From when to visit a mechanic, to increasing the lifespan of a car engine. This car servicing guide shares tips on what you need to know about servicing a vehicle.
Here's What You Need To Know About Car Servicing
The Benefits of servicing cars regularly
Your car service is more important to your car's safety and logevity than you might think. Regularly servising your car:
- Improves your safety by identifying faulty parts, as well as tuning up vital systems such as your brakes and suspension.
- Replaces ageing fluids such as engine oil, hydraulic fluid, and coolant before they lose effectiveness or even become damaging to your car.
- Increases longevity by making sure your car is running smoothly with no extra stress on the components.
- Saves you money by improving fuel economy and maintaining and replacing worn components before they cause a breakdown.
How often should you service your car?
You should service your car at the intervals recommended by your manufacturer. These differ depending on your car’s make. Mitsubishi’s capped price servicing program has a service interval of 12 months or 15,000km (whichever occurs first). You can find a car service guide for your vehicle in your owner’s manual or log book. However, if you hear any strange noises or notice your car behaving strangely, take your car for an inspection regardless of the service interval.
What happens during a vehicle servicing?
Your service may differ depending on your mechanic and the needs of your car. However, there are key aspects that you will find in any service. As part of our car servicing guide, here is an example of some of what you’ll find included in a dealer service for a Mitsubishi ASX:
Inside the engine compartment
|
Checks of the drive belt, air hose, oil house, radiator hoses, coolant level, air cleaner element, brake and clutch fluid, battery condition |
Every service or every second service |
Inside the engine compartment
|
Replace spark plugs | Every 90,000km |
Inside the engine compartment
|
Replace air cleaner element, change brake fluid, replace fuel filter | Every second or third service |
Inside the engine compartment
|
Change engine coolant | After the first 120,000km or 8 years, thereafter every 75,000km or 5 years |
Under the vehicle
|
Checks of suspension system, arm ball joints, steering linkage, manual transmission, transfer, rear differential, exhaust pipe, driveshaft boots | Every service or every second service |
Under the vehicle
|
Change gear oil | Dependant on part of the car |
Inside the vehicle
|
Checks of brake and clutch pedal, parking brake, lights, controls, seatbelts | Every service |
Inside the vehicle
|
Replace air purifier filter |
Every service |
Outside the vehicle
|
Checks of wheel alignment, front and rear wheel bearings, brake hoses, brake pads and discs, fuel hoses and pipes, tyre pressure, wiper rubbers, body condition, road test |
Every service or every second service |
After engine is warmed up
|
Checks of automatic transmission and CVT fluid, engine idling speed, CO concentration, EGR system | Every service |
After engine is warmed up
|
Replacement of engine oil and engine oil filter | Every service |
After engine is warmed up
|
Change automatic transmission and CVT fluid | Every 90,000km |
Cost of servicing cars
The cost of your car service will depend on the size, features, and use rate of your car. Small cars will be less expensive, while utes, large SUVs, and 4WDs will cost more. For example the capped price of the fifth service for the Mitsubishi Mirage is $299, while the price for the Pajero Sport is $499. Certain service milestones will also be more expensive, as the replacement of some parts may be required.
Servicing at Mitsubishi
When you buy a new Mitsubishi, you’ll receive 10 years of capped price servicing and a 10 year warranty as part of the Mitsubishi Diamond Advantage. Your capped pricing will apply to our Mitsubishi Genuine Service, performed by a Mitsubishi trained technician who knows your car inside and out. Our genuine servicing will help you drive with confidence every day.