1. Top it up
   Filter it
2. Flush and replace it
   Dilute it

Just like oil, your coolant can get a little gross after a while. Check the numbers in your owner's manual, but every 2 to 5 years you ought to be flushing your coolant and replacing it. Contaminated, old coolant can damage your radiator and cause your pump to fail among other issues.

1. 50/50 coolant and water
   100% water
2. 100% coolant
   75% water and 25% coolant

You don't ever want to put just water in your radiator, because it risks boiling off when it gets too hot or freezing when it's too cold. A 50/50 mix of water and coolant in your radiator will keep it running without anything cracking.

1. As soon as possible
   Within a week
2. Before your next oil change
   You're probably fine to ignore it if there are no noises.

The check engine light isn't a joke or even a suggestion really, it means something is wrong. You should get the engine checked as soon as possible. Too many people make the mistake of leaving it until there's a noticeable problem which is going to cost more.

1. The long trip
   The nine trips
2. They're not much different.
   It kind of depends.

Short trips are bad news for your engine. Yes, they're hard to avoid because who wants to walk a mile if they don't have to? But they also don't give your engine time to warm up and that, in turn, puts more stress on your engine than taking one single exceptionally long trip would.

1. In storage
   Out of the sun
2. In a garage
   Doesn't matter

This isn't an option for everyone but, ideally, parking in the garage during the winter is going to be better for your engine overall. Yes, it'll still get cold, but you're cutting out on the wind chill which can make things that much worse.

1. No
   Only if your tire is flat
2. It sure does.
   Not in a significant way

Believe it or not, tire pressure does affect the way your engine performs. If your tires are underinflated, your engine is going to have to put more effort into performing. If you've ever tried to drive on a flat tire you've likely felt how difficult it is. Underinflated tires have more drag to them and you'll suffer a loss in fuel economy as a result.

1. When something goes wrong
   When you run out of oil
2. Every 5 years
   Whatever the owner's manual recommends

Your owner's manual will have the recommended service dates for things like transmission fluid, belts and hoses, oil changes, etc., but you should have a mechanic who will check the important areas when you go in for oil changes. That serpentine belt that just started to fray at 40,000 miles doesn't know the manual says it should be good for 60,000!

1. Ride the brake for a moment
   Slowly accelerate
2. Idle
   Hit the throttle hard

Hard acceleration is probably the most fun thing you can do in your car, but it's also a terrible idea in the long run. You're stressing your engine if you burn out of the gate like you're in NASCAR instead of just easing up to the speed limit.

1. Yep
   Nope
2. Only in the winter
   Only in the summer

You might think your engine is doing well if the temperature gauge shows it running cool all the time, but your engine should have a temperature to it. You don't want it to overheat, but by the same token if it's running cold all the time there's a good chance it means your temperature gauge is broken and needs to be looked at.

1. Very bad
   Not really
2. That's how you warm it up.
   It depends on the car.

Revving your engine isn't necessarily a good idea at any time, but it's an especially bad idea when your engine is cold. Revving causes the pistons to pump faster, which is going to wreak havoc on the piston rings and valve train which have not had time to get properly lubricated yet.

1. Check your owner's manual.
   When they crack
2. Every 10,000 miles
   Every 5 years

Your owner's manual will list how often you should change your spark plugs, but in general it will be every 20,000-30,000 miles. Your mechanic should check these every couple of oil changes just to make sure there's no issues.

1. Quick is it
   Slow and steady
2. There's no difference.
   That depends on the car.

Even though cars and speed go hand in hand, you really need to take your time with some things. A fast switch from reverse into drive is going to cause damage to your drivetrain and can lead to damage to your axle, transmission and engine. It's best to reverse, come to a complete stop, then shift to drive.

1. Fuel additives
   Industrial antifreeze
2. A garage
   Engine heater

Cold starts are just no good for your engine and probably never will be. The problem is that you can't help it when winter rolls around. To save the stress on your engine and its parts, an engine heater is a wise investment if the temperature routinely drops far below freezing.

1. Gentle rocking
   Kitty litter
2. Reversing and moving forward over and over
   Getting a tow

Deep snow or mud are pretty much the worst things ever and we all have the same idea when we get stuck. You gun the engine and go forward and backward over and over again. That's not a good idea, however, and it will kill your engine if you keep doing it. If it doesn't work in a few tries, stop and try something else.

1. Yes
   Not really
2. Just in terms of price
   Only in older models

You should use one color of coolant in your car and only one. If you have green in there, don't add a blue one. Mixing coolant colors can cause them to turn into a gel-like substance ... which of course won't flow well and will lead to all sorts of damage!

1. Yes
   It does nothing.
2. No
   Some engines

Ethanol is frequently added to gasoline but the problem is that ethanol is not really your friend. Not only does is absorb water which can lead to corrosion but it also breaks down polymers and shortens the life of your engine. Newer engines are not a susceptible to damage, as they are made to use hybrid fuels.

1. Of course
   No
2. Depends on the kind of car
   Well, how deep into E are we talking?

Just because you can manage to drive for a while with the tank looking like it's empty doesn't mean you should. The fuel pump works when there's fuel in the tank and when it hits empty it struggles to get those last little bits pumped out, overtaxing the pump. That can cause it to break sooner than it needs to which might cost a bit to replace.

1. Yes
   No
2. Doesn't matter
   Depends on the vehicle

Many modern engines like Ford EcoBoost are turbocharged engines. What does that mean? It provides additional power to the engine but, in the process, it runs hot. If you shut down your car immediately after stopping you may actually cause the engine oil to boil in the turbine. Give it a minute to idle before shutting down to extend its life.

