Can I add oil to my engine without draining the older oil?
Background: I moved across the country and typically avoid driving since I live in a walkable area and since I hadn't gotten my plates changed to my new province yet (it arrived more than 30 days after I'd already gotten my license switched so it is outside the grace period). I'd planned to go for the safety inspection check this weekend so I could finally get my new plates and drive more frequently, but wanted to double check that my battery hasn't died since I haven't driven since late December. My last oil change was in May, but I thought it was fine since I barely ever drive.
I believe my battery is fine, however when attempting to start the car it made a clicking noise and flashed a red oil lamp sign. I checked the dipstick and it looks like the engine oil is extremely low.
I believe the fix could be to just perform the oil change myself, however I am not a car guy and am scared of the idea of jacking a car and maybe causing even more damage. I know the safe thing would be to get it towed, but my car is an underground parking garage. Would I be able to just top up the oil as a temporary fix until I take it to the shop?
My car is a 2008 Toyota Yaris.
Also, I did attempt to start the car a couple times before giving up. It must have been 3-5 attempts. How likely is it that I destroyed the engine during those attempts? I believe the sound was consistent between each attempt, and they all lasted less than a second.
Thank you.
Posted Mar 6, 2026, 9:48 PM UTC