If you’re interested in getting more involved in what’s happening under the hood of your vehicle, a great place to start is definitely the various fluids that call your engine bay home. There are five that we’ll cover in this blog today, but arguably these are the five that you really, really should know. So, without further ado, here are the FIVE FLUIDS OF DESTINY, or even just the five you should know.

First, you have your oil. Without oil in your engine – or even sufficient oil – your engine will be running VERY dry and without the cooling and lubricating effects of the oil, your engine might even seize and weld itself together, effectively turning it into a block of metal that is shaped like an engine. To make sure you’re taking care of your oil, check it at least once a month and get regular oil changes.

Second is the coolant. This does pretty much what it says on the tin, and cools your engine and radiator so they don’t overheat. The reservoir for this fluid is located near the radiator and is a clear opaque plastic container. You can see the coolant level through the plastic, which is good because the more the reservoir can stay closed, the better. If the level is low, take your vehicle to us so that we can top off that coolant.

Next is brake fluid, which is also in a tank marked with minimum and maximum lines. Make sure the level of this fluid is good because if it’s chronically low your brakes might be wearing down. Regardless, if the fluid level is low you should bring your vehicle in for a brake fluid top-up.

Power steering fluid is number four. The reservoir for this fluid is located at the base of your windshield and is a small tank (opaque, so you can see the level). This fluid makes steering your car easy, and without it, your steering mechanism will not operate properly. Make sure the fluid is always between the minimum and maximum levels indicated on the tank.

Finally, the fifth fluid – your washer fluid! This one basically everyone knows. If you want to find the tank, look for a large cap with a windshield diagram on it. Pop that open and fill it with fluid that you can buy at basically any gas station. Bam, you did it! Make sure you always have fluid in there, though, because it sucks to get stranded with a dirty windshield and no way to clean it