Oil and fluids

One indication that the power-steering fluid level should at least be checked is if the steering wheel becomes harder to turn or you hear a whining noise coming from the power-steering pump.

If you’re asking for heat but only cold air is coming out, the problem likely lies in one of two areas.

If you live in a place where the temperature never gets down to freezing, you might be able to get by with plain water in place of windshield wiper fluid.

While it’s likely seldom done, some vehicles’ maintenance schedules do include an interval for changing the differential fluid, though perhaps only under “severe service” conditions.

A ticking noise from your car is most likely related to the engine, but it could also be coming from something else.

In the past, the factory-recommended interval for changing the automatic transmission fluid was typically between 30,000 and 100,000 miles, but some newer vehicles have what’s referred to as “lifetime fluid.”

While changing your oil every 3,000 miles was standard practice many years ago, modern lubricants and advances in engine materials and tolerances have largely made that frequency unnecessary.

How often you need to change your car’s brake fluid is covered in the maintenance section of your owner’s manual, and it can vary greatly.

Coolant leaks aren’t always easy to find, as air blowing through the front of the car can spread coolant all over, and that means the puddle you see on the ground may not be directly under the leak.

Common sources of oil leaks are at the oil pan or oil filter, valve covers, timing cover or the crankshaft main seals.