AN EXPERT mechanic has warned car owners over taking too long to change their oil – and the “disgusting” consequences.

KndAutomotive24/7, who regularly posts helpful tips and advice to TikTok, gave Kia and Hyundai owners something to think about in a recent video by showing off the mess he pulled from the valve covers of a Kia.

GettyDrivers of Hyundai and Kia cars have been warned to change their oil much more frequently than they’ve been told[/caption]

TikTok//@kndautomotive247A car expert showed viewers the “disgusting” mess that builds up when drivers leave changing their oil[/caption]

GettyThey recommend that oil is changed more often than every 7,500 miles[/caption]

According to the gearhead, a rank, sludgey mess is a “common” sight for Kia drivers who blindly follow the manufacturer’s recommendations when it comes to oil change intervals.

Showing off the mess to the camera, he said: “This is why you don’t do oil changes every 7,500 miles on a Kia or a Hyundai.”

He added: “And there’s still a ridiculous amount of sludge in there.

“I’m going to have to soak these in a degreaser bath for days in order to get all this stuff out of here.

“And even then, it’s still not going to be perfect.”

All motorists know that oil changes are a routine part of car maintenance as they help to ensure the moving parts of the engine run smoothly.

According to AAA, older cars often have recommendations based on mileage, whereas newer ones are more likely to have smart systems that recognize when an oil change is needed and will alert you.

The general recommendation was for a car to have its oil changed every 3,000 miles.

But nowadays, 5,000 to 7,500 is a more common figure, while cars that use synthetic oil are pushed back further from 10,000 to 15,000 miles, or once every 6 to 12 months.

However, KndAutomotive24/7 claims that oil change recommendations, at least for Kia or Hyundai cars, aren’t quite enough.

He said: “This is the effects of following the manufacturer’s spec oil changes.

“I’m sure it doesn’t help that it burns oil as well, so all this oil is just burnt, caked-up oil.”

There is a general concern in the automotive industry that Kia and Hyundai burn up oil too rapidly, which can lead to premature engine failure, and in fact led to the companies settling a $760 million class action lawsuit in 2023.

However, not all drivers in the comments section quite agree.

One wrote: “I’ve done 10k oil changes on all my vehicles forever.

“Had to change a valve cover gasket on my C230 once at over 300,000 miles.

“It looked like a new engine inside. Mobile 1 is what I use.”

Another commented: “Super cheap gas and super cheap oil changes the person’s fault not the car.”

And a third said: “That’s not from a 7,500 mile interval. That’s a 30,000 mile interval.”

https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13282212/mechanic-tip-car-oil-change-drivers/