Aside from the solid parts of your car, it also needs various fluids to work properly. Here are some of the most important fluids to keep your vehicle in perfect condition to drive you anywhere you might need to go.
1. Gasoline
Yes, we’re starting this off with the most basic fluid that your car needs in order to move. Gasoline, whether Diesel or Unleaded, is needed for your car to function. If your car doesn’t have this or enough of it, then your car is as good as a statue.
2. Engine Oil
Moving on to more ‘serious’ fluids, engine oil is the second most important liquid that your car needs. Engine oil is what helps your engine run smoothly. Think of it as the lubrication that your engine needs to prevent the moving parts from grinding each other. Most experts recommend that you get an oil change every 3000-5000 miles.
3. Coolant
If engine oil is the lubricant that makes your engine run smoothly, the coolant is the liquid that makes sure that your engine doesn’t overheat. Friction is constantly present in a moving system, therefore, regardless of how ‘smooth’ the movement is, there will always be friction.
Friction builds up heat, and when heat builds up to a temperature, your car ceases to function. That’s where the coolant comes in. Usually, the coolant is replaced every five years or every 100,000 miles.
4. Brake Fluid
The brake fluid works very much like the engine oil in the sense that it helps lubricate the parts of your brake system. It helps prevent vibrations when you engage your brakes, makes pressing on the brake pedal easy, and activates your ABS on time. Your car never usually runs low on them, but it’s best if you have them replaced every few years or so.
5. Transmission Fluid
The transmission fluid is often overlooked. However, this shouldn’t be the case. If you’re wondering what it does, it keeps your gears running smoothly. In Layman’s terms, it helps you shift from first gear up to the fifth or sixth gear without a hitch. If you run low on this, it might ultimately cause transmission damage.
Luckily, transmission fluid is easy to maintain. Some experts say you should have it replaced every 30,000 miles, but others say that 50,000-100,000 miles is the optimum time. We, on the other hand, implore you to check it at least once every six months just to be sure.
6. Air-conditioning Refrigerant
This fluid is especially important during summer. If you turn your air conditioning on and it doesn’t blow out cool air, then your car might be low on this fluid. Luckily, you only need to top up on this fluid once every two to three years. If you’re experiencing having to top up more often than that, then it might be time to have your car checked for leaks.
7. Power Steering Fluid
Modern cars employ power steering needs to help you drive smoothly on the road. Needless to go further into it, this system also requires some liquid for it to work properly. Oftentimes, however, you don’t really notice your car running out of this liquid, so a regular check on this every three years should be sufficient.
8. Windshield Washer Fluid
Yes, you heard that right. How often have you had bird droppings on your windshield without warning? Windshield washer fluid is just the solution for that. This fluid allows you to wash your windshield from the confines of your car and without having to go to a carwash.