Q: Do I need to wait for car servicing light or need to do it when it reaches miles mentioned on sticker

This is a very common question for many people as the service intervals tend to vary depending on the make of the vehicle, the specific type of service being recommended and the recommended return for service date as indicated by the servicing facility. For example, when having the engine oil changed, many facilities will recommend that the oil is changed every 3,000-4,000 miles. Years ago, before the vast improvements in engineering technology, for many cars, this was actually a good recommendation, however, with the high standards of today’s vehicles, many engines are capable of going anywhere from 7,000-20,000 without an oil change without any harm or risk to the motor. Keep in mind again, that this will vary depending on the make and model of vehicle.

The service engine light is nowadays the primary indicator as to when you should have your vehicle serviced as it is pre-programmed service intervals programmed into the vehicle’s computer indicating when to have specific services performed.

Recommended service intervals may vary quite widely depending on the make and model of the vehicle and the service facility performing the service. Many years ago, the recommended service interval for an oil change, for example, might have been to change the engine oil every 3,000-4,000 miles. Some service facilities will still recommend this type of interval today by indicating on the sticker as you describe when to return based on your mileage since the last service date. Nowadays, engineering technology is much more advanced allowing vehicle manufacturers to pre-program the recommended service intervals into the vehicle’s computer system and allowing these intervals to be recommended by simply turning on the service engine light as you are also familiar with. The service engine light is certainly now the best measure of when to return for proper service intervals. When the recommended service is performed at a service facility, this light is simply reset by the mechanic performing the service so that the computer knows when to signal the next recommended service.