Back to all

Tuffy Lake In The Hills Guide to Using the Correct Fluids in Your Vehicle

July 25, 2017

Today's Tuffy Lake In The Hills post focuses on using coolant. drive 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills service advisor will know the proper coolant for your vehicle.

Brake fluid is confusing for some Lake In The Hills drivers. Back when we opened Tuffy Lake In The Hills, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Lake In The Hills 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills: 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills 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 Tuffy Lake In The Hills in Lake In The Hills, 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.

Tuffy Lake In The Hills
59 West Acorn Lane
Lake In The Hills, Illinois 60156
847-854-9850


More articles from Tuffy Lake in the Hills

3 Winter Windshield Tips (Care of Windshield)

April 6, 2025

Cold weather can present some real challenges when it comes to your vehicle's windshield. Think of it. Your windshield is your window to the world when you're driving, and clear visibility is extraordinarily important for safe travels. So here are 3 tips to ensure that your windshield can do it... More

When it Comes to Air Filters, Change is Good (Clogged Air Filter)

March 30, 2025

Engine air filters may not seem like a big deal, but when theyre clogged up with dirt, dust, and insects, your engine could wind up choking for air and not delivering you the power and performance it was designed to give. There are actually a couple of air filters in your vehicle. One filters th... More

Ready, Set, COLD! (Getting Vehicle Ready for Winter)

March 23, 2025

When the temperatures plunge, your vehicle better be ready because it faces a whole new set of challenges. Rubber stiffens, glass fogs, fluids freeze. Just thinking about it can get your heart beating faster. So here are some tips for getting ready for those inevitable colder temperatures. Mak... More