10 Car Services That Are Overlooked

There are many things I’d rather spend my money on than car maintenance but I know that’s not the ‘grown up’ thing to do so I am pretty good about following my maintenance schedule. I took my car in last week and chatted with my maintenance guy while he worked. He was telling me that there are 10 car services that are overlooked by car owners.

10 Car Services That Are Overlooked:

1. Air Conditioner Service – Unless you live in South Texas … or Death Valley … you probably don’t think about your air conditioning until it fails. If you’re lucky, you just need to add refrigerant. Regular air conditioning service adds clean refrigerant which cools and lubricates your air conditioner and conditions the seals to keep your air conditioning running properly.
2. Cabin Air Filter – Cabin air filters clean the air in the passenger area where we sit. They filter out dust and pollen. When they clog up, they can get smelly and the air in your car becomes stale. Change your cabin air filter on when it’s recommended to enjoy fresh, clean air.
3. Timing Belt – Your car won’t run without a timing belt. If it breaks while you’re driving, it can do thousands of dollars worth of engine damage. If you’re approaching 50,000 – 60,000 miles, it’s time to look into replacing the timing belts. It should be noted that not all vehicles have timing belts.
4. Differential Service – ‘The differential is the component that transfers input from the transmission to the wheels. Some front wheel drive vehicles incorporate this into the transmission, but some have separate units, and all rear wheel drive vehicles have a rear differential. Over time, the gear oil breaks down which reduces its ability to properly lubricate the differential and wheel bearings. Most manufacturers have a set maintenance schedule for the differential and transfer case fluids.’
5. Wheel Alignment – Component wear and potholes can cause your tire alignment to fall out of adjustment. When the alignment is out, the car may pull to one side or the other, steer erratically, and may even dart across the lanes with just a small move of the wheel, making driving the car very dangerous. Additionally, even a slight mis-alignment leads to uneven and premature tire wear. An annual wheel alignment ensures that your wheels are pointed the right way.
6. Power Steering – Just like motor oil, your power steering fluid gets dirty and breaks down over time. Power steering fluid should be flushed every 30,000 miles (in accordance with your manufacturer’s recommendation). Clean fluid will give your power steering pump, rack and pinion a longer life.
7. Coolant Service – When you don’t change your antifreeze on schedule it becomes corrosive. Fresh coolant contains additives that maintain the pH balance in the system. Check your coolant for the proper level of anti-freeze each winter and flush the system with fresh fluid every 2 years.
8. Brake Service – Brake fluid is hydroscopic, that means it can absorb water out of the air. Over time, this absorption corrodes the internal workings of the hydraulic system of your brakes. A simple dip-strip allows you to test your brake fluid. If it is a dirty dark brown color, it is old and should be flushed and replaced with new fluid.
9. Transmission Service – Leaving your transmission fluid unchecked for 100,000 miles is usually a recipe for disaster, so don’t let it go that long. Follow your manufacturer’s guidelines on transmission filter and fluid change, and be sure to check the fluid level at every oil change. Burnt or dark-colored fluid is a sign of an overheated transmission and continued use without servicing could lead to internal damage.
10. Fuel System Cleaning – Nasty bits of junk flow through your fuel system every single second the engine is running. As the build-up grows, the level of fuel that can pass is reduced, meaning the engine loses power, the fuel economy suffers and the car isn’t as drive-able. You can restore the performance and economy of your engine with a fuel system cleaning.

I’m the first to admit that these don’t sound like fun services because they can be pretty expensive but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important to the life of your car.

Which of these car services do you overlook most often?

Wolf Chase Chrysler Dodge Jeep can answer all your car servicing questions!