How Long Can a Car Go Without an Oil Change?
In general, vehicles can travel 5,000 to 7,500 miles before needing an oil change. If your particular model uses synthetic oil, drivers can drive 10,000 to 15,000 miles before visiting our service center at Cavender Lexus of Lubbock. With that being said, drivers do have a bit of buffer room between oil changes but should not exceed their limits.
Are you interested in learning more about the importance of oil changes, what signs you may experience when one is needed, and how we perform them at our dealership near Lubbock, Amarillo, and Midland, TX? Continue reading below.
Why You Shouldn't Wait to Have Your Oil Changed
When humans get sick, we take medicine to make sure our bodies can perform normally. When it comes to cars, engine oil is kind of like their medicine. To ensure a healthy engine and vehicle, it will need routine oil changes to make sure everything is working as it's supposed to.
While car engines can operate without oil for a short span of time, this is excessively damaging to your engine. Without fresh oil, all your engine's working parts can grind, rub, and bash against each other when in operation. Oil changes help lubricate all these parts so that they can work together seamlessly.
On top of oil changes putting your vehicle in good health, routine oil service is a great way to ensure your own health and safety. When you go too long without an oil change, this can cause your engine to fail-which runs the risk of a potential accident or engine failure.
Signs It's Time for an Oil Change
Now that you know why oil changes are so important to the safety of you and your Lexus, let's see what signs you can look out for when an oil change is needed!
What You'll Experience Behind the Wheel
The first set of symptoms you may experience are when you're driving your vehicle. Typically, drivers will experience many shifts in performance and handling, such as:
- Increased engine noise
- Ticking sounds at start up
- Check engine light or oil light on
- Transmission shifting issues
- Shaking while idling
You may also smell oil in the cabin as you're driving.
What'll You See
After noticing performance changes in your Lexus, you can start looking for some physical signs of a necessary oil change, such as:
- Oil leaks
- Smokey exhaust
- Low oil levels
- Oil film throughout engine compartment
- Metal flakes or grit in the oil
If your oil is a milky consistency, or black or dark in color, and you've noticed any of the signs above, you should schedule an oil change as soon as possible.
Our Oil Change Services
When it's time for your Lexus vehicle's next oil refresh, you can bring it in to your service center! Wondering why we're the right fit for your oil change needs? Well, for starters, our factory-trained technicians have years of experience completing this simple service. Speaking of which, you'll be in and out in a jiffy when you bring your vehicle to us.
Our state-of-the-art facility is also well-equipped, which means we have all the tools our technicians need to get the job done. Of course, we also have a generous selection of motor oil that your vehicle will need.
Schedule an Oil Change Today
If you need an oil change, don't wait! Give us a call or stop by our shop at Cavender Lexus of Lubbock near Lubbock, Amarillo, and Midland, Texas, today to get squared away.