Regular vehicle servicing is necessary to keep one’s vehicle running as efficiently and smoothly as possible for the longest period of time.

Sticking to some basic rules and practices when it comes to servicing will see you driving an extended period without any major problems. Diesel motors have additional problems that if not attended to can be very expensive to fix.

Regular servicing can be likened to preventative maintenance and is the best insurance policy in keeping your vehicle consistently on the road.

Basic Background Information

Manufacturers of cars 4WD’s and SUV’s recommend servicing intervals of up to 17,000 to 20,000 km.

Ian Upton owner and operator of Noosa Radiators with 45 years of experience thoughts are here:

“I personally do not agree with the above extended servicing intervals. We keep up-to-date with the ongoing developments in our industry and have to deal with the problems that extended servicing intervals are causing.

It is not helpful when 1 or 2 scheduled services are missed (and it does happen) to heighten the consequences of early problems.

Automotive vehicles using extended service periods when reaching over 150,000 km may start to encounter mechanical troubles and faults particularly with engine sludge and carbon build ups, timing chain issues and more”…

Why Regular Vehicle Servicing is Necessary…

Regular vehicle servicing is a vital necessity for continuous safety and ease of use of your vehicle over the course of many years.

Inspecting the owner’s manual is one of the best ways to find out how often you should service your vehicle. If the manufactures recommendation is for long extended periods I would question that. Very experienced mechanical professionals see longer term problems develop. To prove their concerns just look at the colour and state of the motor oil – brand new oil to what is on your motors dipstick.

If you do not have access to your vehicle’s logbook however my thoughts are to adopt the basic rule for regular servicing of every 10,000 km or 6 months – whichever occurs first.

Even if you aren’t doing that amount of kilometres in 6 months its still important to service your car on time. Motor oils used in your vehicle are affected by moisture, oxidation and loss of viscosity all contributing to oil degradation.

The Consequences of Not Servicing your Vehicle

If you fail to consistently service your vehicle or get a service every 6 months or 10,000 km as suggested for best practice you are paving the way for major problems in avoiding failures.

These can include:

Reduced fuel economy
Fall in oil pressure
Restriction or blocking of diesel fuel supply – see below
Poor driving performance
Major mechanical failure

Modern engine oils contain cleaning agents that keep the engines insides well maintained – but the longer it is used the more the oil slowly deteriorates and is less effective.

Furthermore, if your vehicle is put under heavy stress say by continuous stop start driving, 4WD driving and high speed driving – increase your servicing to every 3 months or 5,000 kilometres and replace fluids once a year.

Diesel Motors – the Additional Problems they Face

Diesel motors can suffer from a range of additional problem that are important to be aware of.

This is the partial or complete blocking of Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGF) which is extremely expensive to fix or replace.

A DPF is a device designed to remove diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine.

With many vehicles no adjustments are able to be done past a certain point. This is an incentive to keep on top of your servicing requirements.

What is Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and what issues does it have?

The exhaust gas recirculation referred to is a valve that is an anti-pollution device. It is aimed primarily at reducing the amount of nitrous oxide coming out of a vehicle’s exhaust pipe.

It works by a controlled portion of exhaust fumes being recirculated back through the engine and changing the exhaust at the tail pipe.

However EGR has its fair share of issues. If you allow it to continue it will eventually cause the EGR valve to jam – which can lead to high fuel consumption and even total engine failure.

These and other problems are mostly caused by a lack of maintenance – regular servicing keeps them under control.

Summarising Why Regular Vehicle Servicing is Necessary

Failing to regularly service your vehicle will cost you far more in time and money than can be expected by consistent servicing – it is the best insurance and makes common sense to do so.

The experienced and qualified team at Noosa Radiators can handle all aspects of servicing your vehicle with their extensive knowledge and great skill.

Call Ian on 07 5449 9155 today for a guaranteed quality service.