What You Should Expect In Your Fifth Annual Car Service
Everyone understands that as your car ages, it requires a little bit of extra time for the routine car services it must go through. Systems get a little slower, filters need to be more regularly replaced and so on and so forth. However, most cars will require quite an intensive service at around about the fifth or sixth year of their use. This is a regular occurrence and something that most car owners who have had cars for this long will recognise, but if this is your first time owning a new car for so long, then here are a few reasons why this car service is different to the last four.
Changing Coolant
Coolant is a very hardy chemical that can withstand thousands of kilometres of use, but at some point it will need replacing. Occasionally some cars will require coolant changing more regularly, but generally the time when it is drained and replaced (or at least topped up) is around the five-year mark. If left in for longer, the coolant usually is less potent and more corrupted with other chemicals from its many years of use.
Changing Spark Plugs
Spark plugs are basically how engines get up and running from a previously inactive state. They are quite small and easy to identify when you open up the bonnet of your car, and they also have a set lifespan that doesn't vary too much from car to car. At around about the five-year mark, you might see that they have been replaced in your car service bill. That is because they slowly lose reliability and can become ineffective and actually a danger to the car if left inside indefinitely. This is usually a quick process, but in addition to the rest of the steps in this longer service, it adds up to a longer-than-average service.
Fuel Filter
A fuel filter is a very minor part of your car's system, but it can cause a chain reaction inside your engine if it breaks down. Dirt, grease and small aggregates can find their way into your car from many sources, and a fuel filter is the safety precaution that stops your engine from getting ruined by them. This only happens occasionally, especially in modern cars, but it is still a real risk that needs to be managed. After about four or five years, the fuel filters will need to be inspected and, more often than not, taken out and replaced.
Contact a local car service centre to learn more.
