Don't Rely On Jiffy Lube to Maintain Your Car

Since I've been spending so much time under the hood of my own car making sure any current maintenance items are being taken care of, I figured it was time to take a look at my wife's car and see how things look.  What I found was a bit shocking, especially considering that she had recently got an oil change at Jiffy Lube and they are supposed to check tire pressure and all fluids.


The first thing I found was tire pressure was around 30psi all around instead of the recommended 35psi.  To check the recommended tire pressure for your car, look for a sticker in the door jamb or glove compartment.

Tire pressure recommendations for 1998 Ford Mustang V6.  35psi front and rear
for tire size 225/55R16.

Verify your tire size matches the size listed in the sticker.

After inflating the tires to the proper psi I popped open the hood and checked all the fluids.  The coolant reservoir was completely dry:

Coolant reservoir.

The coolant reservoir holds coolant that has escaped from the cooling system due to pressure from high heat.  When the car cools down the coolant is sucked back into the cooling system.  The reservoir should have a "cold" and "hot" fill line.  If the level is low but not empty you can add fluid directly to the reservoir (50/50 to 70/30 antifreeze to water ratio).

If the overflow reservoir is empty, you must open the main radiator cap and ensure the system is filled.  Never open the radiator cap when it is hot! Hot steam will spray out and you will get burned.  Wait for the car to cool for a bit.

When I opened the cap, I saw no fluid at all so I poured most of the antifreeze I had on hand and eyeballed a 50/50 ratio with water.  A better method would be to premix in a container, then pour it in, but that requires more work (you may be less lazy than I).

Finally topped off!

You may have to fill and wait for the level to go down as air escapes, then top it off and wait again, etc.  After the main system is filled, replace the cap and fill the reservoir to the "cold" level.  Check the level after driving a few more times to see if more air has escaped the system, requiring a top off of coolant in the reservoir.

To be fair, the car may have sprung a leak immediately after leaving their shop, so we can give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

I also went over the "recommended" maintenance Jiffy Lube recommended.  One item was replacing the rear differential fluid.  A quick check of the owner's manual says unless the car is towing a trailer, replacing the fluid is not recommended unless the car is submerged in water or you see it leaking.

The moral of the story is - Just because Jiffy Lube says they check your fluids, tire pressure, and recommended maintenance items, doesn't mean they do a good job of it.