You should refer to the owners manual and follow the manufacturer's suggested maintenance schedule. Use the "High Wear" schedule which has services done with less mileage in between. Almost every car, unless it is constantly driven on a highway where there is no dust or pollution, needs to follow the schedule that suggests engione oil be changed every 3000 miles. I think the transmission fluid is generally suggested at 60,000 miles. The power steering fluid can go a little longer. There is not suggestions for many things like brake fluid, which I suggest changing every 2 years despite mileage and the powersteering may not be listed either. I would change it at 75,000 miles depending on the condition of fluid.
The things you want to look for in fluids that indicate that they should be changed early;
poor performance
dark coloring or dis-coloring
burnt smell
small specks of metal in fluid
Anti-Freeze can be tested with a $1.00 tester from prestone. It should be changed every 2 years despite mileage.
There are some fluids that time may pass before the mileage for it to be changed at comes. This is often not listed, but you can find information on it from the fluid manufacturer and if your not sure call the car manufacturer customer service line. Every fluid in a car eventually needs to be changed and by 100,000 miles, every fluid should have been changed at least once if not 40 times. Anti-freeze problems are the number one issue that I run into since I have been working on this site. If neglected it will killl a motor just like not changing the engine oil if not worse. There is an article on, "How $100 in maintenance will save you $1000 in repairs" in the coolant maintenance or service section. You will find that maintenance items will apply with about the same numbers across the board. A well maintained car will be reliable for a long time if it is kept up on and not let go until everything catches up to it in a catastrophic repair and other problems.
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Sunday, March 11th, 2012 AT 3:10 AM
