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How To: Check, Flush & Fill Your Vehicle's Coolant
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By Dorman Products
Car leaking coolant from engine or HVAC? Check out Dorman’s replacements and OE FIX solutions.
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By NAPA
Hybrid vehicles work by powering off the engine when they are not in motion on the road, such as at a stop light or in traffic, which is considered idling. Hybrid-electric vehicle technology uses idling to achieve fuel savings of nearly 15% according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is a great choice for consumers who are environmentally conscious or want to save money at the pump. However, you should understand some key insights about letting your hybrid vehicle sit idle for too long.
With more professionals working from home, it is all too easy to let your hybrid vehicle sit completely idle in your garage for long periods of time. However, if you do not start up and drive your hybrid regularly, you run the risk of causing serious issues to your battery pack. link hidden, please login to view need exercised weekly at a minimum to prolong your hybrid vehicle’s performance. But remember, there are also other ways a vehicle can idle.
The exact length of time that you can let a hybrid car, truck or SUV sit completely idle without being turned on varies by the make and model. If you’re working from home and not driving as much, make sure to turn your hybrid vehicle on in a ventilated area and let it run for at least a few minutes each week to exercise the battery pack. If you cannot turn the vehicle on at least once a month, consider having a friend or trusted neighbor do it for you.
If you have to let your hybrid sit idle without powering it on for more than 30 days, inspect your vehicle or take it to
link hidden, please login to view to prepare for your absence. Store the hybrid vehicle in a well-ventilated area or garage that is free of moisture, ensure any interior lights or plug-in accessories are turned off and rest easy knowing you’ve prepared your prized hybrid vehicle for a long absence. Do Hybrid Vehicles Use Gas While Idling? link hidden, please login to view
Hybrid vehicles use a combination of gas and battery power to function and can include an array of features like idle-stop systems where energy is transferred from the gasoline engine to the electric starter and back to the generator/battery. An idle-stop system (also commonly known as the start-stop system) helps drivers save gas by powering down the engine (idling) when the vehicle comes to a halt for even a short period of time. Imagine you brake at a red light—the hybrid engine automatically shuts down to save on gas. Then, when you release the brake pedal to accelerate, the engine starts back up again.
The idle-stop system makes up today’s market of hybrids that can come standard in both mild hybrids and full hybrids. Mild hybrids that use idle-stops are typically conventional combustion engine vehicles that simply idle when not in motion, but do not take advantage of an electric motor that full hybrid vehicles possess. So, which type of hybrid electric vehicle has an idle-stop operation? The answer is that many mild and full hybrids now come with idle-stop technology, shutting off the gasoline engine when at rest, coasting or slowing down.
Due to idle-stop, no gas burns inside the engine, saving you money while saving the planet at the same time. NAPA thanks you for doing your part to reduce the heat island effect, which happens in large metropolitan areas where air quality and pollution is affected by vehicles that have high carbon emissions from fossil fuel. According to Reuters, U.S. hybrid vehicle sales increased a whopping 76% in 2021 and is on pace to continue growing sales. Additionally,
link hidden, please login to view estimates that the hybrid-electric vehicle market was worth $252 billion in 2020 alone and may reach as high as $1,165 billion by 2026. Even Ford Motor Company predicts that electric vehicles will make up 40% of its sales by 2030. How Long Can a Hybrid Vehicle Sit Idle?
As you cruise along in your planet-loving automobile, just as you start to brake, the hybrid’s stop-start system will engage the regenerative braking system. Regenerative braking uses rotational energy from your wheels to create electricity for your generator in a full hybrid vehicle model. The generator then sends the electricity to your battery where it is stored and used later as your energy reserve.
As the brake is fully pushed, the generator shuts down the gas flow. Stepping on the accelerator again restarts the engine and uses that stored energy, running it to the link hidden, please login to view. If you have a full battery, hybrid vehicles can idle for nearly two hours. Of course, this figure can scale up or down depending on your hybrid’s make and model. Keep updated about the condition of your hybrid battery and take care of the day-to-day maintenance needs with the help of NAPA’s expert technicians, the
link hidden, please login to view and link hidden, please login to view. Note: Although mild hybrids offer fuel savings, they are only a small savings compared to fully hybrid-electric vehicles. For more information about hybrid-electric vehicles, consider reading “
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By NAPA
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Your
link hidden, please login to view is one of the most important liquids in your vehicle. Brake fluid is what transmits your foot’s movement of pressing on the brake pedal into movement of the friction material at the wheel. It is rarely seen unless you check their brake fluid level or are unlucky enough to have a brake system leak. But your brake fluid is not immortal and needs changed just like any other automotive fluid. Your owner’s manual lists how often to flush brake fluid for a reason, so let’s take a look at how to flush brake fluid. Why Flush Fluid Brake Fluid?
