What is a car service?
Taking your car in for a service is one of the most important aspects of vehicle maintenance, so it’s well worth learning more about servicing to ensure you’re giving your car exactly what it needs. First, let’s take a look at what a service actually entails.
What does a full car service include?
A common misconception is that the term ‘car service’ refers to one uniform examination which involves your vehicle being checked over, declared safe, and you driving off with a smile on your face. That isn’t how it works. In fact, there are three separate levels of servicing, as well as oil and filter changes, and these different types of service form a hierarchical structure of checks. Or, to put it another way…
- Oil and filter change – this does exactly what it says on the tin
- Interim service – an oil and filter change, plus a range of other basic checks
- Full service – an interim service, plus a range of other checks
- Major service – a full service, plus a range of other comprehensive checks
Want a sample of the checks that are added on at each level of servicing? Keep reading.
What is included in an interim service?
Below, we’ve listed just some of the wide range of checks that are included as part of an interim car service. These include:
- Checking components and reporting on the renewal period (e.g. cambelt, pollen filter)
- Checking that the driver controls are working
- Checking that the warning lights and dashboard indicators are working
- Checking all exterior lights, reflections, number plates, mirrors and trims are undamaged
- Checking fluids (brake, clutch, coolant, windscreen wash, engine oil)
- Checking air conditioning, wiper blades, clutch operation, gear selection, radiator and coolant system, engine transmission, suspension, steering column and exhaust for condition, operation and security
- Checking tyres and wheels
- Testing the battery
- Assessing the condition of the brakes and braking system
- Lubricating the handbrake
What is included in a full service?
As we mentioned earlier, a full car service covers a few more checks than an interim service. Here are some of the additional checks a full service often includes:
- Checking the condition, operation and security of the windscreen, rear view mirror, washers, wipers, spark plugs, fuel lines, brake pipes and handbrake cables
- Replacing spark plugs if required
- Carrying out a suspension bounce test
- Carrying out an underbody inspection
- Checking the engine and transmission mounts for security and wear
- Replacing the air filter
- Checking and lubricating the throttle cable
- Lubricating the under-bonnet catches and hinges
- Applying spray grease to the battery terminals
What is included in a major service?
Finally, a major car service includes even more tests and checks to assess your vehicle. These might include:
- Checking the security, operation and condition of the handbrake, interior switches, fuel cap, starter motor
- Reading the health check code (if applicable)
- Testing and topping up the gearbox and restoring the differential oil levels using the correct grade (not applicable to automatic transmissions)
- Replacing the inline fuel filter if it’s a petrol engine
- Cleaning and adjusting the brakes, and refitting the drums as required
- Replacing the fuel filter if it’s a diesel engine
- Lubricating all door catches, locks and hinges as required
- Carrying out a road test
How long does it take to service a car?
Taking the time to make sure your car is completely roadworthy is a good thing to do, but it can be helpful to know roughly how long your service will take so you can make plans for alternative transportation if necessary. However, it’s important to remember that any time frame you’re given will likely be an estimate – after all, if there is some part of your car that is problematic, that can take time to fix.
Usually, a car service will take around three to five hours, with variations as mentioned above. The time it takes to service your car can also depend on its service history. A car which hasn’t been serviced regularly is more likely to have significant issues which need reporting and then addressing, so the service may take longer.
What service does my car need?
With three different levels of servicing to choose from, as well as the simple oil and filter change, it can be difficult to know which service is right for you and your vehicle. We recommend that you book your car in for a major service once a year to make sure it stays in great condition.
If you use your car often and rack up a lot of miles, you may also benefit from booking a full service at the midpoint between two major services – in other words, around six months before your next major service. This helps to manage the wear and tear that comes from extensive use. It’s also a good idea to do this if you do a lot of stop-start driving, for example if you live in a city.
On top of that, if you frequently find yourself driving more than 6,000 miles between services, consider booking in for an interim service. It’s simple – the more you drive your car, the more wear and tear it endures, the sooner you’ll need to have it serviced.
Can a car fail a service?
Strictly speaking, a car cannot fail a service, because it’s different to undergoing an MOT. An MOT assesses your car’s condition and declares it roadworthy or not, and if your car isn’t roadworthy, it fails the MOT. A service, while it also involves checking car components, has more of a focus on fixing the problems it finds. For this reason, some people like to book a
service in the weeks leading up to their MOT, to ensure that any problems are dealt with before the day of the MOT test.
It is important to note, however, that if your car doesn’t have a valid MOT certificate, it can’t be taken out for a road test, which is part of the major service. The status of your vehicle’s MOT certificate can easily be checked using our MOT Expiry Date Checker tool, so always make sure you book services when your current MOT certificate is still valid, otherwise the road test cannot be completed.
