When driving, I can sometimes smell oil

[tammybear]

Is this a problem? Its usually when Ive been driving for a bit and stop at traffic lights and can there are at least 5 other cars around me, so i wonder if its just a collective smell from all the cars, or if it's just me? Im driving to dp's tomorrow which will take at least an hour and a half and will be mostly on M25 so don't want to drive if my car is going to break down on me especially as this will be my first time on the motorway on my own! Im going to check the oil levels tomorrow morning when it is light as I dont have a torch to see.

bump

ill ask dp hold on

is there any oil patches on the ground when you park your car, and is the oil level ok ?

no i havent seen any oil patches under the car, and im going to check the oil in the morning when its lighter to see if its okay

if oil level is ok u should be fine take some oil and water with you to be safe and a torch !!!!!

lol, dont think i have a torch! will have to buy one tomorrow morning thanks

dp said it should be fine it oil level is ok just keep checking it tomorow

will do. thanks xxx

tb, if you only notice it when stopped in a queue then it probably is everybody else's exhausts, esp diesel which smells quite oily.

Has your car got a switch for going from outside air to recycled? (It shows a car with one arrow pointing from the front and one curving from inside to point back into the car). If you have, try switching to recycled air as you approach standing traffic and see if that makes any difference. (Remember to switch back when you get moving again though as it makes your windows fog up.) If you haven't turn the blower off while you're not moving.

But do what nikcola said and check everything before you go, and take top-ups! Will this be the longest journey you've done on your own? Good luck!

thanks janh. yeah, i havent even been on the motorway on my own, so a bit nervous! cant wait though as i feel pretty confident. went on the M1 with dp on sunday so have had a bit of practise. i dont think i have that recycled thingy. when i was doing my pass plus, as i was going on a slip road onto the motorway, i could faintly smell it so i said to my instructor about it, but he said it wasnt anything to worry about as i have only had my car a couple of months so i havent gone that far before then and had only gone as fast as 50mph