CARS.COM — A car tuneup is an outdated service consisting of replacing parts to bring the ignition and fuel systems up to spec for maximum engine performance and efficiency. A traditional tuneup hasn’t been available or necessary for years. Today’s remaining tuneup services include new spark plugs and cabin air filter replacement. Both are part of your vehicle’s maintenance schedule just as much as checking tire pressure or getting an oil change are — and today’s “tuneup” services are likely to be more like checkups for your car.
The engine tune-up checklist will include both preventative and restorative engine assessment, and final maintenance recommendations that will vary from vehicle to vehicle based on age, mileage and unique manufacturer recommendations.
Related: More Maintenance Coverage
Spark plugs, for example, are typically replaced every 100,000 miles. And the federal EPA and Department of Energy say that replacing a clogged air filter will not improve gas mileage but can improve acceleration by roughly 6 to 11 percent. The agencies do not say what benefit can be derived from fresh spark plugs, but computers that control today’s engines adjust the air-fuel mixture and spark timing to compensate for wear, such as when the electrodes on spark plugs are worn down.
Even so, some car owners still dutifully take their vehicle in periodically to have it “tuned up.” Instead, what actually happens is that service technicians will inspect and perhaps test the fuel, ignition and emissions systems to look for faulty vacuum hoses, oxygen sensors and various other parts that can hurt the car’s performance. The federal government, for example, says a bad oxygen sensor can give engine computers false readings and reduce fuel economy by as much as 40 percent.
Don’t Ask for a Tuneup, Just Follow Your Car’s Maintenance Schedule
Having your vehicle serviced and inspected periodically is a good way to extend its life and keep it operating efficiently. (Here are some signs your car needs to be checked by a mechanic.) However, walking into a repair facility and asking for a tuneup is a bad idea because it indicates you’re still living in a previous century with no knowledge of what your car actually needs and have extra money to spend. Some in the auto repair business will take advantage of those opportunities.
Look in the owner’s manual for your vehicle (or separate maintenance schedule) to find what the manufacturer recommends, and see if you can even find the word “tuneup.” (Finding it with a hyphen counts; don’t worry, we’ll wait.) For example, we looked at the maintenance guide for the Ford Fiesta that also applies to other Ford vehicles. The first mention of anything related to a traditional tuneup was to replace the engine air filter every 30,000 miles. The only other related item was to replace the spark plugs every 100,000 miles.
Now, to find a mechanic you trust and get some proper maintenance done, check out the video below.
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A motor vehicle service or tune-up is a series of maintenance procedures carried out at a set time interval or after the vehicle has traveled a certain distance. The service intervals are specified by the vehicle manufacturer in a service schedule and some modern cars display the due date for the next service electronically on the instrument panel. A tune-up should not be confused with engine tuning, which is the modifying of an engine to perform better than the original specification, rather than using maintenance to keep the engine running as it should.
The completed services are usually recorded in a service book upon completion of each service. A complete service history usually adds to the resale value of a vehicle.
Scheduling[edit]
The actual schedule of car maintenance varies depending on the year, make, and model of a car, its driving conditions and driver behavior.Car makers recommend the so-called extreme or the ideal service schedule based on impact parameters such as
- number of trips and distance traveled per trip per day
- extreme hot or cold climate conditions
- mountainous, dusty or DE-iced roads
- heavy stop-and-go vs. long-distance cruising
- towing a trailer or other heavy load
Service advisers in dealerships and independent shops recommend schedule intervals, which are often in between the ideal or extreme service schedule.
Common maintenance[edit]
Massive vst crack free. Maintenance tasks commonly carried out during a motor vehicle service include:
Tune Up Auto Center
- Change the engine oil
- Replace the oil filter
- Replace the air filter
- Replace the fuel filter
- Replace the cabin or a/c filter
- Replace the spark plugs
- Check level and refill brake fluid/clutch fluid
- Check Brake pads/Liners, Brake discs/Drums, and replace if worn out
- Check Coolant Hoses
- Check the charging systems
- Check the battery
- Check level and refill power steering fluid
- Check level and refill Automatic/Manual Transmission Fluid
- Grease and lubricate components
- Inspect and replace the timing belt or timing chain if needed
- Check condition of the tires
- Check for proper operation of all lights, wipers etc.
- Check for any Error codes in the ECU and take corrective action.
- Use a scan tool to read trouble code.
Mechanical parts that may cause the car to cease transmission or prove unsafe for the road are also noted and advised upon.
In the United Kingdom, few parts that are not inspected on the MOT test are inspected and advised upon a Service Inspection, including Clutch, Gearbox, Car Battery, and Engine components (further inspections than MOT).
See also[edit]
- Car ramp, a means of accessing the underside of a vehicle