It’s easy to panic when you see oil coating the underside of your engine. You might imagine blown seals, cracked blocks, or catastrophic damage. But take a breath—one of the most common and manageable culprits is a leaking oil pan gasket.

What Is an Oil Pan Gasket?
The oil pan gasket seals the connection between your engine block and the oil pan. Over time, this gasket wears out from heat, pressure, and age. Once it fails, oil starts to seep or spray out, collecting on nearby components and leaving a mess under your car.

What You’ll Notice

• Oil dripping or pooling under the vehicle
• Oil-slicked engine components like the oil filter, pan, or crossmember
• A burning oil smell from hot oil hitting the exhaust
• Low oil levels between changes

Why It Looks Worse Than It Is
Oil spreads. When your vehicle is in motion, the leak may look severe because airflow pushes the oil all over the engine bay and chassis. This makes it appear like there’s a major failure, but the true cause may be as simple as a $20 gasket and a few hours of labor.

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore It
Even though it’s not always urgent, driving with a leaky oil pan gasket can:

• Lower your oil levels and starve your engine of lubrication
• Make your car unsafe due to oil on exhaust parts
• Increase wear on your engine and sensors

We’ve Got You Covered
At Neighbor’s Choice Mobile Auto Maintenance, we diagnose oil leaks on-site. If your gasket is the issue, we’ll walk you through the process and get you back on the road with confidence.