How often should you service your car?
The short answer
As a rule of thumb, most cars need a full service once a year or every 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you do a lot of miles it's worth an interim service in between to keep on top of the oil and filters. Always check your handbook too, as some makes set their own intervals and a few need a bigger major service every couple of years.
A service is not the same as an MOT. The MOT is a legal safety check once a year, while a service is planned maintenance that keeps the car running well and catches small problems before they turn into big bills. Here is the general schedule most drivers can go by.
Common causes and what they mean
A few things could be behind it. Here's what each usually points to, and how serious it is.
Full service: every 12 months or 12,000 miles
The main one for most drivers, whichever comes first. Fresh oil and filter, plus a proper look over the brakes, fluids, filters and general condition. This is the baseline that keeps the car healthy.
Interim service: in between, for high mileage
If you cover a lot of miles or do heavy town driving, a smaller service around the six-month or 6,000-mile mark keeps the oil fresh between full services. Not everyone needs one, but high-mileage cars benefit.
Major service: every 2 years or 24,000 miles
A deeper service that adds items the full service does not cover every year, like spark plugs, air and fuel filters and other longer-life parts. Roughly every other year for most cars.
Check your handbook
Manufacturers set their own schedules and some are longer or shorter than the general rule. Diesels, turbos and cars on long-life oil can differ, so the handbook is the final word for your exact model.
Low mileage still needs time-based servicing
Even if you barely drive, oil and fluids degrade with age and seals dry out. A car that sits most of the year still needs a service on the 12-month clock, even when the mileage stays low.
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