The Multi-Point Maintenance Check, Explained

The check that comes with a full-service oil change is the most useful few minutes most cars get all year, and also the most misunderstood. It is not a mechanic's inspection and it will not find a failing wheel bearing. What it does is look at everything that is easy to see and easy to fix while the oil drains, so small things get caught before they become tows. This guide lists what we look at, what the findings mean, what the check cannot tell you, and how the Car Care Council's inspection schedule lines up with it.

At a glance

• Fluids: engine oil, transmission, brake, power steering, coolant, washer, and differential and transfer case on request.
• Filters: engine air and, on request, cabin air.
• Battery test, wiper blades, every exterior bulb and tire pressure.
• A visual pass under the hood and under the chassis for leaks, cracked hoses and worn belts.

The fluids

With the car on the lift the technician reads each fluid that can be reached without disassembly. Engine oil is the service itself. Automatic transmission fluid is checked for level and color where the car has a dipstick, and AAA's scale of red to brown to black tells us whether it is aging normally or deteriorated. Brake fluid is checked for level and for the dark color that means moisture has entered it. Power steering fluid is read on cars that still use a hydraulic pump; electric power steering has none. Coolant is read in the reservoir for level and color, and we look at its freeze point when we can get a sample. Washer fluid is topped off. On request we check the differential and transfer case levels on trucks and all-wheel-drive vehicles, which the Car Care Council lists for inspection at regular intervals.

A low fluid is topped off where that is the right fix. A fluid that is dark, burnt, milky or contaminated is shown to you with the interval from your manual, and the service is your decision.

The filters

The engine air filter comes out of its box and gets held up to the light. AAA's rule is that if light passes through more than half of a paper filter, it can stay. The cabin air filter is checked on request where it can be reached without pulling trim, and after a wildfire smoke season it is almost always gray. Both are returned to the car if they have life left and noted for next time. The dusty roads guide explains why they clog faster here.

Battery, wipers, lights and tires

The battery is tested for state of charge and capacity against its label rating at participating service centers, and the terminals and hold-down are inspected; the Car Care Council says to test every fall and watch any battery past three years. Wiper blades are checked for cracks and run with fluid to look for streaks. Every exterior bulb is walked: headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, license plate light. Tire pressure is set to the manufacturer's figure on the door jamb, not the sidewall maximum, and we look at the tread and sidewalls for obvious damage. None of these takes long, and together they are most of what strands people in winter.

The visual pass under the hood and under the car

Under the hood we look at the serpentine belt for glazing or cracks, squeeze the visible hoses, look for seepage around the valve cover and the oil filter area, and check that the oil cap and dipstick seal. Under the car we look at the oil pan and drain plug, the transmission pan, the differential cover and pinion area, the CV boots on front-drive cars, the exhaust for leaks, and the chassis for anything hanging or wet. Chassis grease fittings get lubricated where the vehicle has them. This is a look, not a teardown. It finds the leak that is leaving spots on the driveway; it does not find a worn ball joint that has no play yet.

What the check cannot tell you

It is worth being plain about limits. The check does not measure brake pad thickness unless the wheel design shows it, does not test suspension components, does not read engine trouble codes, and does not diagnose a noise. It is not the inspection a repair shop does before you buy a used car, and it is not a Nevada smog check, which is a separate test at our Reno service centers. When something we see points to a brake, suspension or engine problem, we tell you what we saw and that it needs a repair shop. We do not repair those systems, and we will not pretend to.

How we report what we find

Everything on the check is written on your invoice as checked and okay, topped off, or needs attention. Items that need attention are shown to you before the car comes off the lift, with the interval from your manual where one applies, and nothing is added to the ticket without your approval. Nevada's garage law requires a written estimate before work over a set amount and your authorization before any addition, and we follow it. The record goes into My Garage so the next visit starts with what was noted last time.

The check comes with every full-service oil change at Mae Anne Avenue, Longley Lane, College Parkway and our US 395 service center in Gardnerville, no appointment, while you wait. The maintenance check service page covers the rest.