![]() It will be the second of two dipsticks on the engine, usually colored red. For best results, do this while the engine is running and fully warmed up (either in neutral or park, depending on the make and model). This could point to a blown head gasket or another serious issue. If your oil appears milky or foamy, it could be contaminated with coolant.If you notice any, get your car into a shop to have it looked at. Keep a close eye on the ground under the spot where you normally park to look for telling oil stains. Repeated, dramatic loss of engine oil could be a symptom of a leak.It’s possible for your car’s oil to break down and become less effective even if it’s just sitting in the driveway. Even if you don't drive the specified number of miles, it’s a good idea to replace your oil about once every six months, or more frequently if you do a lot of driving. Schedule your oil changes based on time rather than mileage alone.X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source A car can run on slightly darkened oil just fine, so it’s better to go by the schedule than the color alone. If your oil looks dirty, review your car's records to see when the oil was last changed. Dirty engine oil will typically be black or dark brown. ![]() Clean engine oil is a translucent golden color. If the oil level is too low, you’ll need to add an appropriate motor oil right away. Double check the markings you see against the diagrams in your owner's manual. The dipstick has markings on it indicating a range of acceptable oil levels (usually notched, dimpled, or scribed).That way, the oil in the return galleries, cylinder head valleys, and other components will have a chance to drain, preventing false readings. Always check the oil after the car has had an hour or so to cool down.When you’re done, secure the dipstick back in its opening. Pull the dipstick out again and observe the oil level. Use a paper towel or rag to wipe the dipstick clean, then re-insert the dipstick into its opening and push it in as far as it will go. Pull the dipstick all the way out, taking care to release any clips that might be holding it in place. X Expert Source Ed BeeryĪutomotive Specialist Expert Interview. Locate the yellow or white oil dipstick protruding from the top of the engine and hook your finger through the loop. This could be a serious malfunction where coolant is no longer circulating the engine (faulty coolant pump) or it could be an electrical wiring (check connections) or sensor fault (temperature sensor or level sensor) causing the coolant warning light to flash.Start by checking your engine oil. Flashing: If the engine coolant light is flashing, it means there’s a fault with the cooling system.An audible alert may also be heard depending on your vehicle. Illuminate steady: This means the engine coolant is too hot and the engine is overheating.The engine coolant light may illuminate steady on or it may flash: There’s a fault with the cooling system.The engine coolant fluid level is too low.The outside temperature is high and the air passing through the radiator is warm and not cooling the system sufficiently.This could be that the vehicle is towing or carrying a heavy load or that the vehicle is being driven fast with high engine speeds (RPM). This could be due to or a combination of: The red engine coolant warning light means that the coolant fluid is too hot and that the engine is overheating. If the vehicle is stationary, a radiator cooling fan comes on, pushing air through the radiator. When the vehicle is moving, air passes through the radiator fins that in turn, cools the coolant passing through the radiator. The engine coolant itself is kept cool due to passing through a radiator. Engine coolant does however begin to boil at around 106☌. This prevents the coolant from from freezing in most cold climates, therefore preventing engine damage.Īnother benefit of antifreeze is that is raises the boiling point to help prevent the fluid from evaporating it also means that the fluid will not boil at 100☌. Normal water freezes at 0☌, engine coolant freezes at -35☌. The benefits of using coolant over plain water this is that it lowers the freezing point of the liquid. When you pour 50 / 50 ration of antifreeze and water (or a pre-made solution) into your coolant reservoir, this mixture forms the coolant. ![]() The antifreeze solution itself is made up of Ethylene glycol or propylene glycol and distilled water. This water (or ‘coolant’) consists of a mixture of antifreeze and water. ![]() Car engines are kept cool by use of water that constantly circulates around the hot engine components.
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