When you buy a car, you know you're going to have to keep it properly maintained to make sure it continues to drive like it's new. However, you might not know how often you should get your routine Ford oil change to stay within the manufacturer's recommendations.
Manufacturer Recommendation
If your Ford is a 2008 or newer, the manufacturer recommends that you get your oil changed every 7,500 miles. For vehicles that were manufactured in 2007 or earlier, you should bring your car into a service center for a routine oil change every 5,000 miles. Typically, you should never go longer than six or seven months between oil changes, even if you don't reach the 7,500- or 5,000-mile limits depending on the age of your car.
The Driving Habit Factor
Of course, the manufacturer's recommendations for when you should get your oil changed are based on ideal driving conditions. If you regularly drive in stop-and-go traffic (rush hour), only drive short distances, drive in excessive heat or cold, tow or haul heavy loads, or often drive off-road, you will need to get your oil changed more often. Check with your service center technician to determine an appropriate interval for your habits. You may need to come in once a quarter.
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor
All Ford vehicles manufactured in 2011 or later are equipped with an Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor, which alerts you when your oil needs to be changed. You'll see a notice on your instrument cluster that either tells you to change your oil soon or that your oil change is required. Do not ignore this alert, even if you think you haven't driven the minimum number of miles since your last service. The system knows when the oil needs to be changed.
Synthetic Oil
Many vehicles are switching to synthetic oil rather than using the conventional oil of the past. While synthetic oil is more expensive than conventional oil, it lasts a lot longer before breaking down. You can often go 15,000 miles between oil changes if you use synthetic oil. Many brand new vehicles should only use synthetic oil, but if you drive an older model, you can stick with conventional oil without any problems, especially if it has a lot of miles.
Signs You Need an Oil Change
If you don't have a vehicle that's equipped with the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor, you may need to know when your car is telling you it needs an oil change. The most obvious sign is that your oil warning light is illuminated. In fact, this might be a sign of something even more sinister, which is that your car has run out of oil. A service check is absolutely immediately necessary if you see your oil light come on.
You can also tell if you need an oil change by looking at the color. When you check your oil using your car's dipstick, it will be a clear amber color when it's clean. When it's dirty and in need of a change, it will be an opaque brown or black.
Getting your Ford's oil changed regularly is one of the best things you can do to keep it running at its best. Contact Matthews Ford to schedule your oil change appointment today.