One of the easiest ways to make sure your new Hyundai stays reliable for many years to come is to follow the recommended maintenance schedule for your car or crossover. The schedules are published in the owner’s manual that comes with every new Hyundai, but you can also find them online at www.hyundaiusa.com/maintenance-schedule.

 

“Every new Hyundai is engineered and built to provide years of reliable and efficient service,” said Frank Ferrara, Executive Vice President of Customer Satisfaction for Hyundai Motor America. “Our goal is to make Hyundais both affordable to buy and to own.”

 

The precision manufacturing of the latest generation of Hyundai engines means they have reduced internal friction for better fuel efficiency, and reduced wear and tear for longer intervals between required service. Not so many years ago, manufacturers regularly recommended oil changes every 3,000 miles. Today’s Hyundai models can go 7,500 miles between oil and filter changes. When you consider how much oil and gas prices have risen in recent years, more than doubling the mileage between changes is just one more example of the value of owning a Hyundai.

 

Oil and filter changes are the best-known regular maintenance for any car, but there are numerous other things that you should also do to get the most out of your ride. While the service technician at your dealer is draining the oil from your engine, it’s a perfect opportunity to take a look at the air filter, vacuum hoses and the battery. An engine needs to breathe to make power, and a clogged air filter can result in reduced performance. Cracked or loose vacuum lines can also reduce engine performance or affect the brake booster, resulting in longer stopping distances. At 7,500 miles, it’s a good idea to also add a fuel additive that helps keep the injectors clean.

 

At the same time the oil is being swapped out, the tires should also be rotated and inspected for uneven wear. On front-wheel drive cars like the Sonata and Elantra, the front tires work harder than the rears since they have to transmit power to the road and steer. Rotating the tires between the four corners of the car helps make sure they all end up getting a similar amount of use.

 

If the tires are wearing unevenly, the technician will also check tire inflation and wheel alignment. Wheels can get knocked out of alignment by hitting a curb or pothole, leading to degraded handling and reduced tire life. Similarly, over- or underinflated tires can cause premature tread wear and impact fuel efficiency.

 

At 15,000-mile intervals or every other oil change, there are other items that should also be inspected, starting with the air conditioning refrigerant. As the summer sun heats things up, the last thing you want to experience is hot air blowing out of the vents, so a quick check and recharge, if needed, of the air conditioning system is definitely recommended. At the same time, the climate control air filter should be replaced.

 

Those 15,000-mile maintenance visits should also include inspections on the underside of the vehicle including the exhaust system, brake lines, driveshafts and boots and the brake pads, calipers and rotors.

 

A thorough check of the steering and suspension components will help ensure that the ride quality and handling of your Hyundai are preserved at like-new levels.

 

Every 30,000 miles, your service technician should check the brake fluid level and make sure the fluid hasn’t absorbed moisture. If water gets into the brake fluid, it can lead to a spongy-feeling brake pedal and longer stopping distances. This is also a good time to put in a new air filter.

 

Once you’ve accumulated 60,000 miles on your Hyundai, it’s time to check the drive belt for the water pump and alternator for cracks and stretching, and then continue checking it every 15,000 miles after that. This inspection should also include a check of the valve clearances on the engine, and the parking brake.

 

With 60,000 miles on the odometer and then every 30,000 miles after that, the coolant should be replaced and the cooling system flushed to prevent corrosion.

 

“Affordability is about more than just the sticker price when you buy a new vehicle,” said Ferrara. “At Hyundai, we aim to provide great value throughout the life of the vehicle. Great fuel efficiency means they save at the gas pump, and longer service intervals means it costs less to keep a Hyundai running right.”

 

Stop by our service department today and let the technicians who know your Hyundai best keep it running in tip-top shape.