We’ve all been there once or twice ─ our “maintenance required” light flashes on and off, and we think to ourselves “I’ve got time to get this done.” Then, the flashing light turns into a solid light, and a day turns to two, which turns to three.
Before you know it, a few weeks or even months have passed, and we’ve still yet to bring in our car for service…
Be it for financial reasons, pure forgetfulness, or a busy schedule, it’s easy to neglect vehicle maintenance. Especially when it feels preventative rather than necessary.
But the truth is, every modern vehicle, new Mazda models included, is engineered such that there is a specific maintenance schedule for it.
Certain service intervals have been designated by the engineers who designed and built your car for a reason, so it’s important to stick to them whenever possible.
Let’s dive deeper into the question of just how often you should get your car serviced, though.
Time vs. Mileage: How Do I Know When It’s Time to Service My Car?
The answer that’s most applicable to you is simple, so it’s worth repeating: check your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
Most cars’ manuals can be found in the glovebox, but you may also access your owner’s manual online at Mazdausa.com or through the MyMazda smartphone app.
Usually, answering the question of how long you should wait to service your car is done in terms of either A) time in months or B) odometer mileage. Checking your owner’s manual will usually provide both.
The reason most owner’s manuals designate service in an and/or format of “X” miles or “Y” period of months is because cars that sit unused or don’t get driven much may take much longer to rack up an equivalent number of miles to other drivers. However, they could still need to be repaired or maintained, of not at least checked out to ensure all is as it should be.
Why Generalized Service Intervals Aren’t Usually Too Helpful
While it used to be the case that you needed to bring your vehicle in for an oil change every 3,000 miles and a tire rotation every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, that really isn’t necessarily the case anymore, depending on how new your car is.
So, general guidelines telling you to bring your car in for an oil change every 3,000 miles won’t be helpful if you can go 5,000 or even 10,000 miles between oil changes.
Likewise, general guidance that you should have your tires replaced every 35,000-75,000 miles may not be helpful if you have AWD and they wear more quickly. Or, if you forget about the importance of regular tire rotations to ensure even wear patterns.
General guidance telling you that your brakes will last around 60,000 miles likewise won’t be helpful if you drive aggressively and yours only last 25,000 to 35,000 miles.
The takeaway? Check your owner’s manual for model-specific instructions! They exist for a reason!
If you don’t know how to access your owner’s manual and you drive a Mazda, simply call one of our knowledgeable service center pros at (888) 716-2113.
How Often Should You Get Your Car Air Conditioner Serviced?
Given that we live in a hot climate here in greater San Diego, you should aim bring your vehicle in to check its A/C at least once a year. That way, you can ensure it’s working well and doesn’t need an evacuation and recharge or freon.
Schedule MAZDA Service or Maintenance Today!
Want to skip the phone calls and legwork associated with finding out answers to mechanical questions yourself?
We get it ─ life gets busy and hectic without things like car maintenance to worry about. Of course, we want you to understand why we do what we do (so you know you can trust us!)
But our highly-experienced Mazda-certified service team is here to take care of all the details, should you want to lean on their expert advice and handiwork.
Ready to get your car into tip-top mechanical shape? Schedule service online from the comfort of home now faster than you can say “three thousand miles!”
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