Can you name off all the fluids in your car?
Most people immediately think of oil, gas, and washer fluid. But there are eight different fluids in most gasoline-powered automobiles.
In this month’s blog, we want to talk about these 8 fluids and what you should know about them.
- Gas
- Oil
- Washer Fluid
- Air Conditioning Coolant
- Radiator Fluid
- Transmission Fluid
- Brake Fluid
- Power Steering Fluid
Gas is the fluid that serves as fuel. It is the most regularly consumed fluid in your car. You can buy diesel fuel plus usually three different grades of gasoline from lower to higher octane. Unless you’re driving an electric vehicle, it’s pretty obvious why your vehicle requires this fluid to operate.
Oil is the fluid that keeps your engine running smoothly. Like the blood in your veins, the oil gets pumped throughout the engine to lubricate the many moving parts that create heat and friction. Over time, your oil needs to be changed because it gets used up and dirty.
Washer fluid is what you use to clean your windshields. Those car owners that don’t get to the car wash as often as they’d like use the washer fluid more frequently to improve their visibility. Though you won’t be in trouble if you run out of washer fluid, you will be annoyed when you do.
Air conditioning coolant is the refrigerant fluid that runs through the A/C system to keep you cool. If your car’s air conditioning system develops leaks, you will blow through this fluid faster than normal. When the A/C inside your car doesn’t significantly lower the temperature, you may need a recharge of air conditioning coolant.
Radiator fluid is what keeps the radiator happy. If there is not enough radiator fluid, you’ll see an overheated engine. Low radiator fluid will create the situation of a broken down car on the side of the road. Radiator fluid keeps the engine operating at the right temperature, so you want to be sure your radiator fluid levels don’t get too low.
Transmission fluid is used to lubricate all the many moving parts within your transmission. Most cars have 800 parts in the transmission alone. For example, a transmission includes a torque converter, planetary gearset, pump, clutches, bands, sensors, and valve body. Those are a lot of parts to lubricate. If you don’t have enough transmission fluid in the system, the heat and friction will cause damage and deterioration.
Brake fluid is what you need to keep your brakes in tip-top shape. The brake fluid lubricates the moving parts of the braking system and allows your car to stop. As tempting as it is to ignore brake fluid, we strongly recommend you don’t.
Power steering fluid is what allows your steering wheel to move smoothly and with ease. You can get away with low power steering fluid, but we don’t advise you to let it go too long. Otherwise, you could put yourself in a dangerous situation.
The bottom line is this: Be sure you pay attention to the levels of all eight fluids within your vehicle. These fluids will all need to be exchanged at some point to keep your vehicle’s systems operating smoothly. Without proper fluid care, your vehicle will be less reliable. Therefore, we invite you to Complete Automotive for a full inspection. Not only will we be happy to check your fluid levels, we’ll let you know if we see any fluid leaks or issues. Plus, our Lifetime Protection Plan is very helpful and can help your vehicle reach 300,000+ miles when you give it proper maintenance.
When your vehicle requires service or repair, contact Complete Automotive today to schedule an appointment. Our family-owned and operated business truly cares about your vehicle and your safety. We hope you will accept our invitation to come in and see what our customer service experience is like. We look forward to seeing you soon!