Third of drivers leave oil checks for over four months, finds Castrol

59% of car owners have delayed oil checks by up to three months, while a further 31% have left it for four months or longer, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by Castrol.

Castrol recommended that drivers check their engine oil at least once every 1,000 miles, and always before a long trip.

When asked ‘How often is the oil level of your car checked?’, only 24% of drivers said at least once a month, compared to 26% once every three months, 19% once every six months, and 16% at least once a year.

Older drivers were most likely to leave a longer period between checks, with 22% of those 65 or older saying the level is checked just once per year.

Those in London were most likely to conduct a regular check of the oil level, with 49% saying they do so at least once per month, compared to just 9% of those in the South-West.

A clear majority (80%) of car owners say they know how to check the oil level in their current car, although that proportion is lower among women (70%) than men (92%).

6% of all car owners admitted to having never checked the oil level on a car.

The survey also found that most respondents (79%) would feel confident in judging how much oil to put in their own car engine if the indicated oil level was low.