You shouldn't just look at the kilometers to change the oil
Many car owners have a habit of taking a fixed kilometer marker to change oil, for example 5,000 km. However, according to a car repair technician at Ninety Eight Auto (Cat Lai ward, Ho Chi Minh City), the time of oil change also depends on the type of oil, operating conditions and usage time.
In the current market, semi-synthetic oil and total synthetic oil are common types. Each product has different usage recommendations, so one kilometer mark should not be applied to all types of oil.
With semi-synthetic oil, some products can be announced by manufacturers as having a capacity of about 6,000-7,000 km in suitable conditions. Meanwhile, total synthetic oil has products recommended at a higher level, even about 10,000-15,000 km.
However, these numbers do not mean that every car can run to that exact milestone before changing the oil. Practical conditions such as frequent traffic congestion, long stops, continuous acceleration and deceleration, or operating in a high temperature environment can make the oil work harder.
Therefore, users should prioritize the time and kilometers of oil replacement recommended by the car manufacturer or oil manufacturer. For vehicles operating in heavy conditions, car owners may need to shorten the oil replacement cycle.
Rare cars still need to pay attention to time
Another case that is often overlooked is cars that are rarely used. If only based on kilometers, some cars have not reached the oil change milestone after a whole year. However, engine oil is not only degraded due to the operating process.
After being opened and put into the engine, the oil comes into contact with air, temperature, moisture and products generated during engine operation. Over time, the oil can oxidize and change properties.
For cars that are often left for a long time without operating, the fact that the oil does not reach the working temperature for a long enough time can also make it difficult to completely remove the moisture. Therefore, even when the car is less, it is still necessary to follow the oil replacement timeline according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Car owners should also not understand that changing the oil earlier always means that the engine is better protected. Changing it too early when the oil still meets the requirements can increase maintenance costs without necessarily bringing corresponding benefits.
The appropriate way is to simultaneously track the kilometers, usage time, operating conditions and manufacturer recommendations. These are important bases to determine the timing of oil changes instead of just relying on a fixed number.
