We want the most out of our investment, and your car is a pretty significant investment. The fluids in our vehicles protect the engine and components; they play an essential role in extending the life of our car. Over time, these fluids, synthetic or petroleum, break down. Because of this, flushing and exchanging these fluids preserve and extend the life of your car.
Is your goal to keep driving your car for as long as possible? If so, it might be time to schedule a flush for your vehicle. It is a simple fact of life that, over time, things break down or wear out. Oils, synthetics, and other liquids all fall victim to this same misfortune. The side effects are not pretty when we don’t properly care for ourselves or our vehicles. Your car has engine oil, transmission fluid, steering fluid, brake fluid, and coolant all running through its veins. Each of these fluids plays an essential role in keeping your car in top operating condition.
We have put together some suggestions of how these fluid exchanges should be performed on your vehicle. You will still want to check your owner manual and consult your local mechanic shop for how often these exchanges or flushes should be scheduled for the make and model of your vehicle.
Engine Oil – The oil in your engine should be replaced every 3,000 miles. There is a lot of variance between this old rule-of-thumb with new technology. Synthetics and blends have extended life expectancy and can hold their integrity for longer. The last thing anyone needs is viscosity breakdown in your engine oil. If you do happen to go past your recommended oil life, you may consider having the engine oil flushed in your car to make sure any accumulated debris is removed.
Transmission Fluid – This fluid can go much longer than engine oil before needing to be exchanged. However, it is exposed to very high temperatures and will break down over time or even fail. When you hit 25,000 miles from your last exchange, it is time to call your mechanic and ask for their recommendation. If you open the hood and check your transmission fluid, be sure to check for a burnt smell or dark brown or black color. These are signs that your transmission fluid has reached the end of its lifecycle. Debris could have collected in your transmission and settled at the lowest point. Changing the fluid adds a layer of risk to stirring that sediment up, causing other performance problems down the road. Check with your local mechanic on their best practices for changing transmission fluid.
Coolant Flush – The coolant in your engine is vital to keeping your engine from overheating and possibly cracking. Flushing the coolant every couple of years will help your engine from being under additional stress in extreme hot or cold situations. Coolant also provides an anti-corrosion component, which with age, diminishes. Yet another reason to have your coolant flushed.
Brake Fluid – We often take this for granted, thinking only of our brakes when they squeak, grind, or make us feel unsafe. Your brake system runs on hydraulics, which requires top performance. It is a good idea to exchange this fluid every 2-3 years.
Power Steering Fluid – Power steering fluid keeps our hands to the wheel connection agony-free. Have you ever driven a car without power steering? It can be a beast to turn! If you run out of power steering fluid or your car’s system becomes faulty, it is incredibly challenging to navigate the road. Best to avoid this by getting a power steering fluid exchange scheduled. Give your mechanic shop a call and ask them to get you on a maintenance schedule.
We are happy to help you with fluid exchanges or set up a car’s maintenance schedule. Give us a call, or schedule an appointment today with Family Auto Service. Family Auto Service’s auto mechanics are available to keep your vehicle in prime condition with five locations throughout the San Diego area in La Jolla, La Mesa, Santee, Alpine, and Miramar. If you need a shuttle service while our auto mechanics repair your car, please let us know so we can drop you off where you need to go. Our business hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, and 8:00 am – 4:00 pm on Saturday.