Your Car Maintenance and Service Checklist

Every vehicle is made of thousands of parts. Even though these parts aren’t designed to last forever, a proper maintenance schedule will ensure that your car stays on the road for years to come. Here are the car maintenance basics you need to know.

Car Maintenance 101

Regular Maintenance

The rule of thumb used to be every 3,000 miles when it came to oil changes, but now with synthetic varieties, the interval can be stretched to 5,000 or 10,000. It all depends on the formula and your make and model. You should always consult your vehicle’s manual to see what the manufacturer’s recommended interval is.

Each month, you should inspect your tires for wear and inflation. As the only points of contact with the road, your tires are one of the most important parts of your car. Proper inflation and tread provide reliable traction and stopping power. Your tires should be rotated between 5,000 and 7,500 miles on average to ensure even wear.

Between 15,000 and 30,000 miles is when you should replace the air filter. When this gets clogged, it can make it hard for your engine to breathe, which can adversely affect its performance.

Your vehicle’s battery is pro-rated by time, not mileage. That means its capacity will wear down as the years pass. A battery’s lifespan is typically around three to six years.

Preventative Maintenance

When you press the brake pedal, a hydraulic system engages the pads to squeeze against the rotors to bring your car to a stop. When water gets into the brake fluid, the boiling point gets lowered and can turn to gas, which leads to a squishy brake pedal. By bleeding the fluid out of the system every 20,000 miles and replacing it with fresh fluid, you’ll enjoy reliable performance.

Your brake pads and shoes will typically wear out over 50,000 miles, and the rotors can warp from the heat caused by the friction of stopping. They’ll need to be replaced around 60,000 miles.

Replacing your coolant at 60,000 miles will help keep the engine from overheating. Swapping out the transmission fluid between 30,000 and 60,000 miles will allow your transmission to continue to shift properly.

Around 75,000 miles, the power steering fluid should be flushed and replaced. If you own a car with a timing belt, you should consider proactively changing the belt between 75,000 and 90,000 miles. A broken belt can cause disastrous damage to the engine.

Get Your Car Serviced in West Palm Beah, FL

When you’re looking for auto service in West Palm Beach, Florida, head to the Service Center at the Schumacher Auto Group. Don’t forget to check out our money-saving service coupons before your next appointment.