How to Check your Fluids on a 2003-07 Cadillac CTS
Created on: 2016-07-25
Learn how to check the brake fluid, coolant, engine oil, and washer fluid with tips from our experts in this how-to video
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step 1 :Checking the Coolant
- Twist off the coolant reservoir cap
- Check that the coolant is between the minimum and maximum lines
- Check that the fluid is clean.
- Add coolant if necessary
- Twist on the coolant reservoir cap
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step 2 :Checking the Brake Fluid
- Twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap
- Use a flashlight to check the fluid level
- Check the color and condition of the fluid
- If the fluid is dark in color drain and refill it with fresh fluid
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step 3 :Checking the Oil
- Remove the oil dipstick
- Clean the dipstick with a paper towel or rag
- Reinsert the oil dipstick
- Remove the oil dipstick
- Check the level and condition of the oil
- Reinsert the oil dipstick
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step 4 :Filling the Washer Fluid
- Remove the washer fluid cap
- Fill the washer fluid reservoir
- Push on the washer fluid cap
Tools needed
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Windshield Washer Fluid
Paper Towels
Brake Fluid
Flashlight
Cloth Rags
Engine Oil
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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
Open the hood. We have our coolant, brake fluid, oil dipstick, oil fill cap, and our washer fluid on the opposite side of the engine bay.
Remove the coolant reservoir cap. If the vehicle has been run recently be sure to do this slowly, so any pressure is released. Check the level. As long as it is between the minimum and maximum lines, it can be found on the side of the tank here, and the fluid, in this case Dex-Cool, orange fluid, looks clean and free of debris. You can see that the fluid doesn't look contaminated or dirty. There's no need to top off this fluid as long as it's in the reservoir and above the minimum line. Should you need to fill it be sure to use GM approved Dex-Cool coolant mixed half-and-half with distilled water.
Unscrew the cap of the brake fluid reservoir. Using a flashlight you can check the level. We're just below the max line, which is fine, because as brake pads wear down the calipers slide out farther to fill the space lowering the level slightly. As long as it's above the minimum line, there's no reason to top off our fluid. You also want to inspect the color and the condition. As you can see, this fluid is very dark, almost the color of black tea or coffee. You want a clean green tea colored fluid. This shows that the fluid is damaged or contaminated. Possibly it's been overheated. Normally I would recommend that this fluid be drained and refilled with fresh, clean DOT 3 fluid.
Remove the oil dipstick. Clean it off with a paper towel or rag. Reinstall it, remove it, and check the condition and level of the fluid. These hash marks here designate the one quart low and full positions. As you can see ours is right up to the top, so there's no need to refill our fluid.
Remove the cap for the washer fluid. Fill it to the top. Reinstall the cap nice and tight.
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