If the red oil light comes on
Stop somewhere safe and switch off the engine. Don't keep driving with a red oil light, even for a short way. NRMA says low oil raises friction and heat, and that can cause severe engine damage. Once the engine has cooled, check the level. If it's low, or you're not sure, call roadside assistance instead of restarting. On a busy road, move everyone clear of the traffic first. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000.
What oil change intervals look like
| Normal use | Severe use | |
|---|---|---|
| RAA's general figure | 10,000 km to 15,000 km | Not given |
| One Kia, Australian schedule | 12 months or 15,000 km | 6 months or 7,500 km |
| Toyota HiLux, Prado and LandCruiser | 6 months or 10,000 km | Check the book |
| RACV's advice for hard-worked cars | See your schedule | Around every six months |
Why oil wears out even if you barely drive
Oil does two jobs: it lubricates the engine and carries heat away. NRMA says its protection breaks down through contamination, including droplets of fuel, while the filter slowly clogs. That's a large part of why makers set oil changes by time as well as distance.
A car doing short trips has it hardest. One Kia manual treats repeated trips under 8 km as severe use, which surprises people who assume a car that barely moves has it easy. RAC WA's warning is plain: leave the oil too long and it turns to gunk, clogs and eventually damages the engine.
When to use the severe schedule
- Repeated short trips, where the engine doesn't fully warm up.
- Long periods of idling or slow driving.
- Heavy traffic and stop-start driving.
- Dusty, rough or unsealed roads.
- Towing, or carrying a heavy load or roof load.
- Repeated hill or mountain driving.
- Taxi and other commercial work.
- Using an oil your maker doesn't recommend. Kia lists this as a severe condition by itself.
What oil does my car need?
Your owner's handbook has the answer. RACQ says to start there, and look for two things: the viscosity (how thick the oil is) and the minimum service rating (the quality standard it has to meet). The oil has to meet both.
Viscosity is the part you've seen on the bottle. In 10W-40, the 10W shows it behaves like a thin oil when cold, with W for winter, and the 40 shows it behaves like a heavier oil when hot. Service ratings are the codes beside it, usually API, ACEA or ILSAC, and some Japanese engines ask for JASO.
Some makers go further and set their own specification, which RACQ says should be shown in the handbook. Using the wrong oil can hurt the engine's running, its fuel use and how long it lasts, so a bottle that merely looks close isn't good enough. If you can't find the handbook, a mechanic who services your make can tell you.
How to check your oil
Park on flat ground
NRMA says a slope can throw the reading off.
Switch off and wait
Give it around 10 minutes after a drive, unless your maker says otherwise, or check it before the first start of the day.
Pull the dipstick and wipe it
It usually has a bright ring handle. Push it fully back in, then pull it out again to read it.
Read the level
RAC WA says it should sit between the two marks, preferably closer to the high one. Some newer cars have no dipstick, so check the manual.
Look at the colour
RAC WA says clean oil is a light golden-brown, and darker oil may need changing.
Do it regularly
NRMA and RAC WA both say at least once a month, and before long trips. RAA says every week in older cars.
Can you go by the colour of the oil?
Not by itself. NRMA says oil starts gold and clear and turns black and opaque as it does its job, so dark oil is a reason to check the last service date. It isn't proof that the oil's finished. Clean-looking oil isn't proof of the opposite either. The date and the odometer are better guides than your eyes.
What you can do, and what to leave
You can
- Check the level monthly, on flat ground, with the engine off.
- Top up with the oil your handbook names, in small amounts, then recheck.
- Read the oil grade and interval in the owner's manual.
- Keep your service invoices, which should name the oil used.
Leave to the mechanic
- Draining the oil and changing the filter, with the car safely on a hoist.
- Getting rid of the old oil properly.
- Finding out why the level keeps dropping.
- Looking into an oil light or a burning oil smell.
Our take
Go by the book, and be honest about how you drive. If the car mostly does short runs, sits in traffic or tows, use the severe schedule where your handbook has one, or ask the mechanic what they'd do. Have the oil done with the service so the filter gets changed and the record stays clean. Check the level yourself once a month, because an engine low on oil is a far bigger job than a five-minute look at a dipstick.
Who should do your oil change?
Any good mechanic can change oil. What matters is that they use what your engine asks for, and that gets more particular on European cars, turbo diesels and late-model engines. A mechanic who works on your make will know the specification without looking it up, and can spot a slow leak while the car's in the air.
Tell us the job and the car when you're ready. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.