Service intervals: Is this normal?

Besides the fact that the oil will be over 20000km by the time I do the service at 30000km, I'm also worried about a service plan bolt-on I have with Wesbank. Their "system" may take a different view on things. I wonder if my insurance will as well. This whole thing is official however, so maybe it'd be fine.
 
It shouldn't really matter though how many months has it been since it was last serviced?
 
It varies between brand.

Had an new Accent in 2010. Confirmed several times by service manager that they will only service every 15k not every year.
Explained that the book says different he confirmed I would not lose my warranty so I left it.

Current Toyota is either or which ever comes first.

Very important to check the variables in play as it very easy to lose the warranty. On the accent it was 10% over service but wouldn't service it 14500.

Nothing worse than old oil. Get it changed.
 
It varies between brand.

Had an new Accent in 2010. Confirmed several times by service manager that they will only service every 15k not every year.
Explained that the book says different he confirmed I would not lose my warranty so I left it.

Current Toyota is either or which ever comes first.

Very important to check the variables in play as it very easy to lose the warranty. On the accent it was 10% over service but wouldn't service it 14500.

Nothing worse than old oil. Get it changed.

Yep I had same experience with Hyundai.
It being an official decision on their part does not however mean something won't go wrong.
Then you have to fight tooth and nail just to prove that a warranty claim is being made because they did not want to service.
It could happen.

Unfortunately I can't change the oil on my own without voiding the warranty.
They know this.
I'm busy checking with some other 3rd party stuff that might be affected by this and see what they say.
Hopefully I can take something to the dealers and make them approve a service.
There's this statement in their warranty bulletin (the one that specifies what their "system" is doing"):
If the system indicates “Free Service Not Yet Due” that means that the vehicle falls outside the above parameters. Should you believe the vehicle is eligible for such a service a direct request, via email, must be made the Mazda Warranty Team.
Although even if they do, then I'd have to go through this for every service. And for me that's twice a year.
 
I got the impression from the OP that it has been less than 12 months since the last service.

It has. But >15000km since the last service.
I think the oil should be good until 20000km.
They want me to do the service at 30000km.
Which would bring the total oil age at that point to 22400km.
I think that's really pushing it. And they are willing to do it.
 
It has. But >15000km since the last service.
I think the oil should be good until 20000km.
They want me to do the service at 30000km.
Which would bring the total oil age at that point to 22400km.
I think that's really pushing it. And they are willing to do it.

Don't stress too much, the car will be fine.
 
Doesn't sound right. Should be every 15 000km or 12 months, whichever comes first. So since it's been 15k km since the last service they HAVE to service it. Which brand is this?

This is what I have done with a Toyota. Sometimes it is 12 months sometime 15000 km I have just dome the 7 year / 120000 service at 115000.
 
So the dealership is basically arguing with the car's computer?

They are ****ing idiots.
 
I will. But not hoping much. This process is in their "system".
According to an official dealership bulletin. The thing actually says it wont allow someone to manually change it.

The system is inside the car which tells you when to service it.

It would make the onboard computer service system utterly redundant if it worked the way they claim it does.

You are 100% in the right here and you have the car to back you up on that if nothing else.

The car also won't allow someone to enter that bull**** into it's system so their system is on drugs.

Please name and shame whoever these spastics are. Sounds like they want to dodge a warranty.


*****

But just to be sure you haven't had the car longer than 12 months since that 7500km service right? Because then they would be right and you should have taken the car in for the annual service.

It's 15,000km or 12 months whichever comes first. You don't get to choose to do it on mileage if the time elapsed before then and they would have a right to reject based on that.
 
Last edited:
Warranty services are like medical aid for cars. The rules are stupid and idiotic, hence why as soon as I could, I got out of this warranty nonsense and now service the vehicle according a logical process.
 
It has. But >15000km since the last service.
I think the oil should be good until 20000km.
They want me to do the service at 30000km.
Which would bring the total oil age at that point to 22400km.
I think that's really pushing it. And they are willing to do it.

Ignore post above as this one answers the time elapsed question.

