Conducting regularly scheduled maintenance for your vehicle helps stave off major problems before they happen. You can often prevent issues that can occur from broken belts and hoses and the problems that a lack of fluids can cause. If you resell your automobile, having detailed maintenance records can improve the resale value.

Most vehicle manufacturers recommend a general 30-60-90 schedule for you to check, change and replace specific items in your automobile. This general maintenance schedule is based on 30,000, 60,000 and 90,000 miles. Some maintenance checks will need to be conducted earlier or more often than a schedule requires.

Each vehicle will have a recommended maintenance schedule from the manufacturer, and you can easily find this either in your vehicle’s manual or online. It is always a good idea to become acquainted with your owner’s manual so that you know how and when to check items like hoses, fluids and engine systems. The manual will explain what the components are and where to find them, and you will find information on the correct types of fluids and how to check their levels. While the commonly accepted maintenance schedule is a convenient guide, it is always best to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

General Maintenance

There are some items in your vehicle that will wear out or need changing at irregular intervals. Some of these items are the hoses, rubber gaskets, wiper blades and tires, which should be visually checked. Each of these components is made of materials that will wear down eventually and should be checked often. It is especially important to keep your tires at the proper air pressure and with good tread because bad tires can cause a vehicle to perform dangerously while being driven.

The tires are the only components of your vehicle that have direct contact with the road surface. To perform optimally, tires need the proper air pressure, balance and tread depth and should be aligned correctly. Too little air pressure can cause the tires to wear more on the outer edges, and too much air pressure can cause the tires to wear more in their center. Improper wheel alignment can also cause uneven wear on the tires because of having to constantly correct the steering while driving.

You can check the tread depth with either a tread gauge or by the quarter or penny method. If you can see above the top of Washington’s head on an upside-down quarter set in a tire groove, it is time to replace the tires. If you can see above Lincoln’s head on an upside-down penny, then the tire needs replacing. These types of tread checks should be done on at least three areas of tread.

Useful mileage guidelines for vehicle maintenance

Maintenance Before 10,000 Miles

Engine oil collects tiny pieces of metal, carbon and dirt that can cause wear and tear on the engine if they are not trapped before reaching the engine. Before the 30,000-mile marker is reached, you will need to have changed your oil and oil filters a few times already. In the past, non-synthetic oil required frequent changes around every 3,000 miles, but today’s high-tech synthetic blends can be usually safely changed between 5,000 and 10,000 miles.

Maintenance Checklist Before 30,000 Miles

You will need to change your air filter and fuel filter when you reach 30,000 miles. The air filter can become clogged, which impedes air coming in and out of your vehicle’s engine. This lack of air movement can have a negative impact on the engine, causing it to perform less efficiently. While 15,000 to 30,000 miles is the common recommendation, you should change the air filter closer to 15,000 miles if you drive in a dusty environment, such as over dirt roads.

Your fuel filter keeps your fuel clean and moving smoothly through the fuel system. If the fuel filter becomes clogged, the engine may run erratically or stop running altogether. Your mechanic can conduct a pressure test on the fuel filter to see how it is performing.

Maintenance Checklist Before 60,000 Miles

There are several items that need to be checked and maybe replaced at this mileage milestone. The battery, the coolant and the braking system components are the main areas you should examine and perhaps replace at this time. The battery and coolant are easy items to check, but the braking system components will take more time and effort to check and to replace.

Batteries are under warranty as rated by time and not by how many miles the vehicle has been driven. The battery will normally last around four or five years, which is typically around 50,000 to 60,000 miles for most average drivers. Batteries do not need much maintenance, and you will only be checking to see if there is any buildup around the terminals. If there is visible buildup, you can easily clean it off with a wire brush purchased from any auto store. If you do need a new battery, make sure you keep the receipt because many stores will give you a discount on your next battery based on the age of the previous battery that you return to the store.

The braking system needs checking sometime between 20,000 to 45,000 miles. The first item on the list is to change the brake fluid. The brake fluid acts on a hydraulic system. If contaminants like water enter the system, the hydraulic pressure system can be impacted, and the brakes will perform less efficiently. The brake fluid is changed by being bled and replaced.

The brake pads and shoes that are pressed against the brake rotor during braking should be checked at the same time. If they are worn and thin, they need replacing. This helps prevent permanent damage to the rotors and keeps the braking mechanisms working as expected. The rotors should be checked for warping caused by excessive heat, and if they are damaged, you can either have them ground smooth or replaced.

The coolant is a mixture of water and antifreeze that courses through the radiator to cool the engine. Coolant is gradually lost over time and use, and it needs to be replaced around 60,000 miles. Ensure the entire cooling system is flushed during this process.

Transmission fluid should be monitored regularly as well as being checked on a schedule. Many modern vehicles do not have a dipstick, and you will need to take your car to a mechanic for checking. These vehicles will have a “check engine” light that should display if the fluid is low or contaminated.

A manual transmission should have the fluid changed between 30,000 and 60,000 miles. An automatic transmission vehicle should have it changed sometime between 30,000 and 100,000 miles. Check the manufacturer’s recommendation for your particular vehicle.

Useful mileage guidelines for vehicle maintenance

Maintenance Checklist Before 90,000 Miles

The hoses inside your vehicle carry coolant and power steering fluids throughout their respective systems. The rubber will inevitably age and begin to crack and become brittle over time, and you do not want to be dead in the water on the highway because of a busted hose. You can prevent these problems by replacing the hoses as needed.

Your car will use either a timing belt or a timing chain. If your vehicle has a timing belt, you will need to change the belt before it fails because this can cause serious damage to your engine. A good mileage indicator is between 75,000 and 90,000 miles. A timing chain will last much longer but can still have links that can become stretched out over time. However, the timing chain should last well past 100,000 miles.

The serpentine belt is a long and winding belt that powers the alternator, air conditioning, power steering pump and sometimes the water pump. These functions used to be powered by multiple belts, but modern vehicles have just the one serpentine belt now. The serpentine belt will normally need replacing around every 40,000 miles.

Some serpentine belts are manually tensioned and may need to be adjusted at times. Other belts are self-tensioned and can accumulate wear over time and will need replacing. If the serpentine belt breaks, the engine will most likely stop running.

If the power steering fluid is low, you may experience difficulty in steering or hear loud noises when you turn the wheel. The power steering fluid should be flushed and replaced at around 75,000 miles or when problems are noted.

The spark plugs are part of the ignition system. Failure of these components are often alerted in the “check engine” warning system. A mechanic can run a diagnostic report to see if the problem lies with the spark plugs. Newer spark plugs made of titanium can last up to 100,000 miles. Cheaper spark plugs made with copper need replacing by around 30,000 miles.

Everyone leads busy lives, and it can be easy to become consumed with fixing broken parts rather than managing regular upkeep. Vehicle maintenance is one of those necessary tasks that is often put off for more pressing concerns. However, taking the time to maintain your vehicle will save you time and money further down the road.

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