When you drive your car with poor quality or inadequate quantity of car fluids, it's almost like running a marathon or playing an entire football match without taking a drink afterwards. This poor maintenance attitude can cause damage to certain essential components and cost you some maintenance money in the long run.
Every car requires a specific quality and quantity of chemical fluid to stay at peak performance. These fluids lose their value in the car's systems over repeated usage, and when this happens, the driver may notice some irksome noises and irregularities in the car's functions.
Here are five essential car fluids to check regularly as part of your maintenance routine.
1. Engine Oil
Automobiles require engine oil to lubricate the various moving parts of the engine and prevent them from overheating. FWD (front-wheel drive) vehicles usually have their oil dipstick near the front of the engine, while RWD (rear-wheel drive) cars have theirs behind the engine.
How do you determine if the amount of oil in your engine is sufficient? Pull out the oil dipstick, detail it with a rag and dip it again into the oil compartment. When you pull it out a second time, observe the position of the oil line. If it's above the notch, it's acceptable, but if it's below, you need to top up. Besides checking the oil level, drivers should also examine the oil condition. Good engine oil has a yellow/amber appearance and should feel smooth when you smear it between your fingers. On the other hand, old oil feels gritty with a brown/black colouration. When to change engine oil: It's ideal to change your oil every 5,000-10,000 miles (4-7 months). But if your vehicle's engine runs on full-synthetic motor oil, it can go more than 15,000 (12 months) miles between oil flushes.
2. Transmission Fluid
Automatic cars utilize transmission fluids to lubricate and cool the transmission components, which deliver seamless shifts.
Some vehicles come with a visible transmission dipstick, while others are seated in positions that are known only to the technician. If you can find the transmission dipstick on your car, you can check the fluid level with the same inspection procedure as the engine oil. But this time, you need to power up the engine and adjust the transmission to park or neutral.
Good transmission fluid possesses a translucent red/amber appearance, but it darkens to deeper shades of brown or black as it ages. When it turns bad, the shifting becomes rough, and the driver will have a hard time dealing with uncontrolled surging.
When to change transmission fluid: A good rule of thumb is to replenish your transmission fluid every 30,000–60,000 miles or every 3 years.
3. Coolant
The coolant or antifreeze prevents your vehicle from overheating by circulating through the engine to collecting heat. Without this fluid, the engine would easily overheat and break down.
Coolants come in a variety of types and colours. You can find the recommended coolant for your car in the owner's manual, so you don't ever make the mistake of mixing coolant types.
Some vehicles have a coolant overflow reservoir; an opaque container graduated with 'empty' and 'full' lines. Should your car doesn't have this reservoir, open the radiator cap to check the quantity available.
When to change coolant: Optimally, your car can go more than 50,000 miles between coolant flushes.
4. Brake Fluid
In modern car braking systems, the pedal connects and acts on the brake pads through chambers and hoses that contain the brake fluid. There are different types and colours of brake fluids, but all variants should be translucent, not cloudy or dark.
To check the brake fluid level, find the brake master cylinder reservoir in your engine bay. (Consult your vehicle's owner's manual). There should be a distinct notch on the translucent container that will help you determine if the fluid quantity is optimal.
If you notice a low brake fluid level, it could mean that your brake pads have worn and need replacement. Consult a brake technician immediately.
Brake failures typically occur due to a leakage in the brake system or contamination with water.
When to change brake fluid: On average, you should replace your brake fluid every 2 years.
Final Thoughts
Take care of your car in the garage, and the car will take care of you on the road. Always make a schedule to check the fluid levels and replenish them. This simple and inexpensive maintenance routine has the potential of giving you more pleasant driving experiences, preventing major damage to parts of the car, and saving you money that would be otherwise spent on repairs.
Additionally, these car fluids may be extremely toxic. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after coming in contact with them.
Every car requires a specific quality and quantity of chemical fluid to stay at peak performance. These fluids lose their value in the car's systems over repeated usage, and when this happens, the driver may notice some irksome noises and irregularities in the car's functions.
Here are five essential car fluids to check regularly as part of your maintenance routine.
1. Engine Oil
Automobiles require engine oil to lubricate the various moving parts of the engine and prevent them from overheating. FWD (front-wheel drive) vehicles usually have their oil dipstick near the front of the engine, while RWD (rear-wheel drive) cars have theirs behind the engine.
How do you determine if the amount of oil in your engine is sufficient? Pull out the oil dipstick, detail it with a rag and dip it again into the oil compartment. When you pull it out a second time, observe the position of the oil line. If it's above the notch, it's acceptable, but if it's below, you need to top up. Besides checking the oil level, drivers should also examine the oil condition. Good engine oil has a yellow/amber appearance and should feel smooth when you smear it between your fingers. On the other hand, old oil feels gritty with a brown/black colouration. When to change engine oil: It's ideal to change your oil every 5,000-10,000 miles (4-7 months). But if your vehicle's engine runs on full-synthetic motor oil, it can go more than 15,000 (12 months) miles between oil flushes.
2. Transmission Fluid
Automatic cars utilize transmission fluids to lubricate and cool the transmission components, which deliver seamless shifts.
Some vehicles come with a visible transmission dipstick, while others are seated in positions that are known only to the technician. If you can find the transmission dipstick on your car, you can check the fluid level with the same inspection procedure as the engine oil. But this time, you need to power up the engine and adjust the transmission to park or neutral.
Good transmission fluid possesses a translucent red/amber appearance, but it darkens to deeper shades of brown or black as it ages. When it turns bad, the shifting becomes rough, and the driver will have a hard time dealing with uncontrolled surging.
When to change transmission fluid: A good rule of thumb is to replenish your transmission fluid every 30,000–60,000 miles or every 3 years.
3. Coolant
The coolant or antifreeze prevents your vehicle from overheating by circulating through the engine to collecting heat. Without this fluid, the engine would easily overheat and break down.
Coolants come in a variety of types and colours. You can find the recommended coolant for your car in the owner's manual, so you don't ever make the mistake of mixing coolant types.
Some vehicles have a coolant overflow reservoir; an opaque container graduated with 'empty' and 'full' lines. Should your car doesn't have this reservoir, open the radiator cap to check the quantity available.
When to change coolant: Optimally, your car can go more than 50,000 miles between coolant flushes.
4. Brake Fluid
In modern car braking systems, the pedal connects and acts on the brake pads through chambers and hoses that contain the brake fluid. There are different types and colours of brake fluids, but all variants should be translucent, not cloudy or dark.
To check the brake fluid level, find the brake master cylinder reservoir in your engine bay. (Consult your vehicle's owner's manual). There should be a distinct notch on the translucent container that will help you determine if the fluid quantity is optimal.
If you notice a low brake fluid level, it could mean that your brake pads have worn and need replacement. Consult a brake technician immediately.
Brake failures typically occur due to a leakage in the brake system or contamination with water.
When to change brake fluid: On average, you should replace your brake fluid every 2 years.
Final Thoughts
Take care of your car in the garage, and the car will take care of you on the road. Always make a schedule to check the fluid levels and replenish them. This simple and inexpensive maintenance routine has the potential of giving you more pleasant driving experiences, preventing major damage to parts of the car, and saving you money that would be otherwise spent on repairs.
Additionally, these car fluids may be extremely toxic. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after coming in contact with them.