• December 10, 2015

Checking Your Vital Fluids

Checking Your MINI Cooper Fluids: Power Steering, Oil, Brake, Transmission & More

To ensure your car is running smoothly in between maintenance intervals, the easiest thing you can do is check your vital fluids to make sure everything under the hood is healthy and at the proper level. The top fluids you should check in your BMW or MINI are; Engine Oil, Transmission Fluid, Coolant/Antifreeze, Brake Fluid, and Power Steering Fluid. You can always stop by The Haus to have one of our certified technicians check, and top off your fluids FREE of charge.

Checking Engine Oil

In most vehicles, you need to open your hood, find the dipstick pull it out and wipe it down. Repeat that process again and you will know if the engine oil level is correct. Some vehicles tend to burn oil faster (turbo charged engines especially) than normally aspirated engines. Some BMW cars do not have a dipstick and require connecting to the car computer, which may require you stop by The Haus and have one of our certified technicians check it for you. We recommend that you replace the engine oil every 6 months or 5,000 miles whichever comes first, this will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in long term repair costs and a lot of heartache.

Transmission Fluid

You should check your transmission fluid on your BMW or MINI (if possible) on a monthly basis, because it is was keeps the gears on your vehicle moving smoothly. You can check your transmission fluid the same way as your engine oil. On older vehicles there will be a dipstick for the transmission fluid, make sure the vehicle is running so you can get an accurate reading. Transmission fluid should be red and should not smell burnt. If the transmission fluid is low, dark, or smells burnt please contact us for a free inspection. As with the engine oil some vehicles are not equipped with a transmission fluid dipstick, and require help from a technician.

Coolant Level

This fluid is also extremely important because it’s what keeps your BMW or MINI from overheating. Coolant is also known as Antifreeze, without this fluid your car will over heat and in cold climates the cooling system would freeze. You can check this fluid by opening the cap on the radiator or expansion tank. NEVER check if the car is running or is still warm. Once open you should see fluid go up to certain line that you can see inside. If it is low make sure you fill up with the same exact type of fluid. If you are not sure what type of coolant is right for your vehicle, or it is not available, just add water so you do not intermix fluids and contaminate your cooling system. You should check this fluid twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter. It is recommended that you replace coolant/anti-freeze every 2-3 years (see your owners’ manual).

Brake Fluid

Checking your brake fluid to make sure the fluid is clean is very important. The fluid should never be low. If you ever feel like the brakes are not working properly checking your brake fluid should be the first priority. You can locate where the brake fluid reservoir is in the manual, typically it is on the driver’s side near the firewall. The fluid should be a golden-honey color, if it is turning brown or black it is time to change the brake fluid. It is recommended by the BMW factory to replace brake fluid every 2 years.

Power Steering Fluid

When you start to hear some creaking noises coming from the steering wheel area you may be low on power steering fluid. Open the hood of your BMW and locate the reservoir. If you happen to notice that the power steering fluid is low there could be a possible leak. You should check this fluid monthly and should be replaced every 50,000 miles a preventive maintenance.

Please schedule an appointment at The Haus for a free fluid level check-up and 32 point inspection by one of our factory trained technicians.

Call (855) 572-MINI (6464)

• December 10, 2015
• No Comments
• BMW, Common Repairs, Mini Cooper