Changing the oil in your engine is the single most important maintenance for your vehicle. Special chemicals in the oil break down over time because it is exposed to high temperatures in your engine. This causes the oil to lose its viscosity and will actually increase friction in the engine’s moving parts resulting in damaging your engine. Most manufacturers recommend that you should change your engine oil every 5000km or every 3 months, which ever comes first.

 

The fluid in the transmission of your vehicle promotes proper operation. Your vehicle’s transmission is composed of gears, valves, clutches and very tiny passageways. In conjunction with each other, they are constantly moving. All the parts are subjected to heat and pressure. Heat and fluid contamination are the main causes of transmission failure. Transmission cooler and transmission oil must be flushed according to the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines to avoid expensive transmission repair. Most manufacturers recommend transmission service every 60,000km or every two years.

 

Over time, air conditioning systems may develop leaks and condensation. Together, these can reduce cooling and damage the A/C compressor. Regular service can prevent this type of damage from occurring. Most manufactures recommend air condition service every year or 20,000km.

 

The function of the cooling system is to keep the temperature of your engine at a safe level. As your vehicle runs, it generates a great amount of heat, if this heat continues to rise; it will cause severe damage to your engine. The cooling system is composed of a water pump, thermostat, radiator, heater core, numerous hoses and coolant reservoir. The coolant, which consists of antifreeze and water, runs throughout the cooling system. With time, this coolant can become acidic and contaminated. Once this happens, it can ruin the water pump, engine block, radiator, heater core and hoses. It can also damage the head gasket. Most manufacturers recommend service every 50,000km or every two years, which ever comes first.

 

Dirty fuel injectors can decrease engine performance. This can result in greater fuel consumption and pollution. Over time, deposits of carbon build up in the injectors and in the combustion chambers. Regular fuel injection service removes this build up of carbon and allows your vehicle to perform at its peak along with less fuel consumption and pollution. Most manufacturers recommend service every 60,000km or every 2 years, which ever comes first.

 

For reliable, consistent brake system operation, brake fluid must maintain a constant viscosity. Since your vehicle is exposed to a variety of temperatures, over time, brake fluids can absorb water. This water can boil from heat build up caused by excessive braking. The presence of water in the brake fluid can cause a loss of braking and the corrosion of brake components. The components most affected by this include the master cylinder, wheel cylinder, callipers, brake lines and ABS components. Most manufacturers recommend service every 50,000km or every 2 years, which ever comes first.

 

The timing belt is a toothed rubber belt which synchronizes the movement between the crankshaft and camshaft. Certain engines use the timing belt to drive the water pump. If the timing belt breaks, the engine will stop working instantly and will not restart. On some engines, if the timing belt breaks suddenly, a major engine repair job may be in order. It is always recommended that along with timing belt replacement, you should also replace all oil seals and water pump. If these recommendations are ignored, the old seals and the water pump may begin to leak and cause the new belt to damage prematurely. Most manufacturers recommend service between 96,000km to 120,000km

 

: In the past, a tune up consisted of replacing spark plugs, points, condenser, setting timing and setting the carburetor. Today, all vehicles are equipped with computerized components and electronic ignitions. These new technologies make the necessary adjustments automatically. Now, the only items that require replacing are spark plugs, plug wires, air filter, fuel filter and PCV valve. Most manufacturers recommend service every two years.