Determining if your car needs the "severe" service schedule
One of the items you'll receive with a newly purchased vehicle is a maintenance schedule, which suggests the work you should have completed when your mileage reaches certain points. This preventative maintenance can keep your vehicle in good condition, reducing the chance that you'll be stuck with an expensive and unexpected repair bill.
The maintenance schedule comes with recommendations for both normal and severe levels of driving. The service intervals recommended for severe driving are shorter than they are for normal driving, since your vehicle's components and systems will be under greater stresses.
Drivers often follow the normal maintenance schedule. In addition to saving some money on mechanic visits, they consider that the driving they do isn't rough enough to qualify for the severe category.
However, it is easier to put your vehicle under the severe servicing conditions than you might think. A 2009 survey by the automotive organization AAA found that only 6 percent of drivers believed their vehicle needed servicing on the severe schedule. However, 62 percent cited conditions that qualify for the severe schedule as part of their regular driving habits.
Short trips will put more stress on a vehicle than long ones. Frequent trips of fewer than five miles, or fewer than 10 miles in freezing conditions, will qualify a vehicle for the severe servicing schedule.
Even if you are traveling for longer distances, the speed will have a significant effect in determining your maintenance schedule. AAA says severe conditions include driving for longer distances at speeds of less than 50 miles per hour or traveling in stop-and-go conditions, particularly in hot weather. American Auto Air and Repair, a vehicle service shop in Reno, Nevada, says extensive idling in rush hour traffic is also rougher on your vehicle.
Heavier loads will put your vehicle under additional stress as well. The Car Care Council says this extra weight may include several passengers, heavy cargo, or trailers. The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association says rooftop carriers, as well as the lifts and other equipment needed for handicapped accessible vehicles, may also qualify as heavy loads.
The weather can put additional strain on the engine and other vehicle components. Tara Baukus Mello, writing for the financial site Bankrate, says vehicles driven in areas with high humidity, temperatures of 90 degrees or more, or temperatures of less than 10 degrees should be serviced on the severe schedule.
Be aware of the kinds of environments you drive through. The Car Care Council says severe environments include rough or mountainous roads as well as dusty or salty air. AAA says roads with mud, salt, sand, or gravel will put more strain on a vehicle than asphalt.
"According to definition, most driving is going to be considered 'severe.' However, there are easy steps you can take to limit the amount of wear and tear on your vehicle and improve fuel economy," said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "By properly maintaining and repairing your vehicle, it will perform safely, dependably and efficiently for years to come, no matter the driving conditions."
Mello says drivers should consider what percentage of their travel these conditions account for. If the majority of your driving is made up of one or more of the conditions, the severe servicing schedule is more appropriate than the normal one.
Drivers who frequently encounter severe conditions should follow the service schedule recommended in the vehicle's owner's manual. These check-ups will conduct more frequent checks on the vehicle's fluids and filters, and they will also inspect critical systems such as shocks and brakes to make sure they are performing well.
The Car Care Council says adjusting your driving habits can also help reduce the amount of time you spend driving under severe conditions. The organization recommends following the speed limit, removing unnecessary weight from the vehicle, and avoiding aggressive driving such as fast accelerations and hard braking.
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