The Importance of Changing Oil in Cars that are Rarely Used
Changing the oil of a car that is rarely used is something that most people neglect to do. In fact, changing car oil should still be done, even if the car is rarely used by its owner.
This bad habit stems from the belief that oil will last longer if the car is rarely used. However, this belief is very wrong.
According to Suparna, the Head of Auto2000 Workshop, oil in a car that is rarely used will mix with water vapor in the engine compartment where the oil is located. Water vapor itself arises due to oxidation in the engine compartment of a car that is rarely used.
If oil and water vapor mix, both will eliminate the lubricating function of the car's engine. As a result, the car's engine will be susceptible to rust.
“If the car is rarely used, the oil will automatically settle to the bottom (of the engine compartment). Engine components will become dry and corrosive. The chemical mixture in the oil can also be damaged, causing its function to be lost,” said Suparna as quoted from Kompas.com.
When Should You Change the Oil of a Rarely Used Car?
Many suggest changing the oil when the car has reached a certain mileage, even if the car is rarely used. Usually, the mileage limit for an oil change is 5,000 - 10,000 km.
However, this is no longer applicable. For cars that are rarely used, oil changes should be based on how long the car has been stored. Typically, the ideal time to change the oil of a rarely used car is every 6 or 12 months.
Continue to Maintain a Rarely Used Car
Even if it is rarely used, the car still needs to be maintained. Maintaining a rarely used car is not difficult. You just need to warm up the car for 10 to 15 minutes each day.
While the car is being warmed up, you should turn on the car's AC. This is done to ensure that the car's AC continues to function.
Another maintenance step you can take is to disconnect the battery cable. This is done to prevent the car battery from draining due to the car being rarely used. This maintenance should be done if the car has not been used for more than a week.
Always Check the Oil
A rarely used car actually requires the owner to check the oil more frequently. In fact, it should be checked more often than a car that is used regularly. This is in line with what was stated by the Group Head of After Sales and CS Operation Group PT MMKSI, Boediarto.
“... to maintain vehicle performance, checking and changing the engine oil is necessary. Primarily, this should be done through periodic maintenance as written in the car's manual book or official workshop,” he said as quoted from iNews.
If necessary, you can add oil volume in the engine compartment, especially if the oil appears to be reduced due to the car being rarely used. This was stated by Lubricants Technical Manager PT Shell Indonesia, Shofwatuzzaki.
“There are many reasons for oil reduction. If the car is old, it may leak or there may be engine components that are no longer precise. In such cases, the oil needs to be added. Because, the oil has already dropped (to the bottom of the engine compartment) before the oil change time,” he said as quoted from mobil123.com.
Changing the oil of a rarely used car is something that most people neglect to do. In fact, changing the car oil should still be done, even if the car is rarely used by its owner.
This bad habit stems from the belief that oil will last longer if the car is rarely used. However, this belief is very wrong. In fact, oil in a rarely used car will make it vulnerable to damage. Therefore, changing the oil of a rarely used car becomes very important to do.
Author: Anggie Warsito
