Having a general understanding of how your car works, and what it requires in terms of regular maintenance, will help you keep your car running smoothly with less risk of more critical issues down the road. While just about everyone knows to change the oil regularly, there are some other protocols to follow regarding your vehicle’s maintenance.
Follow the Manufacturer’s Recommendations
Your vehicle will come with a suggested service routine. This will list several services, including how long to go between having them done. It is usually listed in miles. Some services will only need to be done once or twice throughout the entire life of the vehicle, or every 100,000 miles or so, while others are more routine.
Driving Under Extreme Conditions
AAA suggests that some vehicles may need some services sooner based on how they are driven and what conditions they are being driven in. Some examples of extreme or severe conditions include being primarily used for short trips under five miles, ongoing stop-and-go or city driving, towing, and driving in extreme heat or cold. These stressors can wear down your vehicle faster and may require it to be serviced sooner.
Unlisted Considerations
Some parts of your car will simply wear down over time, despite not being listed on the manufacturer’s recommended service guidelines. These are usually the components that fail and catch you off-guard on the road or during an annual state inspection.
One example of this is the power steering hoses that carry fluid to and from the reservoir. Over time, these hoses will wear down and fail, which will cause a loss in power steering. You can still turn the wheel, but it will be very labor intensive, so catching a failure before it happens is ideal. Look for condensation or bulges on the hoses or a lower level of fluid in the reservoir. These all indicate there could be an issue with your power steering on the horizon.
Brakes also wear out over time and tend to do so faster depending on how much and how aggressively they are used. The quality of the brake pad and the habits of the driver will determine how often they need to be changed. Typically, it ranges between 25,000 and 70,000 miles. Things like needing to press the brake pedal down further or the brake light on your dashboard coming on are indicators that service may be in order.
Wheel bearings keep your tires turning smoothly despite being under the entire weight of the vehicle. If a bearing is starting to go out, you will begin to hear a moaning or groaning sound from one corner of the vehicle that changes with the speed you are driving. The noise will get louder until the bearing is fixed.
If you’re looking to have your car serviced for routine maintenance, feel free to give the experts at Gunther Kia service center a call. We are ready to help with whatever service-related questions you may have.
Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.