Keep Them Topped Off

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THE IMPORTANCE OF CHECKING YOUR VEHICLE'S FLUID LEVELS

At one point or another in our lives, either our dad, grandfather, friend, mechanic, or trusted professional has advised us to check our vehicle fluids regularly. And they’re spot on! Not checking your fluids can result in poor gas mileage and other complications extending to the rest of the vehicle.

You should be checking six different fluids regularly to increase the longevity of your vehicle. Let’s take a closer look.

BRAKE FLUID As the brake pads on your car wear out, so does the brake fluid, which is an important mechanism in safe braking. Low brake fluid typically means that air will fill up gaps in the brake line and may cause the braking to feel spongy.

ENGINE OIL Your vehicle’s engine oil keeps all parts of your engine lubricated and moving together, so driving with low engine oil levels can significantly damage your engine and other supporting components. An oil change is necessary every 3,000 miles (5,000 for vehicles that run on synthetic oil) to keep your car running smoothly.

TRANSMISSION FLUID The transmission is a very important part of your vehicle, and low transmission fluid can make shifting gears difficult and cause surges.

POWER STEERING FLUID Similar to the way that brake fluid works, if your power steering fluid gets too low, air will accumulate within the steering mechanism and make it difficult for the vehicle to properly steer. As the fluid gets too low, you may hear strange sounds or experience a hard-to-turn wheel when steering the vehicle.

COOLANT Keeping your coolant levels topped off is essential to ensure that your car is able to cool off properly. Coolant also helps keep deposits from forming, prevents any corrosion from taking place, and reduces any foaming.

WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID A clear windshield is key to driving safely. If you can’t see well, you can’t properly navigate the road, especially during inclement weather. If you’re spraying your windshield frequently, you may need to replace the fluid more often, so make it a habit to periodically check on the fluid levels whenever you pull over to fill up on gas.

Regular attention to these six fluids is a small investment in time that can save you from more expensive maintenance and repair issues in the future.