Every day you depend on your car to get you to work, or school, or to the grocery store or shopping mall. There are several things that should be addressed with your vehicle to keep it in optimal operating condition so it is there for you to depend on. Today we will look at the fluids in your car, and how they may affect your vehicle’s reliability and give your vehicle a longer life.

There are several types of fluid in a car that need to be regularly looked at and replaced. Unfortunately many maintenance schedules neglect some of the critical fluids and consequently, many vehicles are driving on the road doing far more wear and tear to the vehicle than is necessary. There are four main types of fluid that need to be changed regularly and a brief explanation of what it does as well as why it needs to be changed will follow:

Engine Oil: Engine oil is the only thing lubricating your engine and keeping it from wearing down prematurely. Despite many newer cars having extended oil change intervals it is not recommended that you wait until the light comes on to get your oil changed! Oil technology has not changed substantially in the last 25 years and changing your oil every 3000-5000 miles is still optimum for your engine life. Having your oil changed regularly will do more for your engine and car life than any other single maintenance item!

Brake Fluid: Brake Fluid is the medium through which your brake pedal action is transmitted to the brakes themselves. Brakes generate a very substantial amount of heat during regular driving as well as stop and go driving, and the brake fluid is constantly absorbing the heat from the brakes. Typical brake fluid boiling temperature is around 350F. If the brake fluid exceeds 350F the fluid will boil and create air bubbles in the braking system causing your brake system to lose efficiency. Catastrophic brake failure can follow shortly thereafter. The main problem with brake fluid is that it will absorb moisture from the atmosphere over time, lowering the boiling temperature to as low as 220F. This creates a very unsafe margin of error when doing sudden high heat brake applications such as panic stops, or prolonged brake applications like going downhill. Maintaining fresh fluid will prevent loss of efficiency and brake failure. Brake fluid should be flushed every two years or ever year if the car is used heavily.

Coolant/Antifreeze: This fluid is what keeps your car from overheating. It is also the same fluid that keeps your engine from freezing. There are however several issues with the coolant/antifreeze system. First, water is more efficient at removing heat than antifreeze. If there is too much antifreeze in the system and not enough water, the car can overheat and potentially result in costly repairs or even engine failure. On the other hand, if there isn’t enough antifreeze in the car when the weather drops below freezing the water in your engine will expand and crack the engine block causing costly repairs. Typically a 50/50 mix is recommended for all but the coldest areas. This maintenance should be done every 1-2 years to keep the car at optimum operating temperature.

Transmission Fluid: There are two types of transmission fluid depending on whether you have a manual transmission or an automatic transmission. Manual transmission and automatic transmissions both can benefit from regular fluid changes. Manual transmissions can get notchy when the fluid gets dirty and automatic transmissions can start to shift hard over time. Both can cause unnecessary wear and tear on your transmission. Regular fluid changes using a high quality synthetic fluid will prolong transmission life. This service should be performed every year for most vehicles.

Many of these oft neglected fluids can cause costly repair bills down the road. Regularly maintained vehicles run longer, and run more reliably and safely than cars that are neglected. These four simple steps in vehicle maintenance will go a long ways towards prolonging the life of your vehicle, and help maintain value in the car as well.

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Eddie Nakato is owner of award-winning, high-performance vehicle shop AR Auto Service based in Lake Oswego, Oregon and Adrenaline Racing, an online store featuring high-performance parts and supplies. Eddi may be contacted directly at AR Auto Service 503-697-3311 or via email at Eddie@ARautoservice.net. Visit his website for more information. www.arautoservice.net and www.adrenalineracing.com.