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Basic Vehicle Maintenance
Fluids are essential to keeping your car running! Whether you do it yourself or take it to a service center, the fluids in your car must be in good condition and remain at the proper levels. There are typically six maintainable fluids under the hood of today's passenger cars and trucks.
- Oil: You've Struck Oil
Engine oil lubricates and cools your engine. Just like rubbing two sticks together creates enough friction to cause a flame, metal-to-metal friction inside your engine causes premature wear and excessive heat. Oil puts a coat of protection over engine parts.
Oils come in a variety of weights, or consistencies. Those numbers on the front of the bottles or cans represent the thickness of the oil ranging from a baby oil consistency to the heaviness of honey. The lower the numbers, the thinner the oil (5W-30 versus 10W-40). Use the weight of oil that is specified in your owner's manual. Never use an oil that has numbers lower than those required by the manufacturer you are underprotecting your engine, and you may void you car's warranty.
Multi-weight oils have two numbers separated by a "W." Such oils exhibit different thickness characteristics through a range of temperatures. Think of honey. When it's on the shelf, it's pretty runny. Pop it in the refrigerator, and it becomes very thick. Honey is multi-weight.
As a rule of thumb, oil should be changed every 3,000 miles or three months, whichever comes first, but check your car's owner's manual for recommendations. Always change the oil filter when you change the oil the dirt and old oil trapped in the old filter will quickly contaminate the new oil.
- Coolant: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold
Whichever name it goes by, coolant and antifreeze are the same fluid. The cooling system of most cars requires a mixture of water and antifreeze, although some owner's manuals specify 100 percent antifreeze. Follow your owner's manual. Along with carrying heat away from the engine, coolant also contains anti-corrosives that protect the radiator and other metal engine parts from the rusting effect of liquid.
Over time, these anti-corrosives break down, and the antifreeze can actually begin eating away at the inside of your radiator. The mixture should be changed about once a year and the system flushed to remove any deposits that may have built up.
- Brake fluid: Give Yourself a Brake
To stop a two-ton car, it takes a lot more pressure on the pedal than you would physically be able to exert. Brake fluid multiplies the pressure from the pedal into enough pressure to stop the car. So having enough of this vital fluid is obviously important.
Brake fluid breaks down with exposure to air and moisture. Check your car's owner's manual for its brake fluid maintenance schedule. Although new fluid is typically introduced during brake work, your car may require additional servicing of this liquid.
- Steering fluid: The Right Turn
The power steering system on your car helps you to maneuver your multi-thousand-pound vehicle as easily as steering a bicycle. Like brake fluid, power steering fluid is a multiplier, translating your exertion on the wheel through the power steering system into much more resultant force. Low fluid can mean the loss of power steering. You will still be able to steer, but you'll really have to crank on the wheel to get the car to turn.
- Washer fluid: A Clear View
So easy to overlook until you can't see through the windshield, washer fluid is an important safety component of any car. Make sure you fill you reservoir whenever it is low. Always use commercial windshield washer solvent. Never use ammonia-based cleaning products. These can damage your car's finish.
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