How Do I Know When I Need an Oil Change?

Here at Folsom Lake Kia, we are a full-service Kia dealership serving the northern California region with a huge selection of new and pre-owned Kia cars, like the 2016 Kia Optima and the Kia Sorento. We pride ourselves in our superior customer service, as our ultimate goal is to ensure that everybody who walks through our front doors walks out satisfied. We also are known for our service center, where a number of friendly and qualified mechanics can get your car back into tip-top shape by performing crucial services such as oil changes.

If you're a vehicle owner, one of the most important aspects of vehicle ownership is getting regular maintenance, and one of the most important services to get performed on your car is an oil change. Keeping fresh oil in your car is essential if you want to keep it running at optimal efficiency. If you're thinking you can skip that regular oil change, think again, because oil in your car's engine is as vital to your car as blood is to your body. Oil works as a lubricant in your engine and lets metal press against metal without damage. For instance, it lubricates the pistons as they move up and down in the cylinders. The cleaner and fresher the oil, the more effective it is at doing its job.

If you were to stop changing your oil, the first thing that would happen is that dirt would accumulate in your oil. While the filter will remove the dirt for a while, the filter will eventually begin to clog and the dirty oil will automatically bypass the filter through a relief valve. Dirty oil is thick and abrasive, which means it causes more wear. Moreover, additives in the oil like detergents, dispersants, rust-fighters, and friction reducers will eventually wear out, so the oil won't lubricate as well as it should. As the oil gets dirtier and dirtier, it will stop lubricating as it should and the engine will quickly wear and fail.

If you think your car is in need of an oil change, we invite you to our Kia Service Center, where we perform oil changes on not only Kia cars, but all brands and models. In addition to performing oil changes, our highly-qualified expert mechanics perform a variety of other services, including tire rotations, brake work, and air conditioner repair. If you're looking to save money, there are constantly rotating Service Specials on our website.  

Now that you know what happens when you don't regularly change your oil, you know how important it is to visit our Kia Service Center to get your car back into top shape. We'd recommend changes every 5,000 miles in mild conditions and 3,000 miles in severe conditions. Our Kia Service Center is the place to get your oil changes in Folsom, Sacramento, Roseville, and El Dorado Hills, CA, because you can conveniently schedule an appointment online, our mechanics are highly-qualified, and we offer a number of service specials. If you're ready to get your car looked at, head on over to our Kia dealership located at 12751 Folsom Boulevard today!