How to Check Your Engine Oil: A Step-by-Step Guide
Published Jan 09, 2026
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Cars may look straightforward on the outside, but their inner workings consist of several essential parts that must function in tandem to keep the vehicle working. Oil lubricates parts so they don’t grind together and wear down, and it cleans out debris that can affect engine performance. To put it simply, oil is to an engine what lotion is to your skin. It lubricates, cools, and helps prevent cracks and damage.
Depending on the size of a car’s engine, it needs about 4-8 quarts of oil to function correctly. Experts recommend checking your oil every 1,000 miles.
It is also important to consider that many modern cars have built-in oil monitoring systems that automatically track oil levels. These systems alert you when oil levels are out of range, so you may not need to rely on a dipstick as often.
Still, it’s a good idea to know how to check your oil manually, especially if your car doesn’t have an automatic check system or if you want to confirm the reading yourself. If you’re worried about your car’s oil level but unsure how to check it manually, just read our helpful guide to get the necessary information.
1. Park and prepare
When checking your oil, you’ll first want to make sure your car is stationary and steady. Find a level surface to park on, because even minor slopes can cause inaccurate oil readings. Next, it’s time to switch your engine off and wait 5-10 minutes before you get to work. Failing to do this can come back to bite you later if your skin brushes against hot aluminum and gets burned.
Note: Certain manufacturers advise drivers to check their oil with a warm engine, because warm oil flows better and can give you a more accurate reading. Therefore, consult your vehicle's manual before you begin.
2. Find and clean the dipstick
Once your engine’s had sufficient time to cool down, open the hood of your car. To do this, just find the small lever typically positioned on the driver’s side near the dashboard. Once you’ve popped the hood, find your engine’s dipstick.
A dipstick is a metal stick that’s inserted into a car’s engine and used to read oil. The size of dipsticks varies, but you’ll want to look for a skinny metal rod with an orange or yellow handle at the end.
Sometimes, a dipstick is labeled with an image of an oil can or text reading “OIL”. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean of any residual oil with a clean cloth, a Brillo pad, or a paper towel. If you don’t wipe it off, oil that has splashed on it may cause inaccurate readings.
3. Complete a reading
Place the dipstick back into the tube it came from, typically near the front of the engine bay on the driver’s side. This tube leads into the oil pan, a reservoir where oil collects at the bottom of an engine.
Push the dipstick as far as it can go inside its tube, or the reading you get could be faulty. On the dipstick, you’ll notice two markings. These are often labeled “MIN” and “MAX”, L and H (for high and low), or simply identified by a top pinhole and bottom pinhole.
As you begin the oil reading, you should also take a moment to inspect your car’s oil. Dark or gritty engine oil can indicate that it’s dirty, and you should schedule an oil change if you notice your vehicle’s oil isn’t fresh. Fresh oil should be a gold or amber color.
Regardless of how your vehicle’s dipstick is marked, your oil level should fall between the two extremes. If it’s below the minimum mark, you need to add oil. Low oil levels can lead to overheating, debris buildup, and ultimately engine failure.
Too much oil can also cause foaming, reducing the oil’s lubricative properties, so it’s important to check that yours falls within the correct zone. The safest move is to drain the extra oil until the level sits between the “MIN” and “MAX” marks on your dipstick. You can accomplish this by sliding a drain pan under your car’s oil pan, the metal pan at the bottom of the engine. Find the drain plug, loosen it slowly with a wrench, and drain the oil a little at a time. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, you can stop by the mechanic for help
If oil is visible on the low end of the dipstick, add approximately half a quart of oil. If there’s no oil on the dipstick at all, it’s a sign that your oil is substantially low and you should add roughly a quart.
4. Wait a moment and check again
After topping off your engine oil, wait a few minutes before checking again to allow it to settle into the crankcase. After waiting, reinsert the dipstick and confirm that the level falls between the minimum and maximum marks.
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