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Fluid Samples 101

Throughout their evolution, cars have transformed from simple mechanical vehicles into sophisticated, high-tech machines equipped with advanced safety features, electric systems, and autonomous driving capabilities! Innovations have brought many changes to vehicle ownership, but one component that remains as important as ever is the maintenance of your vehicle’s driveline fluids. They are the lifeblood of a vehicle, new or old, and with tolerances on modern vehicles being as tight as they are, it’s our duty to ensure you have the tools to make informed decisions on what’s best for your vehicle’s mechanical health.

Below are the steps we go through to ensure you have a complete understanding of your vehicle’s driveline components’ maintenance and best practices. 

  1. Fluid Sampling:

To start, we perform a fluid sample that we can compare and test against clean versions of the same fluid.  Once approved, it gives us the ability to remove, inspect and directly compare the fluid that has come out of your vehicle rather than make assumptions based on driving distance, time or other factors. This gives us the insight into the health of your driveline fluids, which in turn predicts the health of your driveline components.

  1. Analysis:

Now that we’ve removed the fluids, we will compare them against new fluids, looking for discolouration, sediments, foul smell and fluid breakdown. This side-by-side analysis allows our technician to build a better story relating to your car.  For example, if the fluid has a burnt smell or heavy deposits, it can tell us the vehicle has been overloaded, driven hard, or is experiencing a mechanical problem within one of its driveline components. Information that the technician learns from these samples will help build a recommendation package for you when you review your inspection with one of our service advisors, Sophie, Brad or Marc. 

  1. Documentation:

This information is great for the technician to see, but what is most important to us is that you, the driver, get this information in a concise and well-presented manner to allow you the opportunity to make an educated decision. Our technicians build digital libraries each time your vehicle comes through the shop and this fluid analysis goes hand in hand with that documentation process. We will send you photos and explanations of the fluids, any concerns we may have, along with recommendations for which ones to replace.

  1. Consultation:

Should you have further questions, we won’t dispose of any fluid samples from your vehicle until you’ve visited the shop and picked it up. In doing this, we offer you the opportunity to speak directly with our technicians and see the fluid samples for yourself.  Our technicians enjoy the discussions about the vehicles that come through the shop and enjoy helping our customers learn and understand their vehicles on a deeper level. With our floors and walkways specially designed for customer access into the shop, we welcome our customers to speak with our technicians on any subject related to your vehicle’s performance, reliability and maintenance.

  1. Lineage:

There is no one component (above) exceptionally more valuable than the next, but collectively they empower you with knowledge. Having documentation of your vehicle’s fluids samples over time, along with a technician and service advisor who remembers your vehicle, allows everyone the ability to read the changes to the conditions of the fluid, the speed at which they change, and the consistency of sediment and material added. This gives you as the owner, a greater understanding of your vehicle as kms are added and ensures you can make informed decisions on the vehicle’s present, planned and future maintenance.

Ultimately, the most important part of fluid samples for your vehicle is part of our process to save you money long term.  Your engine, transmission, transfer case and differentials are the most expensive components to replace on any vehicle.  Taking the time to assess your fluids, their condition and the ability to protect these components with your overall investment in your vehicle is our job, as we see it – we are responsible for your level of understanding of what is important to not only maintain your vehicle, but also to know how you can save on bigger costs in the future by investing in preventative measures now.  

If you would like to gain a greater understanding of your vehicle’s mechanical health and ensure longevity and reliability, any of our Motor Werke team members will be happy to assist you in booking an appointment.  

Misti is our customer care advisor, you can reach her at [email protected] to book your appointment, or simply plan a visit to learn more about driveline components and fluids.  Derek is our lead technician who is pictured working here on this 2019 Porsche Cayenne S, you can reach him directly at [email protected].  He will be happy to speak with you about specific technical questions about driveline fluids and any other shop related questions.