Auto Lab Livonia Guide to Using the Correct Fluids in Your Vehicle
October 4, 2020
Today's Auto Lab Livonia post focuses on using coolant. 
If you pour in the wrong kind, it won't protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty. Check your vehicle owner's manual. Of course, your Auto Lab Livonia service advisor will know the proper coolant for your vehicle.
Brake fluid is confusing for some Livonia drivers. Back when we opened Auto Lab Livonia, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Livonia residents mistakenly think the higher numbers are an upgrade. You know, if 3 is good then 4 must be better. That's not how it works. They are different formulations to meet the demands of differences in brake systems. Only one of them is designed for your vehicle.
Ditto for transmission fluid. For decades there were two basic types of tranny fluid used at Auto Lab Livonia: friction modified or not. With the tremendous engineering advances in vehicle automatic transmissions, there have been several new types of fluids developed to protect and lubricate them.
Nowhere are the advances in automotive fluids more evident to Auto Lab Livonia professionals than in motor oil. Many new weights and formulations have been created to meet the demands of today's high-tech vehicle engine design. Modern engines have more parts and much tighter tolerances.
That's where the new grades of engine oil come in. They have to be formulated to lubricate, protect and clean all of those vehicle engine parts, big and little. The oil has to be thin enough to get into little passages, yet resistant to vaporization.
At Auto Lab Livonia in Livonia, we believe that in some ways modern automotive fluids are just as impressive as the new engines. Because weights of oil and types of coolant and transmission fluid are so carefully matched to the vehicle, make sure you always use the proper fluid if you are topping off at home.
Auto Lab Livonia
36251 Five Miles Rd
Livonia, MI 48154
734-432-6000
http://www.autolablivonia.com
Need Service?
More articles from Auto Lab Livonia
A Non-Starter (Alternator Problems in Cold Weather)
March 9, 2025
As the temperatures dip, we all know there could be problems starting our vehicles. After all, batteries can grow old and not hold a charge as well as when they were newer. Or starters can go bad. But there's one more component to keep an especially sharp eye on during winter: your alternator. T... More
Change is Good (Oil Change)
March 2, 2025
You've heard that expression, change is good. When it comes to your vehicle's oil, change is not only good, it's vital for the health of the engine. But there's one question that puzzles many drivers: how frequently should my vehicle's oil be changed? There is not one simple answer, but here ar... More
Keeping Yourself in Suspension (Control Arm Assembly Replacement)
February 23, 2025
When you are pointing your vehicle straight down the street, it should go straight. Thats pretty straightforward, right? Sometimes, though, you may notice you have to keep adjusting the steering wheel to keep going straight. While that could be caused by many different issues, one possibility i... More