Your Car Maintenance Schedule

Purchasing a new or used car in the Central Illinois area is only the beginning. To keep your vehicle in like-new condition for many years to come requires proper routine maintenance. There is a regular maintenance schedule that all Bloomington-Normal drivers should follow for optimal performance and safety. At various mileage intervals, there are suggested services that ensure all components of your vehicle are working as they should. Review our maintenance schedule to see how it will help you get the most our of your BMW 3 Series performance or Jeep Cherokee towing capacity, then schedule your next service with us today!

Every Three Months or 3,000 Miles

The following maintenance checks should be performed every three months or 3,000 miles:

• Automatic transmission, power steering, wiper fluid levels
• Engine oil and air filter
• Belts, exhaust, and hoses
• All lights inside and out
• Fuel filter
• Tire pressure, tread, and wear, and tear

While many vehicles can go longer between oil changes these days, it’s still good to have a professional inspecting these features of your vehicle regularly. Use your car’s oil change schedule in the manual to ensure you’re having these maintenance checks on a regular schedule.

Every Six Months or 6,000 Miles

Along with the maintenance checks previously mentioned above, these checks should happen every six months or 6,000 miles:

• Car battery and cables
• Chassis lubrication
• Windshield wipers
• Polish your vehicle

Every 12 Months or 12,000 Miles

In addition to the three-month and six-month services, the checks below should be performed yearly:

• Brake system
• Coolant levels
• Transmission fluid levels
• Steering and suspension

Every Month

There are also a few simple tasks you should do each month to help preserve the value of your car:

• Check to see if the check engine light is on
• Clean the interior and exterior
• Make sure all of the interior and exterior lights work
• Check tire pressure and tread
• Make sure windshield wiper fluid is filled

Less Frequent Maintenance

Worried about your serpentine belt? Needing to change your brake pads? Switching out your spark plugs? Your vehicle’s manual should have all of these car maintenance schedules (and others), but if you’re following the guide above for routine checks, your service technician should alert you to those less-frequent issues and when you’ll need to replace or fix something less common.

Why Follow a Car Maintenance Schedule?

Our vehicles are intricate machines, and because of that, routine maintenance is required. If you do not keep up with routine maintenance, you risk the chance of expensive repairs in the future. This helps save you money in the long run. Don’t let a small issue turn into a major problem. When you keep up with vehicle maintenance, our expert technicians can catch any problems before more damage is done.

Trust the Sam Leman Automotive Group for Reliable Automotive Service

If you are searching for automotive technicians you can trust in Central Illinois, look no further than the Sam Leman Automotive Group. No matter which location you choose, you can be sure your vehicle will be treated with the utmost care. Contact us today for more information. We also have details on keeping your vehicle maintained during the winter months and preparing a winter car safety kit.