How Often Should a Major Car Service Be Performed?
3 Answers
A major car service is generally recommended every 20,000-30,000 kilometers or every two years. However, the specific interval may vary depending on the car brand, driving environment, and driving habits. Car owners should schedule major services based on their vehicle's condition. Below are the key components addressed during a major car service: 1. Oil Filter: The oil filter plays a crucial role in engine operation by trapping debris, impurities, and moisture mixed in the engine oil. During normal engine operation, friction generates particles that contaminate the oil. A malfunctioning oil filter can compromise oil cleanliness and directly affect engine lubrication, leading to abnormal wear. 2. Fuel Filter: Similar in function to the oil filter, the fuel filter ensures clean gasoline by removing impurities and moisture. This allows the engine to perform optimally and provides reliable power output. 3. Coolant: Automotive coolant serves multiple purposes, including antifreeze protection, corrosion prevention, scale inhibition, and overheating prevention. It is essential for proper engine operation in both winter and summer. During a major service, coolant levels and condition should be inspected to prevent abnormalities.
Every time I take my car for maintenance, I struggle with the timing. Actually, there's no fixed interval for major maintenance—it mainly depends on three indicators: first, the maintenance manual's recommendations (usually at 40,000 or 60,000 kilometers), second, the actual condition of the car (like whether the engine sound has become muffled), and third, the intensity of usage. For someone like me who deals with city traffic jams daily, brake pads and transmission fluid wear out much faster than they would for a car mostly driven on highways. Last time during maintenance, the mechanic pulled out the air filter full of leaves, which made me realize how much the environment affects car parts. Now, I always check the tread depth of the tires and the moisture content in the brake fluid in advance—after all, when it comes to safety, you really can't just rely on mileage calculations.
A decade of driving experience has taught me that major maintenance intervals vary from person to person. Manufacturer recommendations are just the baseline, but veteran drivers like me need to be extra vigilant. Rubber components start hardening after five years, and timing belts make you nervous after 80,000 kilometers. Once, I didn't change my coolant for four years, which led to radiator corrosion and costly leaks. Now I've developed habits: checking AC refrigerant before every summer and testing battery life before winter. Don't just focus on mileage - vehicles over six years old deserve comprehensive checkups every six months, as aged wiring poses greater risks than mechanical wear.
