What's a Fluid Exchange?



The fluids inside your vehicle’s engine are much like the ones in your body. They serve to lubricate, clean, and cool the engine. They keep it alive or, at least running smoothly.  After a while (and how long that is--is determined by your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations and the kind of driving being done), your car needs a fluid transfusion.  Aside from nine oil change packages, we offer four fluid exchange services:

Transmission:
An automatic transmission has a lot of moving parts – all bathed in automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to keep things running smoothly. ATF, like all auto fluids, can break down over time because of high heat. As the fluid fails, your transmission works harder and gets hotter, and you may end up with an expensive repair. An ATF exchange protects your transmission from wear, helps prevent the need for repairs and keeps you shifting smoothly down the road.

Radiator/Coolant:
Your vehicle must operate at an ideal temperature. Old coolant can cause overheating. No coolant or low coolant levels can lead to ugly things, such as blown gaskets, warped cylinder heads and damage to your water pump and radiator. If the temperature gauge creeps upward, don’t ignore the warnings – have your coolant checked out before your system reaches its boiling point.

Power Steering:
The fluid is the cheapest component of your power-steering system. Changing it can help to prolong the life of other, more expensive power-steering components such as the power-steering pump and the stratospherically expensive power-steering rack.

Brake Fluid:
Your brakes are the most important safety feature on your vehicle. A brake fluid exchange is similar to an engine oil change for your brake system. Old brake fluid can affect braking performance. A brake fluid exchange removes the old fluid and replaces it with clean, fresh new brake fluid. Ask A-1 to test your brake fluid while you get your vehicle serviced.