Oil and fluids

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.

For some vehicles, you're advised to change the coolant every 30,000 miles. For others, changing the coolant isn't even on the maintenance schedule.

While there are several fluids in modern gas-powered cars (and some in electric vehicles) that can be checked and topped off, many would only be low if there’s a leak in that system.

GM claims that Dexos oil keeps engines cleaner, reduces sludge, improves fuel economy and can help emissions components last longer.

Mazda is implementing a national program called the Essential Car Care Initiative to offer free one-time car cleanings and oil changes to health-care workers.

Approximately 9,800 model-year 2018-19 Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-Maybach S560 sedans are being recalled for engine oil plugs.

We reached out to automotive service experts to understand the biggest potential problems with unused cars and what steps you can take to prevent them.