Picture this: You’re driving home from the grocery store and hear a “beep” or “bing” from your vehicle’s instrument panel (the section located behind the wheel). When looking at the various gauges and lights, you see the oil sign appear — something that wasn’t illuminated before. When this happens, it means your vehicle is due for an oil change.

Although you do not have to get your oil changed right at that very moment, you should add “call the mechanic” to your to-do list and have it taken care of soon. You might be asking yourself how long your vehicle can go without an oil change; let’s dive in:

When to Get An Oil Change

As we already discussed, you will need to get your vehicle’s oil changed when the oil light becomes illuminated, but it does not have to be done that day. Typically, cars can go between 5,000 to 7,500 miles before you need to schedule an appointment with your mechanic to switch out the motor oil.

Now, if your vehicle relies on synthetic motor oil, you’ll be able to hold off on your oil change a little longer (but not too long). On average, vehicles with synthetic oil can go between 10,000 to 15,000 miles before needing an oil change.

Signs Your Motor Oil Needs to be Changed ASAP

While it’s comforting to know that most vehicle owners don’t have to rush the minute their oil light illuminates, there are some signs that you should be on the lookout for that indicate you need to have your oil changed as soon as possible.

For instance, if you happen to notice the smell of burning oil inside of your vehicle, that can indicate that there’s an oil leak present — which should be addressed immediately. On the other hand, if you’re keeping a close eye on your vehicle and checking the oil, it should be an amber-like color; this indicates that the oil is still relatively okay. However, should the oil appear to be darker than normal (and look to have a gritty consistency), it needs to be changed promptly.

Schedule Your Oil Change Today!

At Advanced Automotive Repair, we help maintain your vehicle so you can swear by it and not at it. To schedule a top-quality oil change in Frederick, Maryland, give us a call at 301-662-4083 or fill out a simple form. We look forward to hearing from you!