Why Maintenance?

Important Facts about Vehicle Maintenance
Manufacturers know that a properly maintained car will be more dependable, safer, last longer, and increase your satisfaction with their product. Car makers and owners also have a responsibility to make sure emission controls receive regular service and are functioning properly. Regular maintenance helps accomplish these goals by keeping your engine running efficiently and eliminating potential problems that may leave you stranded.

What's in it for you?

• More Dependable Car
• Less chance of a costly breakdown
• A safer car for you and your family
• Doing your part for cleaner air
• A car worth more at trade in or sale
• An intact warranty

Manufacturer Maintenance Schedules

The manufacturer creates detailed maintenance schedules outlining specific operations to be performed on various components and systems. This is done at different mileage intervals to ensure proper operation and prevent premature wear. The manufacturer also indicates what services must be done to maintain the factory warranty and extended warranty.

Fixing Your Present Vehicle Saves Money
High Mileage Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance

Most of us want to get the most for our motoring dollar. One of the best ways to do this is extending the life of your current vehicle. With new car prices in the United States averaging well over $20,000, money invested in keeping your existing vehicle in good shape could save you hundreds--even thousands--of dollars a year. When you consider the true cost of buying a new car (price of the car, sales tax, license and registration fees, insurance), it is not difficult to justify investing a few hundred dollars to repair your present vehicle.

Safety and Scheduled Maintenance

The safety aspect of properly maintaining your vehicle, especially when it has high mileage, should not be overlooked. Failing brakes and other problems can be prevented by following sound car care practices.
Unfortunately, most manufacturers only provide maintenance guidelines for the first 100,000 miles or so. Clear procedures for maintenance beyond this mileage do not exist. At best, manufacturers provide interval service schedules, such as every 15,000 miles. These schedules should be followed whenever possible. By doing so, you can reasonably expect thousands more satisfactory miles from your vehicle.

High Mileage Inspection and Evaluation

If your vehicle has passed the 100,000 mile mark and you want to significantly prolong its useful life, it is time to have it thoroughly evaluated by a professional automotive technician who can recommend needed repairs or service. Our facility is equipped to perform this service. We employ technicians who use factory-level information detailing your vehicle's service requirements.
Our high mileage inspection and evaluation goes beyond cursory "once-overs" and is designed to get to the root of potential problems. Ask one of our service advisor to show you exactly what is involved in this service. We will be happy to go over the evaluation form with you before you okay the inspection and provide you with a comprehensive estimate for any work recommended as a result of your vehicle's checkup. They will tell you about repairs that are necessary today, and also alert you to items that are potential problem areas you may want to address today for more trouble-free miles tomorrow. Naturally, you make the decision as to what work is actually performed.
Working together, we can add years to the life of your car or truck.

Recommendations for changing filters

It is best to follow the Severe Service maintenance schedules found in most new car owner's manuals, with a few exceptions:
• Air filters need to be inspected regularly and replaced as often as needed, regardless of mileage or time. Dirty air filters can increase fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
• Fuel filters should be replaced yearly and/or at every tune-up, especially on fuel injected cars. The fuel filter in a vehicle with electronic fuel injection passes a much larger volume of fuel than its counterpart in a carbureted application. If the tank is dirty or rusty, constant fuel recirculation can pick up a lot of debris that ends up in the filter. If the filter plugs, the engine is starved for fuel or unfiltered fuel is allowed to bypass the filter. The latter can damage injectors.
• Few owner's manuals have a suggested change interval for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) unless the vehicle is used for towing. Most transmission specialists say the best preventative maintenance for prolonging automatic transmission life is to change fluid every two years or 30,000 miles.

Your Cooling System

Replacing coolant on a regular basis will prolong the life of the radiator and other cooling system components. Most new car maintenance schedules call for coolant changes every three years or 50,000 miles. Many professional mechanics consider that too long and recommend every two years or 24,000 miles.
Whenever a fluid comes in contact with metal, electrochemical degradation occurs, resulting in a higher than normal level of acid. This higher acid level, if left unchanged, can result in costly repairs. For most cars with standard, ethylene-glycol-based antifreeze (green in color), your car’s cooling system should be flushed every 2 years or 30,000 miles. This helps reduce the acid level and extends the life of key cooling system parts like the water pump, radiator, hoses, heater core, and more. When coolant is changed, the system should be reverse flushed rather than simply drained. This helps dislodge and remove accumulated debris and debris in the system. It also removes old coolant that would otherwise remain in the engine block.

Your Automatic Transmission

Nearly nine out of ten transmission failures are due to overheating and fluid contamination, according to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association. Just like the oil in your car’s engine, automatic transmission fluid (ATF) suffers from heat, friction and additive breakdown. Once this process starts, your transmission’s vital parts can begin to accumulate sludge and varnish deposits, leading to clogged filters and poor lubrication and cooling of the transmission. You can add years of life to your transmission by having all the fluid replaced with an approved fluid exchange machine and replacing the transmission filter.

Your Power Steering System

At one time or another, most drivers encounter a power steering problem with their vehicle. Anything from fluid leaks, stiff steering when cold, to noise when turning the wheel. When you turn the steering wheel all the way to one side, high pressure builds in the steering system, causing the power steering fluid to overheat over time. Power steering fluid starts out clear and will turn dark from heat, age, and additive breakdown, reducing the cooling and lubrication qualities of your power steering fluid and possibly lead to costly repairs such as pump, rack and seal failures. By changing the power steering fluid every 2 years, you reduce the chances of a major repair bill and add dependability to your vehicle.

Brake Fluid

Brake fluid, just like any other fluid in your vehicle, needs to be tested every year and replaced at least every 2 years. The main problem with brake fluid is that it absorbs moisture (hygroscopic) from the air. This reduces the boiling point of the brake fluid, causing the fluid to boil under heavy braking, affecting hydraulic operation of the brake system. This results in a spongy brake pedal and reduced braking effectiveness. Fluid replacement is especially important in vehicles with an Antilock Brake System (ABS), because contaminants in the fluid can affect the operation of intricate, ABS-related hydraulic components. See your owner’s manual or ask your ASE certified professional for more information

Other Preventive Maintenance Tips

Inspect windshield wiper blades for cracks, tears and windshield smearing.

Check tire inflation monthly. Underinflated tires waste fuel and cause uneven tire wear. Underinflated tires can lead to tire overheating and complete tire failure.

Inspect drive belts every time the oil is changed and replace when they show any signs of cracking or wear.

Check battery cables and connections for corrosion and clean if needed.

Check all vehicle lights, including headlights, brake lights, turn signals, parking lights, license plate lights and marker lights.

Keep a file for each of your vehicles so you have access to what work was done although most ASE Blue Seal Shops will keep all your vehicle history for you.