--- title: The Maintenance Check: What We Look At and Why url: https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/maintenance-check/ business: Xpress Oil & Lube (Xpress Oil & Lube Center) shops: Reno Northwest: 6100 Mae Anne Ave, Reno, NV 89523, (775) 787-1000, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Reno South: 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502, (775) 828-6996, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed; Carson City: 1861 E College Pkwy, Carson City, NV 89706, (775) 883-5823, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Gardnerville: 1293 US Hwy 395 N, Gardnerville, NV 89410, (775) 301-5912, Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm, Sat 9 am-3 pm, Sun closed type: Drive-in oil change and vehicle maintenance, no appointment needed, since 1983 --- Today's coupons - $10 off full-service oil change - $5 off smog check - $25 off transmission fluid service [See all coupons](https://xpressoilandlube.com/coupons/) - [Home](https://xpressoilandlube.com/) - [Questions and answers](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/) - The maintenance check # The maintenance check, question by question Every full-service oil change at our four service centers includes a multi-point maintenance check of fluids, filters, lights, wipers, tire pressure and a look under the hood and under the car. The technician shows you anything worth attention and you decide; nothing is added to the bill without your approval. ★★★★★ 4.7 stars from 952 Google reviews ## Questions by topic [Oil changes](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/oil-changes/)[Smog checks](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/smog-checks/)[Fluid services](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/fluid-services/)[Filters, bulbs and wipers](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/filters-bulbs-wipers/)[Visits, waiting and payment](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/visits-and-wait-times/)[Locations and hours](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/locations-and-hours/)[Coupons and the email club](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/coupons-and-email-club/)[Fleet accounts](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/fleet-accounts/)[Oil types and grades](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/oil-types-and-grades/)[The maintenance check](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/maintenance-check/)[Trucks and towing](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/trucks-and-towing/)[Hybrids and diesels](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/hybrids-and-diesels/)[New to Nevada](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/new-to-nevada/)[My Garage and reminders](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/my-garage-and-reminders/)[Working at Xpress](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/careers/)[Privacy and your data](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/privacy-and-your-data/) The maintenance check is the part of the visit people ask about most, usually in one of two ways: what exactly do you look at, and are you going to try to sell me something. Both are fair questions. Below is what the check covers, how we report it, and what Nevada law says about estimates and approval. The check is the same at Mae Anne Avenue, Longley Lane, College Parkway and US 395. ### What does the maintenance check include? The engine air filter, automatic transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, coolant level, windshield washer fluid, wiper blades, headlights and tail lights, and tire pressure, plus a visual look under the hood and under the chassis. A battery test is part of it at participating locations. The cabin air filter, differential fluid and transfer case fluid are checked on request. ### Is the check extra? No. It comes with the full-service oil change, along with the new filter, chassis lubrication on vehicles with grease fittings and resetting the oil-change reminder light. ### Will you top off my fluids? We check each fluid level and condition and tell you what we see. If one is low, we tell you before adding anything, because a low level can mean a leak worth knowing about before anyone just adds more. ### How do you tell me what you found? In person, at the car. The technician shows you the dirty air filter next to the light, the reading from the coolant tester, or the cracked wiper edge, and gives you the price to replace it. You can say yes, no or not today. Our [post on showing you the filter](https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/why-we-show-you-the-filter/) explains why we do it that way. ### Do I have to approve extra work? Yes, every time. Nevada's garage law, NRS 487, calls for a written estimate before repair work over a set amount and your authorization before additional charges, and you can ask to keep any part that is replaced. We run the bay that way for every item, large or small. ### Do you check brakes? We check the brake fluid level and condition during the inspection. We do not repair brakes. If something about the brakes looks or sounds wrong during the visit, we tell you and suggest a brake shop. ### Do you rotate tires or check tread? We check and set tire pressure to the placard on your door jamb, which matters here because pressure drops in the cold; the Reno airport averages 122 freezing nights a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). If we see uneven wear or a low tread while the car is up, we mention it. ### What is under-chassis visual? While the oil drains, the technician looks at what is visible from underneath: leaks at the oil pan, transmission or differential, torn CV boots, loose heat shields and anything hanging that should not be. It is a visual look, not a teardown. ### Why do you check the cabin air filter only on request? On many vehicles it sits behind the glove box and takes a few extra steps to reach. Ask and we will pull it, which is worth doing after wildfire smoke season. ### Will the check tell me if my car will pass a smog check? Not directly. A smog test reads the car's computer. But the check catches some things that affect it, such as a lit check engine light or a very dirty air filter, and at our two Reno service centers you can run the smog test on the same visit. ### How long is the list good for? Think of it as a snapshot. A filter that is fine in April can be loaded with dust by August. That is why the check happens at every oil change rather than once a year. ### Sources - [leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-487.html](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-487.html) (NRS 487.6875 to 487.6893, written estimates, authorization and replaced parts, read 2026-10-15) - [ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) (NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Reno-Tahoe International Airport, read 2026-10-15) - [carcare.org/car-care-guide/](https://www.carcare.org/car-care-guide/) (Car Care Council car care guide, read 2026-10-15) ### Your service center: Reno Northwest - Call [(775) 787-1000](tel:+17757871000) Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed - Address 6100 Mae Anne Ave, Reno, NV 89523 [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=6100+Mae+Anne+Ave%2C+Reno%2C+NV+89523&destination_place_id=ChIJ3dFA7yBEmYARYg1CtQTi_Bk) ### Related - [Multi-point maintenance check](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/maintenance-check/) - [What the maintenance check with every oil change looks at](https://xpressoilandlube.com/guides/maintenance-check-explained/) - [What the technician is looking at under your hood](https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/the-maintenance-check-explained-from-the-lane/) - [Why we show you the old filter before we replace it](https://xpressoilandlube.com/blog/why-we-show-you-the-filter/) - [Oil changes: questions and answers](https://xpressoilandlube.com/faq/oil-changes/) - [Full-service oil change](https://xpressoilandlube.com/services/oil-change/) Drive in. No appointment. Drive out. Locally owned in Northern Nevada since 1983. No appointment, no pressure: we tell you what the inspection found and you decide. [About us](https://xpressoilandlube.com/about/)