Changing the oil in your used Toyota car, truck, or SUV can seem time-consuming and costly. However, oil changes are an important and inexpensive part of a vehicle’s regular maintenance. Whether your used Toyota’s engine runs on conventional oil, synthetic oil, or any kind of synthetic blend, forgetting to change your oil can cause issues that are far more costly than providing your car with fresh oil at the recommended time.

As a car owner in the Baton Rouge area, it’s important to understand why a used Corolla, used Camry, or used RAV4 requires regular oil changes and why oil is so important to the performance and longevity of an engine. Luckily, Team Toyota is your trusted used Toyota dealership near Baton Rouge, Prairieville, and Gonzales, and our team is eager to provide you with the information you need to take care of your vehicle and its engine for years to come.

What Does Oil Do For My Used Car?

Simply put, motor oil provides the necessary lubrication for the moving parts of your engine. This lubrication works to avoid creating friction that can cause costly damage. If there’s too much friction in your engine, it can cause the metal parts to heat up and cause the vehicle to seize up. Oil not only lubricates these metal parts, but it also assists in keeping them cool and clean since your engine creates by-products from combustion every time it runs.

Why Does My Oil Need to Be Changed?

When you’re racking up mileage, the oil in your engine is constantly working to keep your engine running efficiently and to keep it from collecting too much debris. Over time, when enough debris is picked up, the oil becomes thicker and changes color from brown to darker brown, or even black, and becomes less effective in cooling, lubricating, and cleaning the moving parts of your engine.

Because of this, it is important to replace the oil at the recommended interval to keep your engine running the best it can to preserve the life of your vehicle.

How Can I Tell That It’s Time for an Oil Change?

While it’s important to know the unique intervals of your vehicle based on your car’s engine type and recommended oil, there are also some telltale signs that it’s time to get the motor oil in your used Toyota changed. Here are a few of the most common signs that you’ll need to keep an eye out for.

• Check Engine/Oil Change Light: If this light comes on, it’s because your vehicle is detecting low oil pressure which can come from low oil, dirty oil, or an oil leak.
• Smell of Oil: If you can smell the motor oil from the cabin of your vehicle, it means there’s likely a leak and you’ll want to get that checked out as soon as you can.
• Dark Brown or Black Oil Color: Checking your oil with the dipstick is easy and should be done anytime you’re worried or unsure about your oil quality or levels. If the oil looks dark brown or black, the oil has accumulated too much dirt or debris and needs to be changed.
• Loud Engine Performance or Knocking Noises: If your oil is old or dirty, it won’t lubricate the moving parts of your engine as smoothly and the higher friction will cause your engine to make more noise.
• Ticking Sounds When Starting: As soon as you start your used Toyota, the engine will immediately start circulating the motor oil. If the texture of your oil is off, the engine will need more time and effort than it should to run properly. This may cause a “ticking” noise as the engine warms up which comes from the valves working to move the oil effectively.
• More Mileage Than Your Usual Commute: As a good rule of thumb, when you return from a long vacation or work-trip, change your oil right away.

Get an Oil Change for your Used Toyota in Baton Rouge

At Team Toyota, we care about putting you in a vehicle that will last, as well as providing you with continued service for the duration of your time on the roads of Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas. If you’re still searching for the right vehicle, check out our extensive inventory of used Toyota cars, SUVs, and trucks. If you have a vehicle that needs service or parts, visit our service center, schedule an appointment, or check out our service and parts specials to save on your next visit.

Tags: camry service, corolla service, rav4 service, team toyota service, toyota service
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