A car’s engine is one of those wonders of technology that we can sometimes take for granted. It’s easy to forget about how much the belts, pistons, and fluids need to work in tandem just to get your car moving. One major component of a healthy engine is the regular replacement of car fluids. How often should you change your car’s fluids, you ask? The answer varies depending on the type of fluid.

How Often Should You Change Your Car’s Fluids?

There are many types of fluids that go into keeping your car running smoothly. Let’s take a look at five of the most important areas.

Engine Oil

The engine oil is most likely the car fluid you will change most often. You’ll no doubt hear a lot of differing opinion about how often your car can or should go between oil changes.

Most cars can usually go about 3,000 miles between oil changes. This number will vary depending on the age and mileage of the vehicle as well as the type of oil that is used.

You can learn more about the types of engine oil here»

What are the Types of Engine Oil?

Transmission Fluid

Your car’s transmission fluid, or oil, is different than your engine oil and needs to be changed at a different interval. This is where things get a little tricky, because the age of your car will influence how often the transmission oil should be changed.

The first place to look to determine your car’s schedule is your owner’s manual. If you don’t have your owner’s manual, chances are that you can look online. If you can’t find any information online, contact the manufacturer directly.

Some older cars will need transmission fluid changed every 30,000 miles; others can go up to 150,000 without a change.

Coolant

Antifreeze, also known as coolant, is a fluid that is normally topped off throughout the year – especially right before summer and winter. This essential fluid keeps your car running cool and also prevents pipes and hoses from freezing.

You can expect to change your coolant once every three years. Just make sure to add the same kind of coolant that is already inside the reservoir.

Brake Fluid

Brakes are a more complicated system than brake pads and rotors alone. Brake fluids are corrosive and turn from a golden color to brown over time, making it easy to identify when it’s time to get it changed. The brake fluid reservoir is generally near the driver’s side part of the engine compartment.

Brake fluids generally need to be changed every two or three years.

Power Steering Fluid

The power steering fluid in your vehicle ensures that you can turn your wheel easily and with little effort. Over time, this fluid may become low or need changing altogether. The biggest telltale sign is when you turn the wheel and hear a creak. The next largest sign is that it’s getting harder to turn the wheel at all.

Most cars will need to have the power steering fluid changed every 50,000 miles.

Car Fluid Changes at T3 Atlanta

Now that you know how often to change your car’s fluids, you can keep your engine happy and healthy for years to come.

Not sure if you need to get your fluids changed? Schedule an appointment with T3 Atlanta. Every car is different, but all cars work best with preventive maintenance. Changing your car fluids regularly is just one of many ways to keep your engine in top condition.