Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson Guide to Using the Correct Fluids in Your Vehicle
January 1, 2017
Today's Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson 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 Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson service advisor will know the proper coolant for your vehicle.
Brake fluid is confusing for some Clawson drivers. Back when we opened Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Clawson 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 Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson: 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 Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson 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 Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson in Clawson, 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.
Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
664 S Rochester Rd
Clawson, Michigan 48017
248-589-0980
http://www.toptechautorepairclawson.com
Need Service?
More articles from Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
Rotation Explanation (Tire Rotation Patterns)
March 8, 2026
You may notice that when you get your vehicle's oil changed, your service adviser may recommend that you have your tires rotated at the same time. The reasons are simple. That will allow your tires to wear more evenly and reduce the noise your tires make as you drive down the road. There are di... More
Sniffing Out a Problem
March 1, 2026
Your parents probably taught you to have common sense. When it comes to your vehicle, common scents can also come in handy. Different smells may tell you about some conditions in your vehicle that need attention. For example, you know what rotten eggs smell like. If you smell them around your ve... More
A "Mounting" Problem (Motor Mounts)
February 22, 2026
You know how heavy your engine and transmission are, so you can imagine how tough the parts that hold them onto your vehicle's sub-frame must be. Not only must they support the weight, they also have to isolate vibrations and noise from the passenger cabin. Pretty tall order, wouldn't you say? ... More