This simple gesture will help you avoid breakdowns and unforeseen events during your trips

Although on the outside they look like robust machines, cars are delicate in some respects and need some care and a little pampering. Keeping your reviews up to date and keeping an eye out for unusual sounds or behavior can save you from a costly breakdown.

Many times, the care that cars require are usually solved with small gestures that, in time, prevent unforeseen events and mechanical damage that can occur at any time, even while we are traveling.

One of these preventive habits is checking the engine oil level. This fluid helps the gears move without rubbing or wearing each other, so having it always in the right measure and of good quality can save the life of the car engine.

Beyond changing this fluid periodically, when indicating the manufacturer either by counting kilometers or months, it is also important before leaving for a trip to make sure that the engine oil tank is full . And the gesture to check it is very simple.

How to check the oil level

The most modern vehicles are equipped with sensors that warn when the levels of, among other liquids, oil drop. But still, it is imperative to know how to check the engine oil level manually, in case the electronic system fails.

The first step is to locate the dipstick: it is usually located near the engine and indicated by a striking label. Once we know where it is, it’s time to start the checks.

To ensure that the level is correct, it is important to park the car in a completely flat area, as the slope of the terrain could distort the measurement.

We extract the dipstick, clean it and, with the engine off , we insert it into the engine oil tank. It has to touch the bottom before removing it. The dipstick has two lines that mark the maximum and minimum amount of oil that must be present: when removing it, the stain left by the oil in the tank must be between these two marks.

And the fact is that the engine oil has to be in its proper measure: little is harmful to the engine but if the tank is too full it can cause problems and increase the temperature of the car engine.