If you want to prolong the life of your car, don’t neglect routine maintenance. Many people think if they do routine oil changes their car will be fine, but they often overlook many other items that can cause problems as the miles add up.
A well-maintained car will experience fewer problems and will hold its value better than a neglected one. It will also be more reliable and safer to drive.
1- Brake fluid
Brake fluid should be changed and flushed according to the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, if your car is driven less than 12,000 miles per year, it should be done every 2 years. The brake system is a sealed system, but moisture still forms even when it isn’t being driven. So a fluid change and flush interval based on miles isn’t always adequate. Moisture in the system can cause corrosion and lower the brake fluid boiling point, which will reduce braking performance.
2- Coolant
Most manufacturers have been using “lifetime” coolant for over 20 years, stating the coolant doesn’t need to be replaced for 100,000 miles or more. Check your owner’s manual for recommended change intervals. Anytime coolant is changed a system flush should be performed, it’s the only way to purge the system entirely of the old coolant.
3- Automatic transmission fluid
Like “lifetime” coolant, manufacturers are now selling cars with “lifetime” transmission fluid, with no change interval listed in the maintenance schedule. Check your owner’s manual to find out what your car requires. Some manufacturers also state the filter should be replaced, as well as flushing the system.
The above items should be included in the routine maintenance of your car. Many, if not most, professional mechanics think change intervals should be much sooner than what the manufacturer states. For example, brake fluid changed every 24,000 to 36,000 miles; traditional coolants (green and yellow) every 30,000 miles, and “lifetime” coolants every 60,000 miles; transmission fluid every 30,000 miles for traditional fluids and 50,000 miles for “lifetime” fluid. All of these change intervals are subjective and argumentative among mechanics, engineers, automobile manufacturers, service departments, and the general population.
If you haven’t already caught on, my suggestion is to check your owner’s manual for recommended service intervals, and also do your own research. Join online groups for your car, for example, I have a Toyota Tacoma and joined a group called Tacoma World. A lot of valuable information can be found on such sights from other owners giving their input from what they have experienced, and what the consensus is in regard to these routine maintenance intervals. Another thing to remember is if your car or truck is driven hard, for example towing, routine maintenance needs to be performed more often. The most important thing to remember is routine maintenance is going to save you money in the future and extend the life of your car.
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