Fluids, filters and consumables

Consumable filters and fluid level checks that need no pressurised system access.

Common failure modes

How to find your car's maintenance schedule and record what maintenance is actually dueEvery vehicle comes with a maintenance schedule, and that schedule is really two schedules: a normal one, and a severe (
Check an automatic transmission fluid level, or establish that the transmission is sealed and has no dipstickChecking automatic transmission fluid is not one job: it is two different outcomes depending on the vehicle. Many automa
How to check your coolant level without opening the radiator capChecking the coolant is a look, not a job with tools. Most vehicles have a plastic reservoir under the hood with a wall
How to check your engine oil and work out what oil your car takesChecking the oil is two jobs that people run together. The first is a measurement: is there enough oil in the engine rig
How to change the cabin air filter in a car when the air conditioning smells or barely blowsA cabin air filter is the one that cleans the air coming into the car, and it is not the engine air filter. When it clog
How to change the engine air filter in your carThe engine air filter is a paper or fabric panel in a plastic box near the top of the engine, and on most cars it is hel

Brake hydraulics and pressurised fuel system work are permanently excluded.