You’ve probably had it drilled into your head over and over again that you need to keep up with your vehicle’s preventative maintenance to make sure it stays in good condition for as long as possible. However, while many people have a general idea of what kinds of maintenance need to be performed on their vehicle, they don’t always know when maintenance needs to be performed.
There are some variations depending on the kind of driving you do and the type of vehicle you have, so you should always make sure you check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specific maintenance requirements. Here is a quick overview of a very general automotive care timeline in Madison, TN that you can adapt for your vehicle:
- Monthly checks: Certain aspects of your vehicle should be checked out monthly to be on the safe side. This includes the operation of your lights, the tread and inflation levels of your tires (as well as their general condition) and the level of windshield washer fluid. You should also regularly clean both the interior and exterior of your vehicle.
- Every three months or 3,000 miles: Every 3,000 miles or so, you should check your transmission fluid to make sure it’s still in good condition. You shouldn’t need to change the fluid until after your first 35,000 miles and every 35,000 after that, but it’s still a good idea to check it. Also check the condition of the battery and cables, your belts and hoses, your exhaust, your fuel filter, your power steering fluid and everything else you check monthly. It’s a good idea to also check your engine oil and filter. Keep in mind, though, that the 3,000-mile oil change is mostly an outdated notion at this point, especially if you’re using synthetic oil. Many vehicles can go at least 5,000 or 7,000 miles before they need an oil change. Again, though, it can’t hurt to check the condition.
- Every six months or 6,000 miles: In addition to all the aforementioned checks you should make, you should also check the chassis lubrication, the engine air filter, your windshield wiper blades (ideally right after summer and winter) and give your vehicle a good polish.
- Every nine months or 9,000 miles: Continue making the checks already mentioned above.
- Every 12 months or 12,000 miles: In addition to the checks mentioned previously, you should also take time once a year to check your brakes, your cabin air filter, your antifreeze levels and any other components of your vehicle that you haven’t given thorough attention to throughout the rest of the year.
Again, this is just a sampling of the checks you should make, and when—your driving habits and your type of vehicle will play a big role in the kinds of preventative maintenance tasks you perform and at what time you should do so. For more information about automotive care in Madison, TN, contact the experts at Madison Muffler & Auto Repair today. We look forward to working with you soon.