Just like every other automotive fluid, brake fluid changes as time passes. In the case of brake fluid, it gets contaminated.
link hidden, please login to view is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water. That’s bad because if the water content in the brake fluid gets too high, it might boil under heavy braking. Brake fluid can also become contaminated with rust and copper. Brake Fluid Flush Preparation
Before starting a brake flush, you need to take these first no matter which type of brake flush method you choose:
Turn off the ignition of the vehicle. Using a vacuum bulb or similar siphon, remove almost all of the old brake fluid from the brake fluid reservoir. Leave a shallow puddle of it to prevent air from entering the brake system. Top off the brake reservoir with fresh brake fluid. Lift the vehicle off the ground and support it on jack stands. Never work under a vehicle that is only supported by a jack. A jack is a lifting device only, a jack stand is a support device. Remove the tires and wheels. If possible, remove all four wheels, but you may also flush one wheel at a time. Place a drain pan under each wheel that you flush to catch the brake fluid as it drips. Once these steps are completed, you can move on to the brake flush method of your choice.
Gravity Brake Flush
With this method you let gravity do all the work. The tradeoff is that it takes more time than any other method.
Open the brake bleeder valve on each wheel The brake fluid will drip from the open bleeder valves Keep the brake reservoir filled with fresh brake fluid Wait for the fluid dripping from the bleeder valve to run clear (this may take more than an hour) Once the brake fluid runs clear, close the bleeder valve Top off the brake fluid reservoir if necessary Manual Brake Flush
This is the method most people think of when bleeding or flushing brakes. One person sits in the driver’s seat working the brake pedal while another person opens up the bleeder valves.
Have an assistant sit in the driver’s seat Choose a wheel and locate the brake bleeder valve Ask the assistant to pump the brake pedal three times and then hold it down Open the brake bleeder valve to release the pressurized fluid Close the brake bleeder valve Check the brake fluid reservoir and top it off with fresh fluid if necessary Repeat steps 3–6 until the fluid is clear Top off the brake fluid reservoir if necessary Pressure Brake Flush
Pressure brake fluid tools have become increasingly popular. This brake fluid flush tool uses pressurized air to push brake fluid through the system.
Read the instructions included with the pressure brake fluid tool Fill the pressure brake fluid tool with fresh brake fluid as directed in the tool instructions Attach the pressure adapter to the brake fluid reservoir Pressurize the tool as directed in the tool instructions Open the brake bleeder valve to release the pressurized fluid, and allow the fluid to flow until it is clear Close the brake bleeder valve Top off the brake fluid reservoir if necessary Vacuum Brake Flush
As the name implies, this method uses a vacuum tool to pull brake fluid through the system. It is usually part of a
link hidden, please login to view that includes a brake fluid catch bottle. Read the instructions included with the vacuum brake fluid tool Attach the vacuum brake fluid tool to the brake bleeder valve Pump the vacuum brake fluid tool to create vacuum at the brake bleeder valve Open the brake bleeder valve to begin pulling brake fluid through the system Allow the brake fluid to flow until it is clear Close the brake bleeder valve Check the brake fluid reservoir and top it off with fresh fluid if necessary Repeat steps 3–7 until the fluid is clear Top off the brake fluid reservoir if necessary Regardless of which
link hidden, please login to view you choose, the goal is to replace as much old fluid as possible. You will likely use more brake fluid than you expect, but considering the long service interval, it is worth using a bit more fluid just to make certain. There is no difference between a brake fluid change vs. flush, they are the same process with the same goal: new brake fluid. The cost to flush brake fluid depends on who is doing the work. A DIY brake flush at home will only cost you the price of a few bottles of brake fluid, but a professional brake fluid flush using specialized equipment will likely put the cost at more than $100.
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link hidden, please login to view available on link hidden, please login to view or trust one of our 17,000 link hidden, please login to view for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on how to do a brake fluid flush and a typical brake fluid flush price, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your link hidden, please login to view. You Might Need These
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