When you think about the “routine” maintenance services for your vehicle, what comes to mind? We would assume oil changes, tire rotations, and looking at the brakes. This is all very true, but there are other fluids that are essential to the upkeep and safety of your vehicle and it’s important to know what they are and how to keep them in top shape.

Transmission Fluid

Just as your engine uses oil to lubricate and cool its internals, transmissions use specially designed transmission fluid for the same purpose. The quality and color of your fluid can speak a lot about the health of your transmission as well. What does a healthy fluid look like? Depending on your transmission model and design, it may be a variation of a pink-red color, and turns browner and darker as it gets closer to be needing it’s fluids exchanged and replaced. CVT transmissions sometimes have gold or green fluid. What we hate to see is very dark, smelly, or worse, fluid with metal shavings in it. This means there is possible damage to your transmission itself. Low levels can indicate a leak, so it’s important to keep an eye on your transmission fluid to prevent more expensive repairs down the road.

Brake Fluid

When brakes are brought up you think of your pads and rotors, but there is also Brake Fluid that needs to be in good condition to keep your vehicle stopping as it should when you press the brake pedal. Brake fluid can last many many years depending on your vehicle, but it can become contaminated, so it's important to have it inspected for moisture and copper content and contamination.Water in the brake lines lowers the boiling point of the fluid, so your stopping ability can diminish as heat in the system increases. In addition, over time the moisture can cause internal corrosion in the brake lines, calipers, the master cylinder and other components.Generally, brake fluid can be clear or light brown in color, and will darken or become murky with age/ contamination. Engine Oil keeps your car going, and Brake Fluid keeps your car stopping, but is often not discussed as an essential fluid.

Coolant

Coolant circulates, making sure your vehicle’s components are operating at the right temperature. It is a common misconception that your coolant is related to your A/C system, but it can be related to your heater. When you have low coolant or coolant issues it can mess with your temperature regulation which can cause serious havoc on your vehicle. Without enough coolant, your engine may overheat. Engine Cooling Problems could arise if you don’t have the right mixture of coolant, which is typically a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. Finally, a leak in the system could contaminate your coolant and prevent it from working properly. There are a variety of coolants out on the market and its very important to never mix them, make sure you follow your manufacturer’s recommendation.

Power Steering Fluid

A pump is attached to the vehicle’s engine and operated by a belt, which circulates the hydraulic fluid within the system to apply a force multiplier to the wheels. When the steering wheel is activated, valves spring into operation to control the flow of liquid through a hydraulic cylinder, which in turn will apply force to the steering gear. As the driver turns the wheel even further, additional fluid is released and pumped through the cylinder, so that extra force is applied to the wheels. Over time this fluid can either become contaminated or can leak, which can reduce your steering ability and performance. Some symptoms include noisy turning, difficulty steering, or a hard to turn steering wheel. Using the right fluid in your power steering system is CRITICAL. if you use the wrong fluid it can damage the system, for example: Honda requires Honda Power Steering fluid and if you use an universal fluid the system can lose function. Earlier Toyotas used automatic transmission fluid and if “power steering fluid” was used it would damage the system.

We always check these fluids when we perform routine maintenance on your vehicle, but if you are using other facilities for routine services make sure to ask about these fluids. We also prioritize these fluids in your vehicle health report and let you know when you may need to exchange these fluids so you can plan ahead. We always encourage people to not let the small routine maintenance lapse to prevent larger, bigger repairs down the road. If you think you may need any fluid help please contact us anytime to set up an appointment. We are located at 7637 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Carmichael, CA 95608 or you can call or text us at (916) 767-4120.

With cold and flu season upon us, and the current Coronavirus State of Emergency, we are very aware of the germs that are coming at us from all directions, but have you thought about your vehicle? We have to be vigilant when it comes to eliminating germs, and your vehicle is one of the most frequently-touched surfaces in our day-to-day life. In fact, if you were to put bathroom germ samples next to car samples, they’d probably look very similar. In a recent study in the U.K., microbiologists randomly tested 25 cars. They checked both the interiors and the trunks, and found that the average vehicle contained around 285 types of bacteria in every square inch of the interior.

Now that we have grossed you out, here are 9 ways you can make your vehicle a flu-free zone.

1. Car Keys

Becoming germ-free starts with your keys. Car keys get placed on many different surfaces, are held every day, and if you have a toddler like we do, they are chewed on from time to time. Make sure to wipe down your keys with a disinfectant wipe and allow them to fully dry before using them in your vehicle. We also suggest limiting your key chain to only what is necessary; the less surface space, the less germs your keys can carry.

2. Steering Wheel

Common sense dictates that the highest concentration of germs would be on the items you touch most frequently, and we hope you are keeping both hands on your steering wheel when you drive! A steering wheel is actually the breeding ground for over 11 times more bacteria than a public toilet! Research has proved that a typical steering wheel had an average of 700 kinds of bacteria compared to the 60 types found on a public toilet seat. Yikes! So, what can we do? For leather steering wheels, make sure you are using a leather-safe cleaning product. A mild disinfecting wipe or baby wipe should do the trick, make sure you spot-check first.

