Car Maintenance Schedule by Mileage (Free Printable PDF)
Car maintenance is triggered by one of two thresholds: time or mileage. Whichever comes first wins. But most drivers only watch the calendar — and in a car covering 20,000 miles a year, the deciding threshold is almost always mileage.
This page handles the mileage side: what happens at each threshold, in a table, plus a version you can print and keep in the glovebox.
📄 Download the mileage maintenance schedule (PDF, free) — no sign-up, no email; click and print.
The mileage threshold table
These intervals reflect common practice. What binds is your own owner’s manual — it varies by make, engine and how the car is used. Use this table to know what to look for when you read it.
| Threshold | What gets done |
|---|---|
| Every 5,000 mi | Engine oil + oil filter · tyre pressure and tread · fluid levels (brake, coolant, washer) · wipers · lights |
| Every 15,000 mi | The above + cabin filter · air filter · brake pad inspection · battery check · alignment |
| Every 30,000 mi | The above + fuel filter · spark plugs (petrol) · brake fluid change · suspension inspection |
| Every 60,000 mi | The above + transmission fluid (automatic — per manufacturer) · clutch inspection · exhaust and emissions check |
| Every 90,000 mi | The above + timing belt kit (belt/chain, tensioner, water pump) · full coolant change · shock absorber assessment |
The last row is the expensive one. If the timing belt isn’t replaced on schedule the engine can be destroyed; replaced on schedule, it’s a line item. The interval ranges from 60,000 to 100,000 miles depending on the manufacturer — verify this one item against your own manual.
Mileage or time?
Whichever comes first. In practice:
- Over 12,000 miles a year → mileage decides, ignore the calendar
- Under 5,000 miles a year → time decides. In a lightly used car, oil degrades from age and moisture rather than mileage; a car that takes three years to reach 5,000 miles still needs an annual oil change
- Somewhere in between → whichever threshold fills first
For the low-mileage case specifically, see the low-mileage maintenance schedule.
Why the table doesn’t work for most people
Everyone has the table. What fails is noticing when a threshold is reached.
Mileage tracking breaks in three places:
- The mileage of the last service isn’t recorded. “I think it was somewhere around 80,000” isn’t a number you can subtract from.
- Nobody does the subtraction. Current mileage minus last service mileage — no one runs that continuously in their head.
- Only calendar reminders exist. Your phone will say “it’s been six months.” It won’t say “it’s been 9,000 miles.”
🔴 The fix: a record that counts the threshold for you
Odovo exists for exactly this gap: every service is logged with its mileage, and the next threshold is reminded by date or mileage — whichever comes first. Mileage updates as you log fuel, so you never do the arithmetic. Completely free for one vehicle.
For the whole system see how to keep track of car maintenance; for the general printable, the printable car maintenance checklist; and if you’d rather use a spreadsheet, the vehicle maintenance log template.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is done at a 30,000 mile service? Commonly: engine oil and filter, air filter, cabin filter, fuel filter, spark plugs on petrol engines, brake fluid change, and a brake and suspension inspection. The exact list is in your owner’s manual — items vary by make and engine type.
Should I follow mileage or time for servicing? Both — whichever threshold arrives first. Above roughly 12,000 miles a year mileage governs in practice; below about 5,000 miles a year time governs, because oil loses its properties with age even when the car sits.
At what mileage does the timing belt need replacing? Typically between 60,000 and 100,000 miles depending on make and engine. That range is too wide to work from a generic table — check your own manual. Missing it can destroy the engine, which makes it the most expensive item on this page to skip.