Multiple Fluids With Important Jobs
There are many fluids in a car that serve many purposes. First is your fuel. Typically, this is gasoline, but it can be diesel or other fuel types. Internal combustion engines burn fuel to create power.
The next fluid is motor oil. This is mainly used to reduce friction inside the motor from the metal parts rubbing against each other. It comes in many different weights and should be used by manufacturers’ specifications.
One of the next most important fluids is coolant. This is a water antifreeze mix that is used to cool the engine. The coolant goes through the engine block and back to the radiator, where the air is used to cool the coolant before returning to the engine block.
Under the hood of the car, you will also find brake fluid. The brake master cylinder creates pressure, forcing the calipers in your brakes against your brake rotors to stop your vehicle.
In most vehicles, you will also find power steering fluid. It is used by your power steering pump to assist in turning your vehicle.
Next, in your transmission, you will find automatic transmission fluid, if you have an automatic transmission. It is used to lubricate the transmission and create hydraulic pressure to shift gears in the transmission. If you have a manual transmission, you will most likely have gear oil in your transmission, which is heavy-weight gear oil.
If you have a rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive vehicle, you will probably have gear oil in there. It may have certain friction modifiers added if your differential is limited slip.
Most vehicles will have windshield washer fluid for cleaning your windshield.
Certain late-model diesel also uses DEF or diesel exhaust fluid as part of the emissions system to clean the exhaust before it goes out to the atmosphere.