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How to Check the Essential Fluids in Your Car

Get to Know Better Your Vehicle’s Brake Fluid, Engine Oil, and Engine Coolant Levels

While some aspects of car maintenance require you to have some automotive technical know-how, checking your car’s essential fluids isn’t one of them. You can spot your vehicle’s fluid reservoirs as soon as you open your hood, which makes it simple to check their fluid levels. It’s something that anyone can do by themselves with just a little guidance.

Here are the 3 essential fluids of your vehicle and how you can check each one of them:

1. Brake fluid

Brake fluid amplifies your vehicle’s braking force and assists in transferring the force you create when you press down on the brake pedal. Brake fluid levels that are too low result in a loss of braking pressure and can cause you to get into an accident. Locating the reservoir isn’t difficult. The cap of the brake fluid reservoir usually has an octagon symbol with a circle in the middle. The word “DOT” may also be printed on the cap. The container is normally translucent, so you can see the current level of the brake fluid.

2. Engine oil

This is the lifeblood of your vehicle. If your engine oil is below the recommended minimum level, your engine’s performance will be affected and you run the risk of its components getting damaged. To check its level, find the reservoir either with the symbol of an oil lamp or with the word “OIL.” Most vehicles have an oil dipstick inside, which has marks to tell you where the current oil level is at.

3. Engine coolant

Your car’s engine coolant is responsible for absorbing your engine’s heat and dissipating it through your radiator. It keeps your engine’s temperature at an optimum level. A low coolant level means you risk your engine overheating. When checking your coolant, make sure the car is cold or has been sitting in a shaded area for several hours. If your car has a translucent reservoir, you can tell the coolant level without opening the reservoir. Some cars, however, will need you to open the reservoir and verify the level by looking inside.

Use Your Clunker to Care for Sick Children

Do you have a car that continues to malfunction despite its many costly repairs? That’s probably a clear sign that you need to let go of that clunker. How about putting it to good use by donating it to a charity that will give it a new and worthy purpose?

When you hand over that clunker to us at Kids Car Donations, we’ll use it to improve and even save the lives of the severely ill and handicapped children and teens in your local area.

We’ll sell your donated vehicle through an auction, with the proceeds going to reputable children’s nonprofit organizations that are in partnership with us.

These IRS-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits use the funding we give them to provide their young beneficiaries with free comprehensive and quality medical assistance, including innovative solutions to pediatric health challenges, emotional support, and relief of pain and trauma.

You’ll also benefit from your donation since it will entitle you to receive the maximum tax deduction in the next tax season. We’ll also provide you with our free towing service.

However, the best reward you’ll get from your donation is not a material thing. It’s the joy and satisfaction you’ll experience, knowing that your gift will be used to help sick children recover from their illness.

We accept nearly all vehicle types, including those that are no longer in good condition. You also need not worry about how you can hand over your clunker to us. We can collect your donation anywhere within the United States since we operate in all 50 states, and, yes, the towing fee is on us!

To find out the details of our quick and convenient vehicle donation process, head over to our FAQs page. If you have inquiries or concerns, feel free to give us a call at 866-634-8395 or write to us here.

 

Touch Lives of Suffering Kids Today!

GIrl covering her face | Kids Car Donations
Photo by Caleb Woods under Unsplash License

Today is as good as any to touch the lives of those kids in your community who are grappling with serious health challenges. Your car donation can help a lot in improving their condition. Call Kids Car Donations at 866-634-8395 or fill out our online donation form now!

 

Last Updated: August 4th, 2023