Car maintenance schedule | Universal car maintenance intervals

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An adequately maintained car can be driven..."for ever". Proper maintenance is also about maintaining your vehicle's dependability and safety.

Here are the most typical car maintenance intervals you can use as a reference in case you have no idea about the specific maintenance schedule of your vehicle.
Click on the highlighted words for more details about the intervention.

Make sure to note well all the interventions on your vehicle regardless of whom performed them.

Car maintenance schedule by mileage

The below interventions are mileage based and can only be carried out based on mileage, except if the vehicle is not driven. Vehicles that are not driven daily or that have very low mileage, just need to have a yearly oil and filter change. All other maintenance activities can be carried out based on checks.
Repeat what you do at a particular interval, upon reaching its next multiple, e.g. you should do the interventions of Km 5,000 when you reach 10,000 / 15,000 / 20,000 and so on.

Every 2,500 Km

Check your engine oil level: this ensures you do not take the risk of driving with low oil level. When adding oil, make sure to use oil of the same grade and characteristics.
Check your coolant level. This is to be carried out on a cold engine, meaning an engine that has been stopped for not less than 8 hours.
Refill your windshield wash liquid, one the most needed regular car maintenance, especially in rainy season.
Check and adjust your tires pressure if your vehicle is not equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system. Make sure to check the label inside your car's door for the recommended tires pressure.

Every 5,000 Km

Oil change with filter if your average speed is less than 39 Km/h i.e. if you live in traffic congested areas and/or on a hill or mountain. You can read your average speed on the car on-board computer. Make sure you check it on a significant distance for several thousands kilometers.
Tire rotation on SUV, MPV, Station Wagon, 4x4, Sport and Muscle cars, Crossovers. This prolongs your tires lifetime and avoids having non regular or homogenous wear of their tread.
Spare tire check and inflate, one of the most forgotten maintenance checks!

Every 10,000 Km

Oil change with filter if your average speed is 40 Km/h or more. Again, this is given by our on-board computer.
Air filter change, which is more critical on turbo engines.
Fuel filter change, in countries with low quality fuels. This intervention can be extended by many times and up to 60,000Km in countries with high quality fuels but pay attention to the fact it depends also on the condition of the tank at the gas station where you usually refill.
Spark plugs change if fuel is of poor quality in your country. This intervention can be extended by many times and up to 60,000Km in countries with high quality fuels.
Check your front brake pads if you tend to brake hard...
Tire rotation for low profile hatchbacks, sedans and limos.
A/C cabin or pollen filter change in dusty countries.
Check your power steering fluid level (not applicable to electric power steering).

Every 15,000 Km

Check your lights all around
Perform an engine cleaning (engine wash)
Check for oil leaks from engine or gearbox or differential

Every 20,000 Km

Replace your spark plugs if fuel quality is good. This intervention can be extended by many times and up to 60,000Km depending on spark plugs condition.
Replace your A/C cabin or pollen filter if your country is not much dusty.

Every 30,000 Km

Check and replace your front brake pads if needed. These could last more.
Replace the PCV valve.
Clean your throttle body.
Clean your pressure and air flow sensors.

Every 40,000 Km

Check and replace your front brake pads if needed. These could last more.

Every 60,000 Km

Replace your front brake pads if you did not do so earlier.
Check and replace your front brake discs if needed.
Check and replace your rear brake pads if needed.
Replace the serpentine belt (accessory belt)
Replace the timing belt if your engine manual states this frequency or if you drive uphill every day.
Decarbonize the intake valves if your engine is a direct injection engine.

Every 75,000 Km

Replace your timing belt if you did not do so at the step before.
Replace your front brake discs if you did not do so earlier.
Diagnose your catalytic converter and O2 sensors if you live in a country with poor fuel quality.

Every 100,000 Km

Replace your rear brake shoes.
Replace your manual gearbox oil
Replace your automatic gearbox oil except if your gearbox is maintenance free (i.e. some do not require any intervention prior to the 400,000 Km...).

Every 120,000 Km

Replace your water pump if it's driven by the timing belt, but then this is to be carried out along with the timing belt replacement. The water pump is therefore replaced every other timing belt replacement. Do not hesitate doing so, or else, a water pump failure will require that you replace the timing belt before its regular interval.
Replace your upstream O2 sensor.

Every 150,000 Km

Every 200,000 Km

Diagnose and replace the suspension parts: control arms, ball joints, shock absorbers, bearings, steering rods, etc.
Check and diagnose the handbrake cable.

Car maintenance intervals based on time

This is about regular car maintenance that does not depend on mileage.
The vehicle can still be used on daily basis and be driven a lot, but the nature of these interventions is completely independent from the mileage. Many maintenance tricks described here are often forgotten by both drivers and workshops.

Every 3 months

Lubricate all doors and openings.
Lubricate all locks.
Pressure wash your vehicle from underneath.

Every 2 years

Replace the brake fluid.
Replace your tires if their width is larger than or equal to 195 mm. Not applicable to top lasting tires like Michelin, Continental or Bridgestone, which in some cases can last up to 4-5 years.
Replace your windshield wipers.

Every 3 years

Replace your tires if their width is equal to or smaller than 185 mm. Not applicable to top lasting tires like Michelin, Continental or Bridgestone, which in some cases can last up to 4-5 years.

Every 5 years

Replace your coolant.
Top-up your A/C refrigerant