Topping up our cars with gasoline to keep them running is a normal routine. However, every car needs more than just fuel to keep it operating at its best. Every engine, transmission, and braking system requires careful maintenance and regular fluid top-ups to reduce wear and ensure safe driving. Here is a quick guide to some of your car’s consumables, what they do, and how you can replace them.
Engine Oil
The internal combustion engine that powers most cars is a complicated machine. Under the hood, there is a huge amount of movement, heat, and friction happening. Every engine needs to be lubricated to help prevent wear and tear, which helps to keep it functioning at its peak performance. This is the job of engine oil. Not all oil is the same, and your engine will have a recommended brand or oil quality to maintain its performance. Most engines require a complete change of their oil, and their oil filters, after a set amount of time or miles such as 10,000 miles or two years, whichever happens sooner.
Changing your engine oil is a messy and dirty job that is best left to the professionals. Draining your car’s oil usually requires getting underneath it – a task that can be difficult to do on a driveway or in a parking lot. Take your car to an experienced and qualified mechanic that provides oil change services like Paul Campanella’s Auto & Tire Center. Experts like these can get the job done right, and in a short amount of time. This saves you from getting messy and saves you time. While the job is being done you can even drive a loaner vehicle so you can carry on with your day.
Radiator Coolant
Engines generate a lot of heat. Inside your engine, small explosions of air and fuel are happening which push the pistons and power your car. All of this creates a lot of heat and a lot of hot gasses. Your car’s radiator helps to keep the engine cool so it can operate to its full potential. If your car starts to overheat, it can come to a stop. Poot cooling can also damage vital parts of your engine. In some extreme circumstances, your engine may need to be completely rebuilt after it has overheated. It could result in many expensive components needing to be replaced. This is a very expensive job, costing a lot in both time and labor.
Every modern vehicle should have a cooling tank that holds coolant, usually under the hood and near the radiator. These tanks have clearly marked maximum and minimum levels. If your coolant drops below the minimum level you will start to experience overheating problems, usually displayed by a dial in your instrument cluster. You can top up your coolant at home, and the job should be easy if your coolant tank is in a sensible place. Make sure you are using the appropriate coolant for your vehicle, which should be noted in your car’s manual. The information should also be available online on your car manufacturer’s website.
Transmission Fluid
Just like an engine, your car’s transmission is a complicated piece of machinery that can get hot. It has a lot of moving parts that can generate heat through friction. The gears of your car require lubrication to help prevent wear and protect your transmission, so it is reliable. This is true of both automatic transmissions and stick shifts. Replacing or replenishing your transmission fluid is a complicated job and is best left to an experienced mechanic unless you are very confident completing your own car maintenance tasks. Your car’s transmission fluid will also be specific to your vehicle, so you must ensure that you are using the correct fluid.
Cars with an automatic transmission may have a fluid reservoir with a dipstick similar to engine oil. This can make it a lot easier to monitor your transmission fluid levels and top them up. Manual, or stick shift, transmissions are different and it is highly unlikely that there is an easy-to-access fluid reservoir or way to check your levels. If you have a manual transmission with a stick shift, it is highly recommended that you leave this job to a professional mechanic. They should check your transmission during every service.
Brake Fluid
This is one of the most important consumables your car needs. Should your brake fluid runs low, then you will not be able to slow down. The less brake fluid your car has, the bigger its stopping distance. This can lead to accidents. Pushing down on the brake pedal should get your car to respond instantly. As such, you should not have to fully depress the pedal to get the braking force you need. However, if your car is not responding correctly to your brake pedal, or you are having to overextend yourself to get the braking response you need, then your brake fluid needs replenishing or replacing as a priority.
Most cars have a brake fluid reservoir in the engine bay under the hood. This allows you to monitor your brake fluid levels with ease. Checking these levels should be a part of your regular car maintenance checks so you can schedule a replacement or inspection. Brake fluid should be fully replaced every two years. This is because it can absorb water over time as brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning moisture from the air can contaminate it. This job should be done by a mechanic as after your brake fluid is replaced your brakes need to be fully inspected to ensure they are working correctly, and you can drive safely.
Ultimately, ensure that you are keeping on top of your consumables and that your vehicle has everything it needs to operate safely with minimal wear and tear. All of these fluids and oils are important to your car. Without them, you may not be able to drive your car. Additionally, an important system like cooling or brakes may let you down when you need them the most. Use your car’s fluid reservoirs to monitor your car’s consumables and work with your mechanic to make sure the fluids are replaced regularly on a schedule.