5 Common Car Care Myths

Most new vehicles are relatively maintenance-free, and engine technology has become so computerized over the last several years that most people go through the entire life of their car without ever opening the hood. That is both good and bad because this ability to practice benign neglect with your car has resulted in several misunderstandings about necessary car maintenance.

Here are 5 car care misunderstandings that you should know about.

1. Engine oil should be changed every 3000 miles.

If your car is still under the manufacturer's warranty then the period between oil changes should be no more than is set out in the owner's manual. Failure to follow the manufacturer's prescribed maintenance schedule may void the warranty. If your car is out of warranty you can extend the time period between oil changes by using synthetic motor oil. The number of miles that you can go between oil changes is dependent upon how you drive and the conditions that you drive in. Dusty roads and polluted city streets can shorten the interval substantially. 5000 mi. or more between oil changes for those engines using synthetic motor oil is not uncommon. One synthetic oil manufacturer, Royal Purple, reports oil change intervals as much as 12,000 mi. under normal driving conditions.

2. All scheduled maintenance must be performed by the dealer while your car is under warranty.

This is a common misunderstanding. Scheduled maintenance on your vehicle while under warranty can be performed by any automotive service center, or even by yourself. The warranty requires that the maintenance be performed on time, not who actually performs the maintenance. If you choose not to have the dealer perform your scheduled maintenance then maintaining the proper documentation to prove that it has been done could be critical in the event of a needed repair and a warranty dispute.

3. All car engines need to warm up at idle before driving away.

If you live in a moderate climate and drive your car every day then the internal engine parts are always covered with a thin coat of lubricant and you can drive away safely with no warm up at all. If the car only gets used once a week or so then a very brief warm up, probably only a minute or so, will get the engine parts coated so that you can drive away safely. If you live in a really cold climate where temperatures are below freezing for days at a time, and you do not use an engine oil heater it is recommended that you give the oil a few minutes to warm up and begin moving through the engine before taking off. In all cases it is better to start slowly and let the engine operate at low RPMs to get the oil viscous and moving smoothly through the engine.

4. The PSI on the tire sidewall is the correct air inflation pressure

The same tire could be used on many different vehicles so you are better off using the recommended tire air inflation pressure in your owner's manual or on the doorjamb on the driver's side.

5. It's OK to wash my car with dishwashing detergent

Dish detergents are designed to disperse and remove animal and vegetable fat and will do the same thing to your car wax. The best practice is to wash your car with products made for automotive use. This is the only way you can be assured that your cleaning product will not contain any trace elements that could harm your car's finish.