Seeking advice on newly purchased used vehicle.

mattat777

I just bought a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander with 41,000 miles on it. It's been inspected and has brand new brake pads, resurfaced rotors, rear engine seal, and tires on it. The rear engine seal had a seep, so the dealer replaced it. I'm trying to familiarize myself with the fluids and regular maintenance. If I need to add any brake, power steering, or coolant to it, what should I do? I'm not asking about the procedure, but rather should I drain them completely and replace the fluid so that I know I'm not mixing fluids, or is it okay to add the proper fluid on top? I just don't know what has been used in it. Maybe it's still the original fluids?

stever

If you don't have an owner's manual, here's a link to download one. The Edmunds Car Maintenance Guide also has that info.

I'd think about replacing the brake fluid just on the time interval, but maybe the dealer replaced that when they did the pads and rotors?

For the other fluids, you're probably right that they're the original. I'd probably just top up as needed, but I'm not big on preventative maintenance like a lot of people are.

Mr_Shiftright

You should never have to "add" brake fluid, as that is supposed to be a sealed system---but flushing it out might be a good idea at some point. If it is clear and honey-colored, I'd let it be for the time being, but if it has a dark and murky color, it might be a good idea to have that done.

Coolant should be flushed and refreshed every few years--if you live in a climate that gets fairly severe weather in winter, I'd certainly consider doing it.

I don't think the power steering fluid needs attention at this mileage.