Scheduled Maintenance

There is a lot more to scheduled maintenance than getting your oil changed when the little light tells you to. Scheduled, or preventative, maintenance is a regular schedule of services that vehicle manufacturers recommend to keep your car running safely and efficiently. Performing these services can increase the life of your vehicle and help you save thousands in repairs down the road. Plus, if you don’t comply with the recommended maintenance schedule, you run the risk of nullifying the manufacturer’s warranty.

There are a lot of opinions about what services you need and how often they should be performed, but your owner's manual is where you will find the most accurate and comprehensive maintenance schedule specially customized for your particular vehicle. Your owner’s manual will also provide suggestions for services tailored to where you live and how you drive.

Maintenance schedules have traditionally used mileage as the determining factor of when services are needed. Now, some manufacturers are using systems that monitor driving habits (e.g. city vs. highway driving, short vs. long trips) and then recommend maintenance accordingly. For example, most people think you need your oil changed every 3000 miles, but depending on how you drive, you may need it changed less frequently.

Some common preventative maintenance items include oil and filter changes, tire rotation, and replacing the spark plugs, air filter, and timing belt.