Proper car care is what it takes to keep your vehicle running forever!  The purpose of these articles is to inspire drivers who may have skipped out on keeping an eye on their car’s condition. DriveSmart has a goal to become the car care center of information, by providing helpful everyday knowledge that is essential to smart and safe driving. Whether it would be tackling the uncertainty many have when it comes to a complete car detail, or the issues most commonly associated with a vehicle’s engine, DriveSmart’s Resource Center provides detailed information and solutions that any driver will definitely appreciate.

The thing is, we don’t check the cars condition because we have this expectation of  “if there is something wrong, the car will tell us” else something happens, like a: sound, vibration, or smell. Most will argue having a new car means there is no urgency to check-up with the vehicles condition, since its new (built to last) and not have supposed to have any problems in its current state.

Maintaining a car can simply be broken down by staying on top of all the conditions it could experience. The last thing we want in our day, is to have our primary life line of commuting to have a break down on the side of the road (while on our way to something we planned for). The worst part is if it could have been avoided. So, we have a great idiom for the best complete car care.

Check Your Six Vehicle Fluids!

1. Engine Oil

Maintaining your engine’s oil is a necessity, and its something everyone is well capable of doing. Although it may seem straight forward, people are still getting the process wrong and making silly mistakes that cause unnecessary damage to their vehicle’s engine. Proper oil maintenance can make an engine last a life time, so we’ll teach you how to check and change your oil.

How to Check Engine Oil

2. Transmission Fluid

Checking this every so often is good practice. However, if you ever notice that the vehicle hesitates when your automatic transmission shifts gears, be sure to give the transmission fluid level a check before you let any mechanic start talking about servicing your transmission.

How to Check Transmission Fluid

3. Radiator Coolant

In the case of being past due for a coolant change, there is a good chance that your cooling system is corroded, and you should take your car for a professional coolant flush. This is also true if you’ve mixed different types of coolant in your radiator.

How to Check Coolant Levels

4. Power Steering Fluid

Neglecting to regularly check your vehicle’s power steering fluid puts yourself at risk of losing control of your vehicle.  It takes seconds to check on your car’s power steering system, take the extra minute.

How to Check Power Steering Fluid

5. Brake Fluid

Brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid used in hydraulic braking systems as well as hydraulic clutch applications in generally all vehicles. This is one of the most overlooked fluids but holds the complete control of stopping your vehicle at a comfortable rate.

How to Check Brake Fluid

6. Windshield Washer Fluid

This is the most overlooked fluid, usually no-one checks this until their washer system won’t spray.  It’s important to keep your windshield clean (seeing the road while driving is essential) a dirty windshield that catches sun glare can completely impede your sight of the road. This is typically at its worst during the winter months.

How to Check Washer Fluid