How To Check Your Engine Oil

Checking your engine oil level is one of the most important checks that ever driver should be doing regularly. Checking your car oil takes a few minutes and involves lifting the bonnet, locating the dipstick and finding the current levels.

There’s no need to fear your car’s engine as everything is clearly marked and accessible. Our experts have crated this guide to help anyone check their car engine oil.

Why check engine oil?

Engine oil lubricates the moving parts of the engine. If your car’s oil level gets too low the engine might overheat causing potentially catastrophic damage to the moving parts. Low oil levels could cause your engine and other essential components to seize up, leading to costly repairs.

You should make an oil check part of your routine car maintenance. It’s especially important to check engine oil (and all other vital fluids, including brake fluid and coolant) before starting a long trip.

Step-by-step guide to checking your car’s engine oil level

If you've never done it before, it's a quick and simple test to do - all you need is a clean cloth or paper towel and to know how to locate the dipstick. Your car’s engine can also get dirty, greasy and grimy, so a pair of plastic gloves can also be useful.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to checking your car’s engine oil:

1. Prepare your vehicle

To make sure you get an accurate reading, park your car on level ground and ensure the engine is cool.

2. Locate the dipstick

The dipstick is located under the bonnet at the side of the engine. It normally has a brightly coloured handle to make it easy to find. When you have located it, gently pull the stick from its tube. It may take a little force, but it’ll come out eventually.

If your car’s engine bay is dirty, greasy or grimy wear some gloves.

3. Clean the dipstick with a cloth or paper towel

Use a clean cloth or paper towel to wipe the oil off the length of the dipstick. It’s especially important to clean the lowest part where you’ll see the oil level markers.

4. Locate the oil level markers

Once the dipstick is clean, you should be able to see the two oil level markers at the end of the dipstick. These might be notches on the sides, pinholes, 'H' and 'L' (high and low), or cross hatch markings.

5. Check the oil level

Carefully insert the dipstick back into its tube, all the way in, then pull it out again. The oil should leave a mark on the dipstick. Ideally, it will be between the upper and lower markers. If it is below the lower one, you need to top up. If it is above the higher one, you may need to drain some oil off.

What should I do if my oil level is low?

If your car’s oil level is low, you’ll need to top it up. We’ve created this guide with details of how to top up your car oil.

It’s important that you use the right oil for your car. Of course, you can check your car’s handbook, but the easiest way is to use our engine oil finder tool. Add your registration and you’ll see a selection of semi-synthetic and fully-synthetic oils suitable for your car.