Springtime blossom on the A48 near Llanvaches by Ruth Sharville is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0
The weather is improving rapidly, and with the sunshine comes road-trip season. To ensure your next long-weekend road trip is worry and trouble free, start with a few easy and inexpensive services for your car, truck, or SUV. All of which we can do for you, right there at your home or place of work.
Oil Change Service – (done at your home or workplace)
The engine is the heart of your car, truck, or SUV. Staying up to date on your lube, oil, and filter change service is an essential bit of maintenance. Doing it not only saves you having trouble on your next springtime road trip, it keeps your engine running as it should for years. And if your vehicle is still under warranty, keeping up on the oil changes makes sure it stays under warranty.
A new filter is equally important, because all that fresh oil added to your car needs to flow freely through the engine to make sure the oil, and the engine, can do their job.
And yes, oil changes and other services performed by Oil Revo do count in terms of keeping up your vehicle’s factory warranty. You don’t have to go to the dealership for an oil change! (You can read more about that here.)
Additionally, when you see the term “lube” oil and filter change, the lube part matters too. There are moving parts on your car, and points of friction, that require heavy lubricants as well. These prevent wear and tear from friction, and also prevent noises, squeaks, and other metal complaints.
Check Fluid Levels and Top Off If Needed
Beyond the oil, there are several other fluids that will keep your spring travels trouble free. Here is a list of some of the most common types:
Engine coolant (also known as “antifreeze”)
Brake fluid
Power steering fluid
Transmission fluid
Windshield wiper fluid
All of these fluids require regular inspection and periodic maintenance. Having your regular oil change service is a great opportunity for automotive services specialists (like Oil Revo!) to keep an eye on them for you. And again, we will come to you.
Radiator Service – Fluid Changes and/or Coolant Flush
Engine coolant is the liquid found in your vehicle’s radiator. Its primary job is to keep the engine from getting too hot. You’ve probably seen it in your car, often visible in a plastic overflow bottle. It may have looked green, orange, red, or blue.
Different cars, trucks, and SUVs have different requirements as to what type of coolant they need. Which is why it’s important to have a professional look at your vehicle and make sure you have enough coolant and that it is in the best condition when you take your vehicle out on the road this spring.
Brake Fluid – Don’t Let Your Brakes Stop You Having Fun This Spring
Brake fluid is a hydraulic fluid that powers your cars braking system. It’s important to make sure it is at the proper level and in good condition because, well, it’s the brakes. Your brakes are one of the most essential components of your vehicle’s safety system.
Brake fluid is a hygroscopic, which is a technical term that means it absorbs water easily, even out of the air! Aging seals or even a reservoir cap left open too long can expose brake fluid to moisture over the course of winter. It’s a good idea to have the brake fluid checked to make certain it will still do its job properly before a long springtime (or any time) outing on the roads.
Power Steering Fluid – Steer Clear of Trouble This Year
Power steering fluid’s role is to make sure your vehicle turns properly and easily. Like brake fluid, power steering fluid is a vital part of an important safety system in your vehicle. The power steering system assists when you steer. In the old days of automotive history, it took a large wheel and a lot of strength to turn the car. Your car’s power steering makes it much easier to turn that large machine you drive. Power steering fluid is the lifeblood of your steering system.
Some signs of aging power steering fluid include whining noises when you turn, especially in the morning, or difficulty turning one way or the other when it’s cold. Sometimes this is referred to as Morning Sickness. But no worries, your car isn’t going throw up or have a baby anytime soon. It might want to have its fluids checked though.
Transmission Service – Fluid and Filter When Necessary
Transmission fluid lubricates all the moving parts of your transmission. Along with the engine, the transmission is generally one of the two most expensive pieces of equipment in an automobile.
Maintaining transmission fluid level and condition is essential to making sure your vehicle runs properly and shifts easily. As your speed adjusts to traffic or to going up and down those springtime mountains and hills, a well-maintained transmission does it job smoothly and quietly, so all you need to do is focus on having fun.
Windshield Wiper Fluid – Yes, This One Is Vital Too!
It may seem odd that windshield wiper fluid made the list of vital fluids for your vehicle. But in its own way it is. If you can’t see, you can’t drive.
That splash of muddy water or dirty melting springtime snow may need to be quickly wiped away as you are speeding down the road. Or that swarm of bugs or bees that splatter on your windshield. As much as we hate to see any living thing come to such an end, the reality is, it can happen. Springtime insects often have bloated bellies and full pollen sacs, and they can muck up a window very quickly with all that sticky stuff. (Speaking of bugs and sticky stuff, keep an eye out for our honeydew post and what to do about all those little spots on your paint and windows).
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Car Repair
Yes, we’ve mangled that old saying there, but the point remains, preventive maintenance like oil changes and fluid services are called “preventive” services for a reason. They prevent problems literally “down the road.” By having your vehicle’s routine oil change service prior to hitting the road this spring, you give yourself and your family the best chance to have smooth vehicular sailing while you are out there having fun.
To make life even simpler, Oil Revo can come to you at your work or home and provide any or all of these services as your car, truck, or SUV might require. We’ll do it quickly, cleanly, and affordably, and we’ll make sure it is done in the best way possible for the environment.