A 5-Minute Fluid Check for a Smooth Drive

Maintaining your vehicle’s health is crucial for a smooth and safe journey. Checking your vehicle’s fluids on a regular basis is one of the most important aspects of vehicle care. Taking a quick five minutes to check your vehicle’s fluids can be the difference between a smooth journey and a major headache. These fluids are critical to your vehicle’s smooth operation. Let’s check the signs that indicate that your vehicle’s fluids may lead to an issue if not checked regularly.

1. Engine Oil

Signs to Look For:

• Dark and Dirty Oil: Fresh engine oil is typically amber and transparent. If it turns dark and gritty, it’s time for an oil change.
• Oil Smell Inside the Car: If you detect a strong oil smell inside your vehicle, it could indicate an oil leak, possibly from a damaged gasket or seal.
• Low Oil Level: Regularly check the dipstick. If the oil level is consistently low, there may be a leak or your engine might be burning oil.

2. Transmission Fluid

Signs to Look For:

• Burnt Smell: Transmission fluid should be bright red and sweet-smelling. A burnt smell indicates overheating and possible damage to the transmission.
• Leaking Fluid: Red or brownish puddles under your car may suggest a transmission fluid leak.
• Slipping Gears: If your car is slow to shift or experiences gear slippage, the transmission fluid could be low or degraded.

3. Brake Fluid

Signs to Look For:

• Soft or Spongy Brake Pedal: If your brake pedal feels soft or spongy when pressed, there might be air in the brake lines or low brake fluid.
• Warning Light: The brake warning light on your dashboard indicates low brake fluid or other brake system issues.
• Fluid Leaks: Clear to yellowish fluid around the wheels or under the car may indicate a brake fluid leak.

4. Coolant (Antifreeze)

Signs to Look For:

• Engine Overheating: If your engine frequently overheats, it may be due to low coolant levels or a leak.
• Sweet Smell: A sweet smell from your engine bay or inside your car may indicate a coolant leak.
• Coolant Leaks: Bright green, orange, or pink fluid under your vehicle typically indicates a coolant leak.

5. Radiator Fluid

Signs to Look For:

• Rust or discoloration: Indicates potential corrosion inside the radiator.
• Oiliness: Could suggest a head gasket issue allowing oil to mix with the radiator fluid.
• Low level: A sign of a leak somewhere in the cooling system, possibly in the radiator itself, hoses, or water pump.

6. Power Steering Fluid

Signs to Look For:

• Hard Steering: If steering becomes difficult, the power steering fluid may be low.
• Squealing Noise: A squealing noise when turning the wheel can also indicate low power steering fluid.
• Leaking Fluid: Red or brownish fluid under the car, especially near the front, may be power steering fluid.

How to Check Your Vehicle’s Fluids

To check your vehicle’s fluid, first park on level ground and engage the parking brake. This ensures an accurate fluid level reading. You’ll also need a clean rag and possibly a funnel (if you need to add fluid).

Engine Oil: After the engine is off and cooled down, check the oil with a dipstick.

Transmission Fluid: Run the car for about 5-10 minutes to get the transmission fluid circulating properly. Check the fluid with a dipstick, wipe it with a rag and reinsert it.

Brake Fluid: Verify the colour and level in the reservoir or container.

Coolant Fluid: Check your coolant level when the engine is cool. Coolant can be under pressure when hot and can cause serious burns.

Power Steering Fluid: Check the reservoir for the fluid level and colour.

Radiator Fluid: Check the radiator itself and the overflow tank.

Conclusion

Maintaining and monitoring the fluids in your vehicle on a regular basis will help keep it running smoothly and avoid serious damage. Keep a look out for the indicators listed above and act quickly to resolve any problems you find. Maintaining the proper level of fluids in your vehicle is important and can ultimately save you time and money.

We provide vehicle history reports at affordable rates for your peace of mind. Feel free to stop in and take a look at our report Autovin. Send a mail to info@autovin.com.ng or call +234(0) 915 1858 628.

Happy driving!!!