Routine maintenance is the most important thing you can do to extend your vehicle’s life. Yet, few owners know what and when maintenance needs to be done. Your friends at Go Auto Outlet compiled a maintenance schedule cheat sheet to make help make car ownership more straightforward. Follow these maintenance intervals to get the best performance and fuel economy from your vehicle.
1,000 kms
1,000 km maintenance should cover everything that’s immediately required for safe driving, such as performing a visual inspection of the vehicle: is there any oil spray or dripping from the engine? Is there any puddles forming below the car? Have you noticed anything odd while driving? Brake pulses, bad alignment, and any other deficiencies you’ve noted should be looked into as soon as possible.
Your fan belts are prone to wear and need to be replaced intermittently. Check for any signs of cracks or aging, then replace them if necessary. While you’re at it, grab a friend and have them watch as you test your driving lights. It’s both dangerous and illegal to drive with any lights burnt out, so this step shouldn’t be missed. While you’re at it, top up your tire pressure to extend your tires’ life and fuel efficiency.
5,000 km
Consensus amongst mechanics is that a typical vehicle is most benefited by an oil change every 5000 km. So change your oil when you hit this interval—while you’re at it, install a new air filter as well. Oil lubricates engine components to prevent the breakdown of important parts. Ensuring your oil is new and clean is paramount to your vehicle’s heath. While the hood’s open, take a look at the air filter and replace if it appears dirty.
10,000 km
At 10,000 km, it’s time to let the pros take over. That is, unless you have a professional grade tire-balancer in your garage. At this interval, you should rotate your tires to promote even tread wear, followed by a rebalancing of your wheels. Proper tire servicing reduces your risk of blowouts and extends tire life.
In Alberta, you can typically plan on doing this at the beginning of winter and end of spring. You can also use winter tires and have the service performed during your bi-annual tire swap.
20,000 to 40,000
Depending on your amount of daily driving, this interval generally occurs every 1-2 years. Changing your fuel filter and coolant can greatly increase your vehicle’s performance and fuel economy.
You also won’t realize how bad your cabin filter is until you replace it. Cabin filters clean the dust, oil, and exhaust particles from the air as your driving to prevent you from breathing in toxins. Cabin filter service is not important for your vehicle’s health, but is essential for driver and passenger health.
80,000 km- 100,000 km
A bad transmission can be the knock of death for most vehicles, so take the time to have your transmission oil changed roughly every 5 years. You’ll likely need a mechanic to perform this job, so have your cooling system and transfer case changed as well. Cooling and drivetrain lubrication is essential to your vehicle’s lifespan, so don’t skip on this maintenance while you’re at the shop.
100,000 km- 160,000 km
Most vehicles are produced to meet a 160,000 km service life, meaning this is the last dealer-recommended service interval. Belts and coolant hoses should be replaced every eight years, and engine timing should be redone as a preventative measure. If a timing belt breaks while driving it often causes additional damage to engine components. Take the time to replace these components, and you won’t need to worry about them for another 100,000 km to 160,000 km.
We hope this clarifies what vehicle maintenance is necessary and when it needs to be performed. If you’d like the help of a professional, contact Go Auto Outlet Leduc’s service center and get a qualified technicians assistance.