When it comes to car care, one of the simplest things to do is to check your fluids on a regular basis. Fluids keep your car running smoothly and will help your car last longer. Extensive damage to your car's engine and other parts could occur if certain fluids are too low or leak out.
Here are four important fluids in your car that you should check on a regular basis.
1. Motor Oil
Motor oil is the fluid that keeps the many moving parts of a car's engine lubricated and running smoothly. Sometimes motor oil can leak. If you don't catch the leak right away, it could cause the engine to lose all of its motor oil. When a car's engine does not have any oil, it will seize up and cause the vehicle to stall.
This is why it's important to check your motor oil and take care of leaks right away. Since clean oil works better to keep the parts moving, you will need to change the motor oil on a regular basis.
2. Radiator Fluid
Your car's radiator serves the important job of keeping the engine cool. One important part of the radiator that helps to do this is the fluid that goes inside it. Radiator fluid is a mixture of ethylene glycol and water. Other names for ethylene glycol include antifreeze and engine coolant. Without this important fluid, your car's engine will overheat. Besides keeping the engine cool in the summer, radiator fluid also prevents it from freezing up in the winter.
3. Brake Fluid
Brake fluid is important because it keeps your brakes functioning properly, which makes it safer to drive. If your brake fluid is low, you might notice an illuminated warning light on your dashboard. Other signs of low brake fluid include a spongy pedal and longer braking times. Car care should include changing your brake fluid after a certain number of miles. Each make and model of car is different, so be sure to check your owner's manual.
4. Transmission Fluid
A car's transmission fluid is similar to engine oil, as it keeps the transmission lubricated and running smoothly. If you check your transmission fluid and it is low, you can simply add some more. Depending on the type of car you have, you probably won't need to change this fluid very often. However, if it does leak, you need to take care of it right away. Low amounts of transmission fluid could damage the gears, and you won't be able to drive anywhere.
Share23 August 2021
When is the last time you had your brakes checked? Are you waiting until you hear the brake pads grinding into the rotors before you do anything to replace them? Does your car pull to one side when you press on the brakes? Do you feel a shimmying in your steering wheel and brake pedal as you press the pedal to stop? If you have any of these issues, it is time for you to learn how to care for the brakes on your car effectively. Taking preventative measures and getting repair work done before serious problems arise will save you money over the years.
