Oil Changes, Filters & Fluids
Types of Fluid in Your Vehicle
Changing the fluids in your vehicle is a critical part of maintaining your vehicle. Debris like dust, metallic shavings, condensation & other contaminants will cause damage to critical systems. When we change the fluid in your vehicle we use vehicle-specific fluids, including specifically recommended oil for vehicle oil changes. These are generally listed in your owner’s manual.
- Engine Oil: helps keep your engine lubricated, cleaned & cool.
- Transmission Fluid: acts as a lubricant for all the moving parts in your transmission. In an automatic transmission it helps cool and acts as a conduit for transferring power from the engine.
- Coolant/Antifreeze: helps cool your engine in hot weather and prevents freezing during cold weather. When replacing mix with water for a 50/50 mix.
- Power Steering: the hydraulic fluid that transmits the power in power steering system.
- Brake Fluid: a type of hydraulic fluid used in hydraulic brake applications. It is used to transfer force into pressure.
- Transfer Case Fluid: in 4 wheel drive vehicles, keeps the gears lubricated and moving, helping to transfer power
- Differential Fluid: in rear wheel drive vehicles, keeps the gears lubricated and moving freely.
- Windshield Washer Fluid: helps keep your front & rear windows clean.
Filters on Your Vehicle
It is extremely important to the life of your vehicle, and the comfort of the passengers, that you maintain clean and efficient filters to trap contaminants. If not, problems with your important vehicle systems can occur. Regularly replacing filters will maximize your vehicle investment.
- Oil Filter: filters the engine oil
- Fuel Filter: filters the fuel/gas in your vehicle
- Automatic Transmission Filter : filters the fluid in the transmission
- Air Filter: filters the air in the engine
- Cabin Filter : filters the air in the passenger cabin
Recommended Service
*Many of the time, oil changes, and mileage recommendations that we make exceed the manufacturers' recommentations. Based on the best practices and real-world experience, we make these recommendations to get the most possible from your vehicle investment.
- Oil & Filter should be changed every 3,000 miles or 3 months. If your vehicle is on our Life Time Protection Plan we recommend 4,500 – 5,000 miles.
- Making short trips, driving in stop-&-go traffic, idling for extended periods, driving in dusty or dirty air conditions, towing a trailer or in our cold, wet, northwest climate we recommend you stay within the 3,000 mile or 3 month interval.
- Vehicle specific fluids should always be used for automatic transmissions, power steering, brakes, and axles. Coolant/Antifreeze should be changed every two years or 24,000 miles on most vehicles. Extended life antifreeze doesn’t need to be changed as frequently but still requires changing at 3 years or 30,000 miles.*