What to Do If the First Maintenance of a New Car Exceeds 5,000 Kilometers?
3 Answers
Solutions for exceeding 5,000 kilometers before the first maintenance of a new car: The first step is to contact the 4S dealership's maintenance and after-sales service to inquire about the latest maintenance time and schedule an appointment. Before the first maintenance of a new car, which is the break-in period of the vehicle, the following points should be noted: 1. Pay attention to speed: There is no need to maintain a constant speed, but do not exceed two-thirds of the maximum speed. The engine RPM should not exceed 3,000-3,500 (requirements vary by manufacturer). Avoid sudden acceleration and hard braking. 2. Control speed when going downhill: When driving downhill for a long distance, pay attention to controlling the speed. Do not suddenly use engine braking to slow down. For manual transmission models, anticipate gear shifts in advance and avoid shifting at inappropriate speeds.
Last time, I only realized my new car had exceeded the first maintenance interval by 500km at 5,500km, which made me a bit nervous since it was my first car purchase and I lacked experience. I quickly checked the maintenance manual and found that exceeding the mileage might affect the warranty terms, so I immediately contacted the 4S store salesperson, explaining that I forgot due to work commitments. They were quite understanding and said if the overage wasn't too much, it's usually not a big deal, just bring it in for maintenance as soon as possible, but remember to report the actual mileage truthfully without falsifying. Later, I got smarter and set a reminder on my phone—every 5,000km, as soon as the alarm goes off, I go for maintenance. After the break-in period, there are more impurities in the engine oil, and not changing it promptly can damage the engine. Handling this promptly keeps the car running smoothly and avoids major issues that could disrupt daily commuting.
I've owned several cars, and once I exceeded the first service mileage to 5,100 km, but I wasn't too worried. I called the dealer, and they said as long as it's not too much over, just be honest about the situation and go for maintenance on time, it won't affect the overall warranty. The key is to communicate proactively and not hide anything to avoid future disputes when repairing the car. Now I use a mobile app to set maintenance reminders to avoid similar oversights. The first service for a new car mainly removes metal shavings and other debris, exceeding by a few thousand kilometers carries low risk, but don't make it a habit. I recommend new car owners develop good habits, record mileage, and maintain the car on time to protect its heart. This was a profound lesson, handled properly, there's nothing to worry about.
