One of the most important parts of being a car owner is regular maintenance. Unfortunately, many Americans don’t take that responsibility to heart. According to CARFAX data, approximately 29% of car owners are behind on oil changes. A further 1-in-5 drivers are behind on oil changes and getting their tires rotated. Regular oil changes may seem like a small thing, but if you wait too long, problems are bound to occur. Oil keeps the engine properly lubricated, flushes out debris and sludge, and maintains the engine’s temperature. It also optimizes engine performance and ensures the car is giving the best gas mileage.
Consumer Reports explains that motor oil changes need to occur regularly due to oil aging or wearing out. As oil degrades from heat and pressure, harmful particles begin to collect inside the engine. Also, oil changes are needed even if the car hasn’t been driven for a while because oil breaks down over time.
Still, many do not take proper maintenance seriously, like one woman whose car exploded while she was driving on the freeway because she didn’t change her oil.
Recently, Texan mechanic JohnBrian (@johnbrian210) took to TikTok to remind car owners of what not to do. The video has been viewed over 957,000 times as of publication.
Filmed in first person, JohnBrian begins his video with a text overlay that reads, “One of the Dumbest Things you can do as a Car Owner.”
As he takes a look under the hood of a Hyundai, viewers can hear the engine clunking away. Then, a text overlay explains that the owner brought the car in because their “oil change light keeps flashing” while they were driving. The video skips forward to JohnBrian sitting in the driver’s seat, comparing the odometer to the oil change sticker on the window. The comparison showed that the car owner had driven 9,000 miles more than the recommended service date.
When he checked under the hood again, JohnBrian discovered that there was no oil on the dipstick. Finally, he raised the car and drained the oil. Afterward, he zoomed in on his oil measuring cup and sloshed the contents around. It barely covered the bottom of his measuring cup.
“You can either pick the cost of a oil change, or the cost of a engine. The choice is yours,” he concluded in a text overlay.
@johnbrian210 Please do not do this .. Do it on TIME. #Customerstates #Hyundai #PSA #Oil #Oilchange #Mechanic #mechaniclife #mechanicsoftiktok #auto #autoshop #autorepair #automotive #foryou #foryoupage #fyp #fy #viral #car ♬ original sound – JohnBrian
Viewers were quick to share their opinions.
“Bruh im surprised it had oil at all,” one viewer remarked.
“I bet they’ll be quick to blame the brand but sometimes it’s just the owner,” a second said.
Another viewer shared what happens when car owners don’t get regular oil changes. “My son in law ignored his oil change light n kept driving he damaged his car,” they wrote. “It will cost thousands to fix. Its sitting in front of the drive way at least he n my daughter have a other vehicle.”
“This is what happens when people think they can go more than 5k miles per oil change,” a further viewer warned. “I don’t care what people say every 5k MAX. Used cars are such a gamble now.”
The Daily Dot reached out to JohnBrian via TikTok comments for further information.
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