The Dangers of Driving with Low Oil Level

Oil is a fluid that routinely circulates through your vehicle's engine as you operate the vehicle. Oil needs to routinely circulate through the engine for the engine to run properly. Your vehicle's engine also needs enough oil so that it can continue to function as you expect it to. There are several reasons why oil is such an important fluid for your vehicle.
 
The Roles that Oil Plays in an Engine
Oil plays a multitude of roles in a vehicle's engine. Primarily, oil provides lubrication for an engine, preventing the many rapidly-moving parts in the engine from grinding against one another. As oil cycles around an engine and interacts with the parts of the engine, it leaves a thin film over the parts. This film provides a layer of protection between the parts of the engine.
 
An engine produces an exceptional amount of heat as it runs. Oil absorbs and dissipates the heat of an engine as it circulates around the engine. The circulation of oil allows it to disperse heat away from an engine's internal components.
 
Oil serves as an internal maintenance item for a vehicle's engine, continually keeping the internals of the engine clean as it circulates around the engine. Oil gathers debris from the components of an engine and carries the debris into a canister of the engine that is known as the oil filter. The oil filter separates the debris from the oil and sends the oil back into the vehicle's engine clean.
 
How a Low Oil Level Will Harm Your Vehicle's Engine
When the oil level of your vehicle's engine is low, the oil will be unable to perform its duties properly. Primarily, there will not be enough oil in the engine to coat the internal components of the engine and provide lubrication between these components. Resultingly, there will be an increased amount of friction between the components of your vehicle's engine, causing the engine to wear out faster.
 
Without an adequate supply of oil, your engine will not be able to fully expel its heat. The increased amount of friction in the engine will also produce more heat in the engine. As a result, your vehicle's engine may begin to experience irreversible damage that is caused by overheating, which can be catastrophic for the engine.
 
The oil that is in your vehicle's engine will get increasingly dirtier when the engine's oil level is low. The oil will eventually be unable to pick up and carry away any more debris within the engine.
 
How to Check Your Vehicle's Oil Level
Checking the oil level of your vehicle's engine is a simple process that can primarily be done in one of two ways. The most simple way to check your vehicle's oil level is to access the oil level menu of your vehicle, if your vehicle is equipped with the technology that provides this feature. Many modern vehicles allow drivers to check the oil levels of their vehicles' engines simply by pressing a few buttons and navigating through a series of menus. An oil level reading is provided to these drivers by oil level sensors that are in their vehicles' engines.
 
If your vehicle is equipped with a traditional dipstick, then you can use the dipstick to check the oil level of the vehicle's engine. Before accessing the engine's dipstick, you will first need to make sure that your vehicle is parked on a flat surface and that the vehicle's engine has cooled down. Once your vehicle is on a flat surface, you will need to locate the dipstick that is in the engine and remove it from its tube. After removing the dipstick, you will then need to take a rag and wipe off any of the existing oil that is on the dipstick. Subsequently, you will need to place the dipstick all the way back into its tube and remove it once again. After removing the dipstick again, note where the oil level is on the dipstick. The level of oil on your engine's dipstick should be between the "maximum" and "minimum" markings that are labeled on the dipstick.
 
Oil Change Routine
Changing the oil in your vehicle routinely will allow you to make sure that your vehicle's engine has enough oil and that the oil is fresh. Manufacturers generally recommend that drivers change the oil of their vehicles at least once every 3,000 miles. However, there are some blends of oil that can last for up to 10,000 miles and more. Therefore, to determine what the best oil change routine for your vehicle is, you should refer to the vehicle's owner's manual.
 
Every engine needs oil to run smoothly and reliably, including the engine of your vehicle. Routinely servicing your vehicle and changing its oil at the recommended intervals will allow you to keep the oil level of its engine at the right amount. If you would like to learn more about how to maintain your vehicle or the oil services that we have to offer, then contact us at Toyota of Jackson. Our dealership extends the many products and services that we have to offer to the residents of Jackson and its many surrounding areas.