Fluids
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 five maintainable fluids under the hood of today's passenger cars and trucks.
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). Multi-weight oils have two numbers separated by a "W." Such oils exhibit different thickness characteristics through a range of temperatures.
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. By doing this, you are underprotecting your engine, and you may void you car's warranty.
It never hurts to change your oil too often. With proper oil changing, your motor runs better .... and longer. As a good rule of thumb, oil should be changed every 5,000 kilometres 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 or the dirt and old oil trapped in the old filter will quickly contaminate the new oil.
Coolant
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. Make sure to check the level of coolant before any trips or at every 3000 kilometre interval.
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 every 2 years and the system flushed to remove any deposits that may have built up.
Brake Fluid
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, through hydraulics, 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 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
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. Always hesitate before you clean your windows with the squeegees found at the service station gas pumps; they're usually used to clean many other parts of the cars ahead of you including the over-spillage of fuel near their gas tanks. This will leave streaking and oil film on your windows noticed as soon as your wipers come on.
