Subaru Car Oil Change Services: Essential Maintenance Tips for Engine Health and Performance

Do you want your beautiful Subaru to run like a champ? Yes? All right, what you need to do is proper engine care and consistent oil changes. But why is it necessary to change the engine oil? The prime responsibility of the engine oil is to keep the moving engine components at an optimal temperature, lubricated, clean, and protected. Thus, to keep your Subaru engine working efficiently, you must inspect and change the engine oil regularly during routine engine check-ups. Stick to the end of this article to learn interesting maintenance tips and red flags for the engine oil.

Alerts that your Subaru engine needs an oil change

 Oil aroma: Smelling an intense fragrance of the engine oil inside your car cabin while driving is a clear sign of oil seepage.

 Exhaust fumes: If you notice the exhaust smoke is turning blue or grey, it may indicate the engine oil is burning.

 Oil change light: Modern Subaru models have a feature of oil change light that illuminates or flickers on the dashboard when it’s due for an engine oil change.

 Noisy engine: With contaminated or low engine oil, the engine may produce a loud knocking sound that can deteriorate the engine over time if not treated immediately.

Engine oil options for your Subaru

 Conventional oil: It is one of the most affordable engine oils, highly preferred for the old Subaru models.

 Synthetic oil: For modern Subaru models, synthetic engine oil is used to resist high temperatures or excessive engine heat. It provides more safety to the engine as well as upgrades the overall performance of your vehicle.

 Synthetic blend: This engine oil has all the benefits of synthetic oil, plus also available at a cheaper price. So, it is a hybrid of both conventional and synthetic oils.

Tip: Refer to the manufacturer’s manual to know the correct type of engine oil for your Subaru model. Using cheap engine oil can permanently wear and tear different engine components, causing heavy expenditures on unwanted repairs and replacements and ultimately hampering the engine efficiency.

Guidelines to follow for changing your Subaru engine oil

 Collect tools: To change the engine oil, you need specific equipment like an oil filter, an oil drain pan, a funnel, an oil filter wrench, a socket wrench, and new engine oil.

 Pre-warm your Subaru engine: Before changing the engine oil, you must run your car for a while to ensure a better oil flow.

 Raise your vehicle securely: Use a jack to lift your car, but don’t depend on the jack to rest on it completely.

 Discharge the destroyed oil: Put the oil drain pan below the engine oil pan and open the drain plug to allow the old, used oil to drain out of the oil pan.

 Change the oil filter: Remove the dirty oil filter by using the oil filter wrench. Remember to apply a few drops of fresh engine oil to the new oil filter gasket before replacing it.

 Pour new oil: Add new, high-quality engine oil suitable for your Subaru model into the oil pan using the funnel post-drain plug replacement. Tighten the drain plug with the correct torque. Check the oil level with the help of a dipstick and top up more oil as per the requirement.

 Investigate the leaks: After changing the oil, run the engine for some time and inspect for any signs of leaks around the oil filter and the drain plug.

 Test drive: If everything seems perfect, go for a test drive. Observe the engine performance and pay attention to the sounds.

Winding up

Hopefully, now you realize how significant the engine oil is for keeping your Subaru engine working efficiently. You may follow the above mending process to inspect and change the engine oil yourself, but if you lack repair experience, it's better to seek professional assistance to change the oil and the oil filter. You must check the manufacturer’s manual to follow the recommended time interval to change it. Always pay attention to the dashboard warning lights and the other warning signs mentioned above, and visit the nearest Subaru workshop to fix the on-road issues as early as possible. After all, you can enjoy your trip to the fullest if your Subaru engine parts are safe, efficient, and healthy.