Do you already know what fluids are in your car? Here’s a list of the main fluids, besides fuel, from Skiles Automotive Services.
Windshield Wiper Fluid
Windshield wiper fluid is easy to forget about until you need it most. That might be when your car gets blasted by some mud or just when you need to clean up the view a bit. It looks a lot like water, so if you spot windshield wiper fluid under your car you might mistake it for plain water.
Antifreeze
Antifreeze or engine coolant circulates through the cooling system. It’s usually green or yellow in color, but if there’s a problem with rust in the cooling system the antifreeze might look a bit orange. Antifreeze tends to need to be topped up every now and again, so it’s good to get into the habit of checking the reservoir.
Engine Oil
Engine oil is brown in color and it gets darker and a little thicker as it gets older. That’s because it’s pulling a lot of heat out of the engine as it circulates. Engine oil also picks up a lot of dirt and debris while it’s doing its job. Leaks are not good and should be addressed right away.
Brake Fluid
Your car’s brakes are a hydraulic system, which means that they need fluid in order to work properly. Brake fluid is what does that job. If you’ve got a brake fluid leak, your brakes won’t work as well and might even feel “mushy” when you press the pedal. A bad enough leak can cause your brakes to completely fail.
Transmission Fluid
Transmission fluid does a lot of the same things that engine oil does, but it performs those duties in the transmission instead of the engine. Brand new transmission fluid is red in color, and it’s mostly see-through. As it ages, it darkens and loses that see-through quality. Transmission fluid is not something you want to see under your car, because a leak usually means big problems.
Power Steering Fluid
Another hydraulic system in your car is the power steering system. This is what helps you to steer the car more easily. Before power steering systems, controlling the car was a lot more difficult and required you to muscle your way through. If power steering fluid starts to leak, you may notice that steering becomes a lot more difficult.
Need to diagnose a fluid or have you found a fluid leak? Let’s talk about it. Give us a call at Skiles Automotive Services in Bremen, IN. We’ll diagnose the problem for you and let you know what’s going on.