3. Everywhere else you touch

Consider your center consoles, dashboards, arm rests and instruments faces (including the speedometer, stereo, and climate control areas, where many people cough and directly sneeze into), all handles, power switches and door storage areas, windows, mirrors, cup holders, etc. Seeing the surfaces of the interior of your vehicle in list form starts to make you realize why your vehicle is a hub for germs! Here are the steps we recommend when disinfecting these surfaces:

1. Remove any objects like drinks, spare coins, etc before cleaning

2. Wipe down all non-fabric surfaces with a disinfectant wipe. We recommend wipes over watery-sprays so you don’t have excess liquid pooling into cracks and possibly damaging your electrical system. If you do need to use a liquid, please spray into a microfiber cloth directly and then use the cloth to wipe down the surfaces

3. Aerosol disinfectants mists are a way to disinfect interior spaces because they kill germs that you might miss during your wipe-down from the previous step. Aerosol mists can disinfect all the hard-to-reach spots in your car, like the nooks and crannies around the seats and center console that you can’t reach with disinfecting wipes. So, do a spray down of your surfaces (without over spraying) and the wipe dry with a micro-fiber cloth.

A study conducted by the Healthy House Institute tested 11 areas inside 100 vehicles across the U.S. The number one site for bacteria? Food spills. Numbers two and three on the list were the dashboard and cup holders. Not surprisingly, family vans had the highest germ count.

4. Deep Clean your vehicle

After disinfecting all of your vehicle interior surfaces, we recommend having the interior of your car cleaned. Vacuuming the carpets, the floors, the seats will help eliminate germs that have been tracked in from shoes, purses, objects, etc. Another great option to make cleaning easier is to invest in machine-washable seat covers. This allows you to throw the covers in the washing machine frequently and have clean seats.

5. Throw the children away

Okay, we joke! But really; one study found that children’s car seats contain more germs than toilet seats. They found an astounding 100 bacteria per square centimeter on car seats; toilets only had 10 – 50 bacteria per square centimeter. Make sure you are frequently cleaning and disinfecting car seats, sip cups, washing vehicle blankets, toys, etc. Being parents of a toddler, we know its so easy to let kids have their “car toys” and keep their tablets in the car, but make sure you clean them frequently! Even if you can’t clean all of the items all the time, any cleaning is better than none.

6. Keep your car stocked with disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer.

If you are like most people that tend to forget to clean the car (or don’t have time), it will help you to keep cleaning items on hand. If you do a quick wipe down of frequently used surfaces at the end of each day, it will help the spread of germs. Also, before you drive or use your vehicle, make sure you have clean hands. Anything helps!

7. Clean your Air Vents

Germs love to hide in small, dark, hard-to-reach spaces like car vents. Our next step discusses cabin air filters, but it is important to clean your air vent openings. We recommend to spray a high-quality disinfectant spray/mist directly into the vents for a couple of seconds and, before you drive your vehicle, allow it to dry and run your air system for a couple of minutes to allow the spray to circulate and dissipate.

8. Replace your Cabin Air Filter

A closed circuit of air allows germs and spores to contaminate your vehicle and the dark, warm environment within the plenums of the ventilation system is the perfect breeding ground for germs and bacteria. It is important that you have a clean cabin air filter while you are using your AC system because while it doesn’t explicitly filter out viruses or bacteria that can get you sick, keeping the air in your car’s AC clean is always a good idea. We recommend changing your cabin air filter every 15-30k miles, but we also inspect your cabin air filters during your routine oil changes.

9. Let Nature Help!

We don’t know about you guys, but we love to play music while we drive, and tend to keep our windows up to not bother other drivers. That being said, stale, stagnant air can be a breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria, so make sure you detox the air in your vehicle frequently. A simple thing like rolling down your windows can make a big difference in the air quality within your car. We recommend the next time you are going on a long drive during nice weather, roll the windows down, and allow the natural air to circulate through your car. Also, the next time you are hanging out in front of your home, open all the car doors and let some air through.

It is really impossible to make anything “germ free,” but we assure you that these steps will help reduce the germs in your vehicle. We not only want to keep your vehicles in good health, but our clients as well! If you need assistance with replacing your cabin air filter, or have any other vehicle maintenance, repairs, or services needed please call or text us today for an appointment at (916) 767-4120 .

We are so proud to be Sacramento’s Asian vehicle specialists for Auto Repair and Service and are an honest, family-run shop, giving you quality service with family values. We can be found at 7637 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Suite 1, Carmichael, CA 95608. You can find out more information about us at www.BuckFamilyAutomotive.com or on facebook at www.Facebook.com/BuckFamilyAutomotive