Aftermarket February 2023

F luid levels have an impact on some surprising systems, as Colin Cottrell, Marketing Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts observed: “Some ADAS systems, such as Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control and Traffic Jam Assist, rely on having precisely the right levels and types of oil and fluid in their system. Failure to change these fluids on time and with the correct product can cause a malfunction.” Looking specifically at engine oil, Colin continued: “Kickstarted by the widespread adoption of diesel vehicles in the early 2000s, and the more stringent emissions targets that came with them, there is now a huge variety of different engine types on the road that require a similarly huge variety of oils to service. The introduction of 40 AFTERMARKET FEBRUARY 2023 OIL AND LUBES www.aftermarketonline.net hybrids and EVs brought yet more changes, because their much smaller engines work far harder and deliver a higher- level output. Oils and lubricants have become bespoke parts in themselves, unique to different vehicle makes and models. For this reason, we believe that there is a need to shift from the old norm of bulk-buying a few, large drums of oil, to ordering a broader selection in smaller quantities. This small change will allow technicians greater flexibility when servicing vehicles throughout the day at no extra cost, as garages will still hold the same overall volume of product.” He added: “LKQ Euro Car Parts offers an extensive range of different oils and lubricants, including the OEM-approved MPM Gear and Engine Oil ranges, which cover more than 99% of automatic transmissions and manual gearboxes. Above: Cleaning the oil circuit with LIQUI MOLY Pro-Line Engine Flush VITAL HELP Oils and lubes have an impact on almost every system in the car, so garages need to make sure they are looking after customers properly in this area