Motor oil is your engine’s number one defense against excessive wear and tear. When deciding how frequently to change your engine’s oil, there are several factors to take into consideration. In this article, we’ll consider a few key factors that should determine how often to visit your local Ford dealership for an oil change.
How Often Should Your Ford Get an Oil Change?
Under ordinary driving conditions, motor oil typically lasts between 5,000 and 7,500 miles. As most people drive 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year, this usually equates to changing oil once every six months. This interval assumes that you’re not putting your engine and oil under greater-than-usual strain with more severe driving conditions.
Normal Driving Conditions
Ordinary driving conditions involve an even balance of local and highway driving on mostly flat or near-flat roads. As temperatures affect motor oil, normal conditions also mean driving in a relatively mild climate with non-extreme weather patterns. If this description matches your daily driving experience, you can probably safely change our oil every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, or once every six months.
Severe Driving Conditions
Anything outside of normal conditions may be considered severe, in which case your motor oil may degrade faster and need to be changed more often. Severe conditions include regular stop-and-go driving in heavy traffic, idling for prolonged periods, long-distance driving at low speeds, and frequent short trips of under five miles.
Extremely cold or hot temperatures also put the engine under more strain. Likewise, towing trailers, carrying particularly heavy loads, or driving through mountainous terrain with many steep roads will be tougher on your oil. Dusty, dirty, salty, or muddy road surfaces can also dirty and degrade motor oil faster. If any of these conditions reflect your daily driving conditions, consider having your oil refreshed twice as frequently as other drivers.
Prevent Your Warranty From Voiding
If your car is currently covered by a powertrain warranty, it’s best to take the warranty’s guidelines for changing oil into account. Meet the manufacturer’s stipulated oil servicing intervals to keep your warranty valid. These guidelines are likely to include a recommended interval for both ordinary and severe driving conditions, so you’ll still need to figure out which category applies to you and your regular driving environment and habits.
Ask a Technician at Your Local Ford Dealership for Advice
It can sometimes be difficult to work out how much strain you’re putting your motor oil under. An experienced technician at your local dealership can help with this.
Describe your daily driving to them so they can judge the ideal interval for you and your car. Over time, by observing the state of your oil over multiple visits, the technician can then suggest adjustments to your servicing schedule as required.
Have your oil checked and refreshed today at McLaughlin Motors Ford. Since 1961, we’ve been matching our valued customers to their ideal vehicles and helping maintain their rides in tip-top condition with top-notch vehicle servicing and repairs.
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