Step 4: Ensure that your car is turned off before beginning the process of oil checking. 
• Step 5: Pop up the hood by pulling the handle on the inside of your car and pressing the lever underneath the middle of the hood. 
• Step 6: Find the dipstick. In most car models, a dipstick can be located on the engine's left. Usually, it is an orange or yellow circular handle and is easily visible. Pull this handle, and a long metal piece will come out of the car engine. 
• Step 7: Once pulled out, clean the dipstick with the rag or cloth and put it back all the way in the engine. 
• Step 8: After a second, pull it out and check if the oil mark is between the maximum and minimum markings.

Engine oil is the most important lubricant used during car servicing. It plays a very crucial role in the combustion cycle by keeping the engine cool. It also ensures that the piston rings of the internal combustion engine are properly sealed. The uses of this wonder liquid are –

• Provides lubrication to the components of the engine during combustion cycle.
• Neutralises the acids produced during the combustion process in an engine.
• Cleans out the sludge from the engine block.
• Protects and prevents the cylinder blocks from corrosion and rust. 

When a vehicle’s engine oil level is low, the lubrication of engine components stops and causes knocking, grinding and loud clunking sounds. Moreover, it can break the engine rods.

A high engine oil level puts extra pressure on the engine components and causes leakage. Overflow of engine oil can bend engine rods and collapse the valve pipes. Moreover, if excess oil reaches spark plugs, it will damage them.

Now that you know the important pointers to keep in mind while checking your car's engine oil level, let us learn how to top up your engine with engine oil. 

• Step 1: Remove the cap of oil filler and pour engine oil carefully, using a funnel. 
• Step 2: If you have confusion on how much oil you will need, pour a little at a time. 
• Step 3: Wait for a few minutes so that the oil reaches the bottom of the car engine.
• Step 4: Recheck the engine oil level again with a dipstick. 
• Step 5: Make sure that you do not overpour the engine oil as it can adversely affect the car engine.

Here are some of the important tips to keep in mind when you check the engine oil level in your car –

• In case oil does not reach the holes or markings of the dipstick, you need to add a minimum of one quart of engine oil. Furthermore, you need to add engine oil immediately if you cannot see oil markings on the dipstick.
• Check if there is a rise in engine oil level. Condensed water, coolant leakage and condensed fuel can cause this issue.
• In some instances, oil on the dipstick has dirt particles or sludgy deposits which indicates that it's time to change the engine oil.
• If you see dried residue or brown bubbles above the oil line on the dipstick, it indicates that there is a coolant leakage. In such a case, you should go for engine servicing immediately.