There is more to maintenance than just changing the oil.
The key to keeping your vehicle safely performing for you is maintenance. Your vehicle is one the most relied upon things in your daily routine. Whether it is for school, work, play or just running errands - when you turn the key and shift into gear - you expect to go. Keeping up with the scheduled maintenance will ensure the long life of your vehicle.
A/C Maintenance
When it is hot outside, you want to be cool. An annual A/C inspection and tune up will keep your A/C blowing cold. This includes inspecting the refrigerant level and condition and checking for leaks if low, belt condition, compressor condition, condenser airflow, and blower operation.
Battery Maintenance
Todays vehicles are completely computer controlled and are powered from the battery and charging system. A weak battery or poor performing charging system can affect the overall performance of the entire vehicle.
Brake Maintenance
You want to stop as much as you want to go. Brakes are the most important safety feature on your vehicle and should be inspected often. Vibration when pressing the brake pedal is the most common sign of a braking problem. There are many components to your braking system that must be inspected. The brake fluid achieves extreme temperature under high pressure when stopping is an often overlooked part of maintenance and should be replaced at a scheduled interval.
Coolant System Maintenance
Coolant or anti freeze is imperative to keeping the engine running cool. Components that are a part of this system are radiator, thermostat, hoses and heater core. The coolant must be inspected in the Spring and Fall to ensure proper mixture of coolant and water.
Engine Maintenance
Everyone knows you must change the oil and oil filter but when? The quality of oils have changed along with the manufacturing of engines and computer controls. Oil change schedules can be from 3000 miles to 7500 miles. Spark plugs and individual coils are now the main components of an engine tune up taking the place of distributor cap, rotor button and plug wires. The timing belt is an very important component to engine maintenance. Many vehicles that have a timing belt are subject to catastrophic engine failure if the timing belt and components are not change as scheduled.
Power Steering Maintenance
Your steering wheel should turn freely in both directions without noise or resistance. The power steering fluid is a hydraulic fluid that over time starts to lose its integrity. This causes premature failure of power steering pumps, rack and pinion assemblies and hoses.
Transmission Maintenance
Transmission maintenance is fairly simple and necessary - change the fluid and filter. In most vehicles the filter is accessible by dropping the transmission pan. Others it is a drain and fill procedure and the filter is not accessible without disassembly of the transmission. Routine maintenance can help a technician to experience the early stages of a transmission problem and in some cases allow for a minor repair before the problem gets worse.