In reality it should be running fully synthetic oil and therefore it shouldn't really be a problem to add some mileage to it.

Even highly stressed bikes have 20,000km service intervals in some cases these days due to the oil technology.

But it's still stupid and goes against what the book says.

****

I would argue that changing the oil yourself is a user serviceable part and shouldn't affect your warranty.

At the same time I would argue that ignoring a service light indicator willfully is a breach of the very same warranty terms, even if supported by the dealership to do so.

Any time lights are flashing on your dashboard is an indication that something is wrong.
 
Ignore post above as this one answers the time elapsed question.

In reality it should be running fully synthetic oil and therefore it shouldn't really be a problem to add some mileage to it.

Even highly stressed bikes have 20,000km service intervals in some cases these days due to the oil technology.

But it's still stupid and goes against what the book says.

****

I would argue that changing the oil yourself is a user serviceable part and shouldn't affect your warranty.

At the same time I would argue that ignoring a service light indicator willfully is a breach of the very same warranty terms, even if supported by the dealership to do so.

Any time lights are flashing on your dashboard is an indication that something is wrong.

Ok so I had a chat with the service people themselves.
They say that this is the policy and is endorsed by the manufacturer, even though the owners manual says otherwise (unless I've missed some sort of ambiguity). The service manager says the same as you; oil will be fine for 20000+km. I only need to bring it in when the odo reads 30000km. He says the vehicle will be fine. Hopefully my nerves are fine after doing the next ~8000km.

All of this goes against traditional thinking re. service intervals.
Whether or not it is appropriate we'll never know. Maybe one day I'll try and contact the techs at the plant!
However traditional thinking still exists for 3rd party maintenance plans; and the service manager said he'll talk to them to straighten it out and make sure the plan isn't affected. Naturally I'll have all this in writing.
 
Ok so I had a chat with the service people themselves.
They say that this is the policy and is endorsed by the manufacturer, even though the owners manual says otherwise (unless I've missed some sort of ambiguity). The service manager says the same as you; oil will be fine for 20000+km. I only need to bring it in when the odo reads 30000km. He says the vehicle will be fine. Hopefully my nerves are fine after doing the next ~8000km.

All of this goes against traditional thinking re. service intervals.
Whether or not it is appropriate we'll never know. Maybe one day I'll try and contact the techs at the plant!
However traditional thinking still exists for 3rd party maintenance plans; and the service manager said he'll talk to them to straighten it out and make sure the plan isn't affected. Naturally I'll have all this in writing.

I would request that the Service Manager and Dealer Principal both sign a letter to that effect stipulating dates you brought the car in initially, and that their policy is only at distance intervals and that you ignoring the service light on the vehicle will not impact ANY of the warranty.

If they won't give you that letter then park the car in the service workshop and loudly demand it be serviced as per the manual.
 
Oh and btw this is Mazda.
My wife has a Hyundai and they follow the same policy.
I think someone else in this thread mentioned Renault as well.

The criteria for the situation to arise seems to be:
1) Not 1st owner (since people tend to do a similar mileage per year).
2) Current owner does >15000km a year.
3) At some point in time an annual service would've been done.
Once the sync is thrown out it happens.
Which is probably why not many people have heard of this. And also not many people complain.
 
I would request that the Service Manager and Dealer Principal both sign a letter to that effect stipulating dates you brought the car in initially, and that their policy is only at distance intervals and that you ignoring the service light on the vehicle will not impact ANY of the warranty.

If they won't give you that letter then park the car in the service workshop and loudly demand it be serviced as per the manual.

Oh yes and one thing I forgot to mention.
This "service light" isn't the engine management light or anything.
The light can be set and reset by anyone.
After a service they set it to blink once a certain mileage is passed.
Nothing to do with actual engine diagnostics.
Purely cosmetic.
 
What a load of poop. Some items on a vehicle must be done according to a time frame, not mileage. Sounds like a great way to have some fun failures down the road

edit: like brake fluid for instance (on bikes anyway, I can't recall right now if cars are the same). Now I don't know about you but I like having a functional brake system
 
Last edited:
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X