If you pull out your owner’s manual and flip back to the maintenance section, you’ll see a list of services that includes flushing and refilling automotive fluids. Some fluids need to be changed more often than others, such as motor oil. These fluids play a crucial role in the overall operation and safety of your vehicle, so it’s best to follow the guidelines set by your automobile’s manufacturer and have the fluid replacement services performed when necessary. Benton Road Auto Repair can help.
Common Automotive Fluids
All cars, trucks, and crossover or sports utility vehicles have the following automotive fluids in them, regardless of their make and model. These fluids are crucial in automotive engineering and although the fluids themselves have been improved over the years, they remain basically the same. Your vehicle has
- Antifreeze/coolant
- Brake fluid
- Diesel fuel or gasoline
- Motor oil
- Transmission oil
You know your automobile cannot run without any of these fluids, and if the fluids are dirty, low, or old, you can actually cause damage by continuing to drive your vehicle without replenishing the fluids. For example, as motor oil ages, it loses its viscosity and it can build up on engine parts and damage them.
Additional Automotive Fluids
As automobile technology has changed over the decades, new features have been added to vehicles that also use automotive fluids. If you drive an older vehicle or a base model, your car might not have these fluids. This said, most cars manufactured in the last few decades have the following
- Air-conditioner refrigerant
- Power steering fluid
- Windshield washing fluid
The best way to tell what fluids are in your automobile is to review your owner’s manual as we suggested above. This will not only tell you everything in your car, truck, or utility vehicle, but it will also tell you when to change the fluids to better protect your engine and other automotive systems.
Preventative Maintenance
In fact, if you review the mileage milestone services in your owner’s manual, i.e. 15,000 miles, 30,000 miles, 60,000 miles, etc., you’ll see recommendations to have fluids flushed and refilled, such as oil changes every 3,000 miles and transmission fluid changes every 30,000 or 60,000 miles.
We don’t mean to sound as if we’re nagging you, but it’s important to follow these guidelines. As we touched upon briefly above, as a fluid ages it loses its effectiveness. Once the fluid can no longer do its job, that system, such as your transmission, can be damaged beyond repair.
We don’t want this to happen to you, so bring your vehicle into Benton Road Auto Repair in Bossier City, LA, for fluid flushes and refills when they’re due. You can set up an appointment by calling our shop.
