What Fluids Are In Your Vehicle? Do you know all the fluids in your vehicle? Are you aware of how often they need to be flushed and replaced? Where does your vehicle fall on that timeline? The fluids are absolutely necessary to the performance ability of your vehicle. From the essential oils lubricating the engine down to the seemingly insignificant washer fluid, each fluid has a specific important purpose. If you don’t keep an eye on them, you could find yourself with some big repairs in the future. Running out and old age can seriously affect the longevity of your vehicle’s life. Taking care of them will ensure you keep the vehicle for a long time to come. The longer you keep the vehicle running well, the less money you have to pay for (1) repairs, (2) the purchase of a new vehicle, and (3) increased auto insurance in Cincinnati. The following are the most common fluids you will find in your vehicle and what each does.
Engine oil Engine oil is up first. It penetrates all of the moving parts of the engine to lubricate the contact between metal and metal. Without it, the metal would create so much heat and friction that the parts would weld together. Once welded together, they won’t come apart. The fix is to replace the engine, which will cost thousands of dollars. Too many vehicle owners have learned that lesson the hard way. You can check the oil levels yourself. Use the engine oil dipstick to do so.
Transmission fluid Transmission fluid is next. Whether you have an automatic or manual transmission, you have fluid to provide hydraulic assistance in changing gears. This fluid will almost never be low. It will get old though and need to be replaced.
You have a dipstick to check this fluid as well. It’s usually smaller and located a little less obviously than the oil dipstick. Engine coolant is next. This fluid runs through the engine, stealing the engine’s heat, and moves to the radiator where it is cooled and recycled back into the hot engine to cool it down again. Without it, cars overheat. You can check the fluid level in the coolant by simply checking the level in the coolant reservoir when the engine is cool or lukewarm and off.
Brake Fluid Next, look at your brakes. Did you know that you have brake fluid to help you apply the pressure necessary to stop a several ton car? The fluid uses hydraulics as well. There is a “full” line in your brake fluid reservoir that you can compare the levels to when you remove the lid. Next, check out the battery fluid. Did you know your battery uses fluid? Pick up a battery at the store and shake it around a bit. You’ll feel sloshing. Some batteries are still open, meaning you can refill the battery’s fluid. If yours is one of those, you need to keep an eye on it.
AC Next, your air conditioner uses a fluid as well, a refrigerant. It helps keep your air conditioning cool. If you lack enough of it, your AC won’t work the way you want it to. It’s a comfort thing. Maintenance of each of these fluids is largely dependent on your usage. Always look first to your factory recommendations for time lines on each. These recommendations are built around the assumption that you’ll use the car moderately, and mostly for street driving. If you should use the vehicle more ruggedly, consider flushing and replacing these fluids more often as they will get dirty and go bad faster than the factory recommendations accounted for. Keep up your fluids so you won’t have to pay for things like big repairs and increased auto insurance in Cincinnati. It’s worth the investment of time on your part. Photo Credit: Robert Kause-baker, PK Mousie