1. The tank volume
   What octane the gas is
2. What temperature they store gas at
   How often they change pump filters

Believe it or not, not every gas station filters their gas and those that do don't always change the filters regularly. If gas is unfiltered at the pump you're risking dirty gas that can limit the lifespan of your engine. Ask when they change filters and if they can't answers, get gas elsewhere.

1. 5%
   10%
2. 3%
   0%

Everyone likes to push things a little bit, and it always seems like you have wiggle room but at the end of the day, if you overload your car you're stressing the engine beyond factory specifications and that's going to take its toll. Follow the directions and 0% is where you want to be.

1. Every year two years
   Every 3,000 miles
2. Every 5,000 years
   Whatever the manual says

Some people say you need to change your oil every 3,000 miles but that's not true in today's vehicles. The best idea hands down is to do what the manual says, as the manufacturer specifies the ideal time/distance for an oil change.

1. Don't rev your engine.
   Brake slowly.
2. Put it in park.
   Rev it gently.

Revving your engine while at a red light is something you might have been taught to do as a teen to show other drivers you were ready to race on the green. Doing it in a car which costs north of $30K these days is just a bad idea.

1. Nope
   Only after 10,000 miles
2. Yes
   When it drops pressure

All things being equal, your brake fluid doesn't have much to do with your engine performance. However, and you should probably already know this, not having enough fluid in your brake system can lead to a lack of stopping power.

1. Only in some cars
   It's impossible to put in too much.
2. I don't think so.
   Oh yeah!

Every fluid in your car has an optimum level, and your engine is no different. You can, in fact, overfill your oil and the result of that could be a serious case of frothing. That leads to air bubbles and decreased functionality, not to mention splashing that can lead to burnt oil and engine damage.

1. Never!
   Yes!
2. Engines aren't meant to be washed.
   Only a manufacturer should do that.

Weird as it sounds, your engine could benefit from a good wash now and then. Now certainly you don't need to watch it every month, but maybe every year or two. When your engine is clean it will run cooler, plus this gives you the chance to make sure all your hoses and belts are in good working order. Just make sure you learn the proper way to clean it and protect certain parts.

1. Never
   Why not?
2. As long as they're not deep
   Only in the summer

You can't avoid puddles sometimes; it's pretty much impossible. That said, you need to avoid deep puddles or flooded roads if at all possible. Deep water puts you at risk of water being sucked into the engine cylinders destroying the engine. Wet brakes also stop you less effectively, so be sure to pump them a few times after an unavoidable water crossing.

1. Of course not
   It depends on how you drive your car.
2. Only certain kinds
   Yes

As weird as it sounds you can, in fact, change your oil too often. First and foremost it's just a waste of money, and it's also environmentally unfriendly. But frequent oil changes aren't helping your engine out because the car has to keep adapting to new oil volatility.

1. Hard as you like
   Watch your RPMs and you'll be fine.
2. Keep it under 45 mph
   It's different for every car.

With a brand new car, you never want to push it too hard during that first 1,000 miles just to get everything worked in. Just to be on the safe side, try to keep your RPMs below 3,500 for the first 1,000-1,500 miles.

1. Every 5,000 miles
   Every 10,000-15,000 miles
2. Every 15,000-30,000 miles
   Never

A good rule of thumb is that under normal driving conditions, your air filter will need to be changed every 15,000-30,000 miles. This can vary depending on where you drive. If you don't drive the car much, replace the filter every 3 years to avoid it becoming brittle and falling apart.

1. Much worse
   Much better
2. It's irrelevant.
   Depends on the season

A popular thought running around on the internet is that filling up your tank when the delivery truck is filling the station's tanks can lead to you getting dirt and sediment from the tanks in your engine. While this is theoretically possible, if your station changes its filters responsibly that should solve the problem.

1. Yes
   No
2. If it's what your engine is rated for
   Under certain driving conditions

Octane level in fuel refers to the level at which the air-fuel mixture can be compressed before it combusts. Lower octane combusts more easily so people think higher octane equals higher performance, but that is untrue. You should use the octane your engine is rater for. Any higher and you will see no performance boost, it'll just waste your money.

1. Oil
   Neither
2. Coolant
   Depends on your car

If for some reason someone forced you to choose between topping up the coolant or topping up the oil in your car, you'd never make the right choice because both are important and you can't pick one over the other if you want a well-functioning machine.

1. You can drive right away.
   Wait 30 seconds
2. Wait two minutes
   Wait five minutes

The old myth that you need to warm your car up in cold weather needs to be dispelled. Today's engines (and those of the past few decades) warm up fastest when being driven. Give the engine 30 seconds before you put it in gear and you'll be fine, the only exception being in subzero temperatures when a brief warming period is a good idea.

1. How could it?
   Yes
2. Not at all
   Depends on the speed you're driving

Contrary to what you might have seen on a "Mythbusters" episode, a study by General Motors and SAE showed driving with your windows down and the A/C off leads to your car burning less gas than driving with them up and the A/C blowing. It's not a huge difference, though.

1. Not at all
   Definitely
2. Depends on the season
   Depends on what you use your car for

The brand of oil pretty much means nothing in terms of how it performs in your car. It's the type of oil you need to be concerned with. Every engine has a viscosity grade recommended by the manufacturer and that's the important thing to consider in using oil.