Many people over a certain age still buy “albums,” for example. Those same people probably still “roll up” their car windows, even though crank-type windows essentially disappeared years ago. Here’s another term to reconsider: “Tune-up.”

If you have a new or late-model car, you need to follow the service schedule, but the meaning of “tune-up” has dramatically changed for modern cars. Numerous parts are changed and inspections performed at the major service intervals (usually every 30,000 miles for most cars). Did you know that modern cars essentially “tune” themselves up?

In the “old days” of carburetors and distributor-type ignition systems, you needed to keep your car “in tune” for it to perform properly. In addition to replacing filters, fluids, sparkplugs, wires and parts like the distributor cap and rotor, you needed to have the technician check and adjust the fuel mixture and the ignition timing. That was the “tuning part.”

Back then, such things would fall out of proper adjustment over time, and as a result, the car could run poorly, consume more fuel and emit more pollutants. Mandates for better fuel economy and lower emissions drove the development of electronic control units (computers, basically) that today control fuel injection and ignition timing – constantly.

Your engine is essentially tuning itself in response to many variables including how you’re driving, the engine temperature, outside air temperature and even quality of the fuel. For example, a device called a “knock sensor” literally listens for “knock” in the cylinders – an indication that the fuel is igniting too soon. When the sensor “hears” a knock, it signals the computer to alter ignition timing (the point at which the sparkplugs ignite the fuel) until the knock stops. It does this in hundredths or thousandths of a second.

Years ago, if you heard your engine knocking, you’d likely need to take it into the dealer service department or repair shop for a look. The mechanic could then adjust the ignition timing, but it certainly didn’t happen in thousandths of a second.

If your car is “tuning” its fuel and ignition operation, what does a technician do when you bring it in for a “tune-up?” First of all, carmakers have done much to contain servicing tasks compared to older cars. Things like air filters, fuel filters and spark plug wires still need to be replaced periodically for maximum performance and fuel economy, but there are generally fewer parts to replace at your car’s major service intervals. For example, most new cars do not need the first coolant change until five years or 30,000 miles. In some new cars, oil change intervals are dictated by an oil-quality sensor.

Some cars do not have a recommended sparkplug change until 100,000 miles! Not long ago, if you let your sparkplugs go too long, your car might never make it to 100,000 miles.

There are, however, numerous important inspections the technician must perform to ensure that your car’s computer-controlled systems are working properly. For example, at the major service interval (shown in your owner’s manual), the dealer tech will connect a scanner to your car’s computer and “read” a whole range of performance parameters. The car’s computer is advanced enough to record “faults,” which the scanner then displays for the technician. From that information, the technician can diagnose the vehicle’s health and spot potential problems.

Can a modern car fall “out of tune?” Yes, and you’ll likely know it by rough performance. You may not always be aware of potential problems and that’s why such high-tech inspections are necessary.

Some may say the term is technically obsolete, but even modern cars’ systems need occasional “tuning.” Vehicles’ servicing requirements have changed, often helping to reduce maintenance intervals and operating costs. More than ever, though, the specialized diagnostic tools in your dealer’s service shop are needed to ensure that your car performs its best and continues to meet emissions regulations.

Check your owner’s manual for your car’s service schedule and make an appointment with your dealer if you need to.