How to Top Up Your Engine Oil and Coolant Properly

Oil stops your engine from tearing itself apart. Coolant stops it from melting. If you wait for a dashboard warning light, the damage is already done. Here is how to check and top up both fluids in under five minutes.

Part 1: Checking and Topping Up Engine Oil

Step 1: Preparation

Park your car on level ground. If you check the oil on a hill, it pools at one end of the engine and gives a false reading. Turn the engine off and wait ten minutes so the oil drains back into the pan.

Step 2: Checking the Dipstick

Find the dipstick—usually marked with a yellow or orange ring. Pull it out, wipe it clean with a rag, push it all the way back in, and pull it out again.

Look at the end of the stick. You'll see two marks. The oil level should be halfway between "Min" and "Max". If it sits at or below the "Min" line, top it up.

Step 3: Topping Up

Find the oil filler cap on top of the engine block. Check your owner's manual for the exact grade of oil your car needs (like 5W-30).

Pour the oil in slowly using a funnel. Do not overfill. The gap between "Min" and "Max" on the dipstick is usually one liter. If your level is halfway, only add half a liter. Wait a few minutes, check the dipstick again, and tighten the filler cap.

Part 2: Checking and Topping Up Engine Coolant

Step 1: Safety First

Never open the coolant reservoir or radiator cap when the engine is hot. The cooling system is pressurized. Opening a hot cap sprays boiling liquid in your face. Only check the coolant when the engine has been sitting overnight and is completely cold.

Step 2: Checking the Level

Find the coolant expansion tank. It's a clear plastic jug filled with pink, green, or blue liquid. Look at the "Min" and "Max" lines on the side. If the liquid sits below "Min", top it up.

Step 3: Choosing the Right Coolant

Never mix different colors of coolant. Mixing them causes a chemical reaction that turns the liquid into sludge, destroying your water pump. Check your manual for the exact spec (OAT, HOAT, G12, G13).

Check if you have "Pre-Mixed" or "Concentrated" coolant. Pre-mixed pours straight in. Concentrated must be mixed 50/50 with distilled water. Never use tap water—the minerals will calcify inside your engine.