Fluid Inspection

Go With the Flow – Expert Fluid Inspections!

Inspecting the different fluids in your vehicle is a critical part of routine preventive maintenance. These fluids help dissipate heat, provide hydraulic pressure, and lubricate moving parts. Getting regular fluid inspection and maintenance at A&A Tires & Truck Towing helps you avoid expensive repairs while extending your vehicle’s service life. Here’s an extensive insight into how to service the different automobile fluids. 

Car engine bay with pink coolant reservoir and visible hoses and components

What Are the Most Common Vehicle Fluids?

Your motor vehicle operates on various fluids that help keep it in top running condition. Some of these fluids include:


Engine Oil

This lifeblood of your automobile helps to:

  • Lubricate different moving engine components
  • Minimize wear and tear 
  • Remove contaminants
  • Dissipate excess heat


The main types of engine oil available that our experts at A&A Tires & Truck Towing help maintain include:

  • Conventional motor oil:  This refined version of crude or base oil has additives that prevent corrosion, enhance lubrication, and reduce sludge. 
  • Full synthetic oil:  This engine oil is extensively refined conventional oil. It is more costly and ideal for vehicles that experience a lot of strain.
  • Synthetic blend oil:  This oil is a blend of conventional and synthetic oil. 
  • High mileage oil:  This engine oil has additives that help lower external and internal leaks. It achieves this by causing the gaskets and O-rings to expand. The oil is ideal for vehicle with a mileage above 75,000 miles. 


Having our professionals at A&A Tires & Truck Towing perform a monthly oil level check ensures the level doesn’t fall so low that the engine seizes up. We perform this using an oil dipstick with markings that help us determine whether to add more oil. During this inspection, we turn off the engine and allow it to cool. Afterward, we pull out the dipstick, clean it, reinsert it, and pull it out again. 


Antifreeze

Also known as coolant fluid, this solution prevents your engine from overheating or freezing during extreme weather. It runs throughout the entire engine, absorbing the excess heat present before carrying it to the radiator, where cooling fans dissipate the heat. There are three main types of radiator coolants that our auto care pros at A&A Tires & Truck Towing help maintain:

  • Inorganic Acid Technology
  • Organic Acid Technology
  • Hybrid Organic Acid Technology

 

Coolants generally have three key parts:

  • Water: This forms most of the coolant and helps keep the other components together.
  • Glycol: This compound raises the boiling point of water while also lowering the freezing point. 
  • Additives: They consist of a chemical inhibitor that prevents the corrosion of the different parts of your engine cooling system. 


During our scheduled automobile checks at A&A Tires & Truck Towing, we evaluate the: 

  • Coolant Level
  • Coolant Color
  • Coolant Leakage


We start by opening the hood and ensuring the engine is cool. After identifying the translucent coolant reservoir, we at A&A Tires & Truck Towing evaluate if the coolant level is between the maximum and minimum marks. We also note if there’s any contamination by checking the coolant color and rule out any leakage.


Power Steering Fluid

This liquid enables your vehicle to make smooth turns when steering. When turning, your power steering pump generates pressure that forces the hydraulic fluid to circulate. A low power steering fluid level can result in harder wheel turns and noisy steering. 

 

Driving over long distances or through harsh conditions may result in power steering fluid leaks that necessitate a system repair and fluid changes. At A&A Tires & Truck Towing, we asses your power steering fluid by:

  • Ensuring the vehicle is parked on a level surface and the engine is off
  • Identifying the reservoir under the hood
  • Detaching the cap and checking the fluid level using the attached dipstick


Brake Fluid

Your braking system utilizes this fluid to transmit the right amount of force from the brake pedal to the brake pads. This transmission is supposed to happen instantaneously as any delay could be the marginal difference between avoiding and getting involved in an accident.


Any brake fluid leakage or contamination lowers your braking efficiency. Your engine bay contains a brake fluid reservoir that our experts at A&A Tires & Truck Towing inspect to check the color and level. We may notice some rusty brake lines that point to contaminated brake fluid. A spongy pedal feel is also something our vehicle specialists evaluate. 


Transmission Fluid

This fluid helps automatic vehicles to transfer power while lubricating and cooling the components of your transmission system. These parts include 

  • Gears
  • Clutches
  • Valves


Some of the signs of bad transmission that our pros look for include:

  • Strange Noises
  • Uncontrolled Surging
  • Rough Shifting


Our evaluation entails checking the: 

  • Transmission Fluid Level
  • Transmission Fluid Color
  • Transmission Fluid Change


Windshield Washer Fluid

This often-overlooked vehicle fluid helps to improve your visibility while driving. Maintaining a full reservoir of clean washer fluid quality enables clear vision during rainy or muddy situations. Maintaining this liquid is the easiest because you only need to check the washer fluid level and deal with washer fluid contamination.


Don't Cry Over Spilled Oil: Mastering Fluid Maintenance With A&A Tires & Truck Towing's Help

While fuel may be what powers your vehicle, there are other essential fluids that help it run smoothly. Visit us today at 4099 N Valley Pike, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 or call (540) 432-1620 for professional fluid maintenance that will keep your automobile in excellent working order. Allow our experts at A&A Tires & Truck Towing to help you with your oil changes, coolant fluid level checks, transmission fluid leakages, and contaminated brake fluid replacements.