Do you have a habit of putting off oil changes? If you do, you’re not alone. Oil changes can feel inconvenient or your might think to yourself that you just got an oil change, so how can it be time for another one? KS Autocare wants you to know just how important oil changes are for your car.
You Might Cause the Engine to Overheat
Did you know that engine oil helps to reduce engine temperatures? It’s actually a key part of the engine cooling process, alongside the cooling system. But when the oil can’t keep up with its part of that job, the engine can very quickly start to overheat. There are so many systems working to keep your car’s engine cooler because heat is absolutely your engine’s biggest enemy. Heat causes a lot of damage.
Gas Mileage Gets Worse
As you go longer and longer between oil changes, you may start to notice that you’re not getting the same gas mileage that you once did. If you don’t make it a habit to track your gas mileage, you might not notice this as quickly, especially if the decrease in gas mileage isn’t severe. But if you’re noticing a huge difference, there might be more going on.
Engine Damage Occurs
When you’re causing the car’s engine to work harder and harder and you’re letting heat build-up, that eventually causes engine damage. That’s not going to happen after one skipped oil change, of course, but over time with a consistent habit of putting off oil changes, you’re going to notice that your car’s engine performance is getting worse and worse. That’s due to damage.
The Engine Might Just Fail
Eventually and with enough engine damage, you might just find yourself looking for an engine replacement. This isn’t as common, but it is a possibility. Most of the car owners who have had this result have completely avoided oil changes altogether, which is definitely the worst idea ever. But it’s good incentive to realize that regular oil changes help to protect the lifespan of your car’s engine, and that is important.
KS Autocare in Elgin, IL can help you to get oil changes when you need them. And if it’s been a little too long since your last oil change, we’ll be happy to check your car’s engine and make sure all is well so that you can confidently keep driving safely.
