Car Repair: How To Avoid A Costly Car Repair Job With Proper Maintenance

How important is it to heed a car dashboard warning light when it comes on? Is it okay to drive a few blocks away with the light on or do you need to park it instantly? When do you need to worry and when can you ignore it for a little while longer at least?

The answer will depend on how much money you are prepared to put into your car repair bills. Oil, as most of you probably know is the life blood of your car and when your engine is running low or dry on oil it will likely seize up. The question you need to ask yourself when your oil light comes on, is do you feel lucky? If you miscalculate and drive with no oil in your car to lubricate your engine, you will end up with a very costly car repair job. Most likely the engine will have to be rebuilt or replaced if it does in fact seize up. The alternative is to stop driving and check your oil as soon as you can safely do so.

To check your oil, park your car on level ground where you will be out of the way of traffic. You should make sure your engine is cold or at least cool and then pull out the oil dipstick and wipe it off. Reinsert the dipstick and pull it out again being careful to not hold it upside down for your reading. If your oil on the dipstick is at the bottom reading or absent you need to add oil. If your reading is in the middle range of the dipstick you are probably okay but if your light is still on, you may have a malfunctioning light that should be looked at.

Once you add a few quarts of oil, or whatever amount the dipstick indicates you need, recheck your dipstick to ensure your oil levels are where they should be. Ideally you should have a funnel, a rag and a few quarts of oil at the ready in your car so you are prepared to handle maintenance emergencies on the fly. But of course the best way to avoid the problem in the first place is to make sure you check your oil regularly and have your oil and oil filters changed out as your car manufacture recommends.

By staying on top of your car maintenance issues and paying attention to dashboard warning lights, you can avoid costly car repair problems down the road.