It is common knowledge that people need to drink plenty of water and other fluids to feel great. The same holds true for your car. You need to ensure your car has sufficient fluids to perform various functions, from lubricating components to cooling things down when they get too hot. Here are the most important fluids to regularly refill to ensure you have a healthy car.
Engine Oil
Engine oil keeps all the components within your car’s engine properly lubricated. It is simple enough to check your oil levels. All you need to do is open the hood and check the level on the oil dipstick. If it is too low, it needs to be refilled. This should be done by a professional mechanic. The old guideline was to take your car for an oil change every three months or every 3,000 miles. With synthetic oils on the market, most drivers find they can wait between 5,000 to 7,000 miles.
Coolant
Coolant plays a role in ensuring your vehicle never overheats. Again, you can check the coolant level by inspecting it under the hood. The general recommendation is that it will need to be serviced once every two to three years. You should make sure to check it before summer really starts heating things up.
Transmission Fluid
Your vehicle is dependent on a lot of moving components, and the transmission fluid keeps those parts moving optimally. Although transmission fluid is never going to run low, per se, it is possible for the quality of the fluid to drastically deteriorate. Get it checked once every couple of months or so. You will likely need to completely replace the fluid in the system once every 30,000 miles. Your mechanic will tell you how often to replace it based on the make and model of your car.
Power Steering Fluid
Your steering wheel should always feel smooth to operate. If it ever starts feeling clunky when turning, then you may be running low on power steering fluid. Another sign you are running out is when you hear creaking sounds coming from the wheel. This is one type of fluid you rarely have to worry about. You only need to replace it once every 30,000 miles, but for some cars, you may never have to concern yourself with it.
Brake Fluid
In the event your brake pedal ever feels a little off, you should have a professional inspect your brake fluid levels. Similar to the transmission fluid, you do not really have to worry about it running low, but it is possible for the fluid to drop in quality. Your mechanic should check your brake fluid levels every time you go in for an oil change, but you really only need to replace it once every two years.
Stay up-to-date with how all your car’s fluid levels are holding up. By seeing a mechanic regularly, you can always be confident your vehicle is running well.
