5 Fluids Your Car Needs and How to Check Them: Capitol Subaru Auto Care Information

 

5. Wiper Fluid

Because it's not associated with the engine or any part of the car that makes it actually go, the wiper fluid system is pretty easy to check and maintain. You can usually peer into the translucent reservoir under the hood to see how much fluid you've got left -- or, just do what most of us do: Wait until the fluid sprayers stop working and add a jug of wiper fluid to the reservoir. It's that easy.

4. Brake Fluid

Brake fluid is crucial to your vehicle's safety and stopping power. However, it likes to absorb water from the atmosphere. Over time, if the brake fluid absorbs enough water vapor, it'll stop working as well as it should when you press the brake. You can't really tell just by looking if your brake fluid is contaminated with water, so you can swing by our service center where we can test your brake fluid for the presence of water. If too much water did make its way into the system, we can bleed the brake lines and add fresh brake fluid.

 

3. Coolant

Sometimes called antifreeze, the coolant in your car's cooling system helps to pull excess heat away from the engine so it can be dissipated at the radiator. Over time, the color of the coolant will change, letting you know it's starting to wear out. It can also collect bits of rust and corrosion that can cause damage to the system internally. That's why it's a good idea to get a coolant flush periodically.

After waiting for the engine to cool, you can open the radiator cap to look at the condition of the fluid inside. If you see lots of debris, and the fluid is very dark, it might be time for a coolant flush.

 

2. Transmission Fluid

Since the transmission is totally closed, and most modern transmissions don't even have a dipstick, this fluid can be impossible to actually check yourself.

That said, don't forget about your transmission fluid entirely! Over time, the fluid in your automatic transmission breaks down and collects debris. If that fluid isn't changed occasionally, the transmission internals can begin to wear excessively, leading to rough shifts, slipping gears, difficulty going into gear and other problems. To avoid a costly transmission rebuild, make sure to have the transmission fluid checked by our technicians every so often.