What Maintenance Does a Car Need After Driving 20,000 Kilometers?
3 Answers
A car that has driven 20,000 kilometers requires first-level maintenance operations, primarily based on the vehicle's maintenance manual. Here are the details: 1. Common tasks include changing the engine oil, oil filter, cabin air filter, fuel filter, and cleaning the air conditioning filter. 2. Routine inspections involve checking whether fluids such as coolant, brake fluid, and transmission fluid meet requirements, tightening all bolts on the chassis, and examining the working condition of the electrical system. 3. Replace wear-prone components, such as brake pads, tires, wiper blades, brake rotors, spark plugs, and ignition coils. 4. Check the remaining lifespan of wear-prone parts, especially tires. As rubber products, tires age over time and typically need replacement every four years.
Last time I heard from the experienced mechanic at the repair shop, when you hit 20,000 kilometers, you really need to give your car a thorough check-up. The engine oil and oil filter definitely need to be replaced—after 20,000 km, the oil gets thicker. Take out the cabin air filter and shake off the dust; those willow catkins in spring have probably clogged it up completely. After adjusting the tire pressure evenly, check the tread depth—if the front tires show uneven wear, it's best to rotate them front to back. Don’t just look at the thickness of the brake pads; pay attention to whether both sides are wearing evenly. Use a borescope to check if the throttle body is dirty, or wipe it down with an alcohol-soaked cloth. Oh, and don’t forget to remove the spark plugs to check the electrode gap. In cities like ours with constant traffic jams, it’s also time to clean the carbon buildup in the combustion chamber.
As a car enthusiast, I find the 20,000 km maintenance full of insights. Oil and filter changes are basics, but air filter condition deserves special attention—I deliberately chose a dual-efficiency one. All fluid levels must be thoroughly checked; coolant replacement should be considered if cloudy. Tire dynamic balance needs redoing—steering wheel vibration became noticeable after last puncture repair. Battery tester showed 86% health, so I replaced it preemptively to avoid winter starting issues. The biggest surprise was using a borescope to inspect cylinders—adding fuel additive for carbon removal made the throttle noticeably more responsive. Had the mechanic re-torque every chassis bolt for peace of mind.
