Get plenty of fluids

“Drink plenty of liquids.” It’s an old bit of advice uttered often during cold-and-flu season.

But as the weather begins to heat up, how on-the-mark are your vehicle’s fluids?

Determining whether they’re on target isn’t difficult and keeping tabs on the “big-5” fluids—oil, brake fluid, coolant, power-steering fluid and transmission fluid —will help keep your vehicle running its best. Conducting the fluid test is a way to get better acquainted with your vehicle’s under-the-hood components. Monitoring fluids also is a great way to gauge your automobile’s condition and head off serious repairs. By noting, for example, that certain fluids frequently are becoming depleted can signal leaks and/or engine wear that require professional attention.

The preliminary steps, of course, are comprised of the usual Hong Kong Auto Service advice. Turn off the engine and apply the emergency brake. Next, pop the hood and stabilize it by extending it fully to completely engage its hydraulic lifts or by applying the support rod. Now, it’s time to peer around. Keep the owner’s manual handy for speedier locating of parts.

Most fluids can be checked while the engine is cold, but others require the engine be warmed-up or even running during monitoring.

Engine oil—Oil must be checked with the engine off. Locate the dipstick–often situated close to the engine front—and remove it in a single pulling motion. Wipe all the oil off using a rag or paper towel and re-insert the dipstick. Pull it out once again and observe where the oil is situated along the dipstick, which features minimum and maximum marks. If the oil level falls within these, everything is fine. If the level is low, pour a fresh quart of oil in the crankcase. Of all your car’s vital fluids, this is the one to really keep tabs on. Check it every two weeks. For even more details on checking and adding oil, click here.

Brake fluid—This is easier to monitor than it used to be. Most modern vehicles allow drivers to check brake-fluid levels by examining level markings on the outside of a plastic reservoir. Owners of older cars might need to remove the master-cylinder cap to get a reading. In this case, go slowly to avoid spills since brake fluid damages paint.

Coolant—“Danger, danger, Will Robinson!” Incorrectly checking coolant levels can prove hazardous. Never twist or remove that radiator cap while a car engine is hot since the release of pressure can splash sizzling coolant everywhere and burn your hands, face and eyes. Besides, that’s not the way to check the levels. The majority of vehicles utilize an overflow bottle (often situated near a fender) that features level markings. Coolant should be between these two lines. Always perform this check when the engine is cold. Low levels can lead to engine overheating and high-cost repairs.

Power-steering fluid—Does it feel like your steering wheel is fighting you every time you want to turn? The power-steering fluid might be low. For an accurate reading, the vehicle must have reached operating temperature, but shouldn’t be running. Some vehicles require checking a dipstick located near the steering-fluid pump. Others utilize a reservoir positioned away from the pump, permitting observation of levels via outer markings.

Transmission fluid—This is the only one of the big-5 fluids that needs to be checked while the engine is running. (Exceptions to this rule do occur, however, so consult your owner’s manual.) It’s not enough to simply start the car. The transmission needs to be at operating temperature prior to checking the dipstick level, so drive your car around the block a couple of times. Most cars will need to be in either neutral or park. Keep that emergency brake engaged and position yourself to the side (not front) of the vehicle when checking the level. Automatic transmissions feature a dipstick for monitoring fluid level, which is performed by removing the transmission-fluid dipstick, wiping it, replacing it and removing it once again and noting where the fluid comes to rest. But wait… there’s more. The fluid should be a clear, bright red and smell somewhat “sweet”. Signs of possible impending doom include a dark shade and/or burned odor. Manual transmissions are a bit more complicated to check and require removing a fill plug underneath the car chassis. Our technicians will be happy to perform this task (and check all your other fluid levels if you prefer). It’s recommended that manual-transmission fluid be checked annually.

For the DIY-ers, invest in a funnel and keep extra fluids on hand (a quart of oil, a bottle of transmission fluid, extra coolant). The funnel will keep the fluids in the vehicle and not on the driveway or garage floor and the extra bottles will prevent those last-minute trips to the auto-parts store.