Making sure your car is well hydrated.

Now time for something that most car owners don't like to do, but the reality is that it doesn't take that long and can tip you off about possible problems with your vehicle owners to a problem before it becomes a major source of aggravation. So lets start by checking the oil.

1.Make sure the car is parked on a level surface.
2.Open the Hood.
3.The oil dipstick will normally be located in a central location on the engine block and the handle will be colord (Normally yellow).
4.Pull the dipstick out and clean it with a rag or paper towel.
5.Put the dipstick back in and pull it out.
6.Look at the pointy end of the dipstick. If the oil on the dipstick is below the line marked "full," add a small amount of oil. Many dipsticks simply have 2 lines with a cross hatch design in between. The oil level should be halfway between these 2 lines.
7.Add the oil by unscrewing the oil filler cap, which is about 3 inches in diameter and located on the very top of the engine. It will usually be marked with the words "Engine Oil".
8.Check the oil level with the dipstick after adding oil. Add more if necessary. It's easier to add more oil several times, than to take oil out.
9.Put the oil filler cap back on and secure it tightly

As you were looking at the oil on the dipstick, take note of anything that may seem “off”. If you see metal flakes in the oil or notice a discoloration like green, pink, red, or yellow, then make sure to get your car into the repair shop because this could be a precursor to catastrophic engine failure. So you will want to schedule a service appointment, or if someone else is going to do the work you can make sure the right parts get ordered for your vehicle.

So that looks fine, but now you need to check your transmission fluid to help keep your car in tip top shape.

1.Locate the dipstick for your transmission. It is usually near the back of the engine, and the stick handle is either a T-handle or a ring handle.
2.Start the car engine.
3.Grasp the dipstick handle and pull straight up until the end of the stick clears the housing tube. Wipe the stick off with a rag, and push it all the back down into the tube.
4.Pull the stick all the way out again and hold it so you can see the end of the stick and the film of fluid that clings to it.
5.Look for the level indicators stamped or drilled into the dipstick. You should see two sets of indicators. One set is for checking the fluid when the engine is cold, and the other set is for checking the fluid when the engine is hot. Each set of indicators is marked with a "full" line and an "add" line.
6.Determine whether your transmission fluid is at the proper level by finding the spot on the dipstick where the film of fluid ends. If the film ends near the "full" mark or somewhere near the halfway point between "full" and "add," your transmission has an adequate fluid level.
7.Return the dipstick to the holding tube and push it all the way back down into the tube. Fully seat the dipstick in the holding tube.
Just like with oil, pay attention to anything that doesn't look right, metal flakes in the fluid, color being far darker than what it expected, if there is something that you don't feel right about or you know isn't right, make it a point to get your car checked by a mechanic. For vehicles with high mileage it may be just replacing the filter in the transmission, or it may involve the cost and time of a full rebuild or replacement of the transmission.

Now we've got those two levels checked, lets see how we are doing on brake fluid.

1.Locate the brake master cylinder. It will almost always be close to the back of the engine compartment on the driver's side, it will be a big metal circle with a small reservoir sitting just in front of it. The cap may be labeled.
2.Clean the top of the cap with a rag to prevent dirt from entering the reservoir when you open it.
3.Open the reservoir cap. It may screw off or just pull off.
4.In some vehicles the reservoir cap may have a rubber diaphragm that has been pulled out. If that is the case, then use something like a plastic spoon to collapse the diagram back. You shouldn't allow brake fluid to touch exposed skin or paint because it is corrosive.
5.Check the fluid level. You will see full- and low-level indicators on the side of the reservoir or inside the opening.
6.Add brake fluid up to the full line if needed. Use a funnel to avoid spills.
7.Put the cap back on and close the hood.

These three checks don't take a lot of time and can let you know of problems that may be starting to develop so you can get them fixed before they become problems that incapacitate you at the worst possible time.