Car maintenance checklist
Work down the list below in three rhythms — the quick monthly walk-around, the quarterly look under the bonnet, and the annual service items. Tick them off on paper, or add your vehicle to a free VehicleIQ garage and let odometer-based reminders tell you when each one comes due.
Monthly checks
Every month, or before a long trip
Five minutes in the driveway. These are the checks that catch a problem while it is still cheap, and none of them need tools.
Tyre pressure and tread
Check all four cold, plus the spare. Look for uneven wear across the tread — that points at alignment or suspension, not the tyre.
Engine oil level
Dipstick on level ground with the engine cold. Note the level and colour; a level that keeps dropping is a leak or consumption issue worth logging.
Coolant and screen wash
Both are visible in their reservoirs between the min and max marks. Never open a hot cooling system.
Lights and indicators
Walk around with the lights on, then have someone check the brake lights. A blown bulb is the most common roadside stop.
Wipers and washers
Streaking or chattering blades usually mean the rubber is done — replace before the rainy season, not during it.
Warning lights
Note anything that stayed on after start-up. Our warning light guides explain what each symbol means.
Quarterly checks
Every 3 months or roughly 5,000 km
A slightly longer look, timed to how far you have actually driven rather than the calendar alone.
Battery terminals and age
Clean off corrosion and check the date on the case. Most batteries give three to five years, and they usually fail on the first cold morning.
Brake feel and noise
Squealing, grinding, a soft pedal or pulling to one side are all reasons to get the pads and discs inspected now.
Air filter
Hold it up to the light. A filter clogged with dust makes the engine work harder and costs you fuel.
Belts and hoses
Look for cracking, glazing, swelling or damp patches around clamps — a cheap hose can end an engine.
Tyre rotation
Rotating on the interval in your handbook evens out wear so all four tyres reach the end of their life together.
Fluid leaks under the car
Park on a clean surface overnight. Colour tells you a lot: oil dark brown, coolant bright, transmission fluid red.
Annual and major-service checks
Every 12 months or at your handbook's service interval
The workshop items. Your manufacturer handbook is the authority on intervals for your specific model — treat this as the list to check it against.
Oil and oil filter change
The single most important service item. Record the oil spec and the odometer reading so the next interval is measured, not guessed.
Brake fluid
Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point. Most manufacturers specify a change by time rather than distance.
Cabin and fuel filters
Replaced on interval, not on symptom. A blocked cabin filter is also why the aircon smells.
Spark plugs or diesel glow plugs
Interval varies widely by engine and plug type — check the handbook rather than a generic figure.
Coolant condition
Coolant degrades and loses its corrosion protection long before it runs low. Flush and refill on the specified interval.
Suspension, steering and exhaust inspection
Best done on a lift during the service. Worn bushes and mounts show up as noise and vague steering first.
Wheel alignment
Worth checking annually and after any significant pothole or kerb strike — misalignment eats tyres quietly.
Licence, roadworthy and insurance renewals
Not mechanical, but they fall due on the same yearly rhythm and are easy to miss.
Tracking the checklist instead of remembering it
A checklist only helps if you know when each item last happened. VehicleIQ keeps that per vehicle.
Reminders by date or odometer
Set the quarterly and annual items once and get told when they come due, based on how far you have actually driven.
A service history per vehicle
Log each job with the date, odometer and cost. Start on paper with the maintenance log template if you prefer.
For interval guidance by vehicle type, see our maintenance schedule guides, and use the running cost calculator to see what the year ahead will cost.
Common questions
- How often should I service my car?
- Follow the interval in your manufacturer handbook — it is usually expressed as a distance and a time, whichever comes first, and it differs by model and engine. The checklist above groups the common owner checks into monthly, quarterly and annual rhythms around that service.
- What car maintenance can I do myself?
- Every item in the monthly section, and most of the quarterly ones, are visual checks that need no tools. Fluid changes, brakes, filters and anything on a lift are workshop jobs unless you are equipped for them.
- Does this checklist apply to diesel and older vehicles?
- The structure does, but the specifics change: diesels add glow plugs and fuel-water separators, and older vehicles often need shorter intervals. Always check your handbook for the exact schedule for your vehicle.
- How do I keep track of what I have already done?
- Record each item with the date and odometer reading. You can use our printable maintenance log template, or create a free VehicleIQ garage where each service, fuel entry and reminder is stored per vehicle.
Turn the checklist into reminders
Add your vehicle, set service and licence reminders by date or distance, and keep every job logged in one place — free to start.