Once upon a time, you could get away with putting just about any fluid in a vehicle. Today, put the wrong oil in an engine and you might cut it’s life down to a few weeks. This goes for all of the other fluids in a vehicle as well. If you put the wrong oil in a ‘CVT’ trans-axle and you won’t get out of the parking lot. The wrong coolant or coolant blend and the heat exchangers might begin leaking within hours.
Using an incorrect brake fluid could result in an accident or legal liability. The wrong transmission fluid can lead to poor shifting or worse regardless whether its an automatic or manual transmission. The wrong power steering fluid can change the life of the steering rack and pump. It can also effect the braking system on vehicles with the hydro-boost.
Use the wrong oil in an A/C system, especially the high-volume units in a hybrid, and you could end up replacing every A/C component on the car to correct the mistake.
If you suspect that someone put the wrong fluid in your car, call OAS immediately for an appointment. (503) 667-3900