ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — The Automotive Maintenance & Repair Association's (AMRA) Motorist Assurance Program (MAP) has issued a position statement on recommended service intervals for cars that have been driven longer than the mileage intervals on the vehicle's OEM maintenance schedule.
"Both shops and consumers have been asking for guidance on how best to maintain older vehicles," said AMRA/MAP President Barry Soltz.
With consumers keeping vehicles longer and longer, the average age of a vehicle on the road is more than 10 years old. In many of these older vehicles, the odometer reading already exceeds the mileage intervals listed in the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, according to MAP.
MAP said it contacted several vehicle manufacturers and asked which maintenance services they recommend for vehicles on the road well beyond the intervals listed in the service schedule. None of the OEMs offered a documented policy, but nearly all stated that those vehicles should be maintained according to the original schedule; and that neither more nor less maintenance was beneficial, MAP said.
MAP Service Intervals Position (beyond the vehicle's original schedule) states that, as a general rule, higher-mileage vehicles should follow the same routine or periodic service intervals as lower mileage vehicles, based on conditions in which the vehicle is operated, to help maintain performance and reliability.
In some cases, the original vehicle manufacturer addresses these continuing service intervals in the owners maintenance manual(s), or through instrument panel service indicators, MAP noted, while some vehicle manufacturers' recommendations are no longer listed after a specific time or mileage interval.
"It is the position of the Motorist Assurance Program that in the absence of original vehicle manufacturers' recommended service intervals (beyond the original schedule), vehicle owners should revert to and repeat the original time or mileage service interval schedule, or as advised by the instrument panel service indicator," MAP stated.