car maintenance log?

The maintenance book of a car is an essential element of the vehicle, it is delivered by the manufacturer when buying a new vehicle, or transmitted when selling a used vehicle between individuals. In a way, it is equivalent to an individual’s health record and allows the vehicle’s life cycle to be monitored throughout its entry into circulation and as owners change. This article helps to understand the usefulness and operation of a car’s maintenance log.

To drive safely , maintenance, oil change and replacement of damaged or worn parts on vehicles in circulation must be carried out frequently. A car’s maintenance log is used to organize the different maintenance deadlines according to the recommendations recommended by the manufacturers, which differ from one car to another. The driver can thus have, at his fingertips , visibility on the general condition of the car and on the next revisions that must be carried out.

The maintenance log, up to date with all the repairs already carried out on the car since it was put into circulation, also provides a form of general summary of the life of the vehicle . It is given to the owner when buying a new or used vehicle and is essential to ensure the longevity and reliability of the car. In addition, keeping the vehicle’s maintenance log up to date by following the recommendations it contains allows you to have a reliable vehicle.

Depending on the vehicle model and the type of engine, the content and organization of the service book are not the same . Each car owner then has a different maintenance book, adapted to the specific needs of each car.

Note: In addition to the maintenance log, for a sale of a vehicle through an automotive professional, the latter must complete a declaration of purchase of the vehicle .

What is a service book for?

Having an up-to-date maintenance book of all the services carried out can prove to be a real guarantee of the condition of the vehicle , keeping it up to date limits the risk of breakdown or premature wear and reassures buyers about the performance. In addition, the maintenance log meets a legal provision. Indeed, article L.311-1 of the Highway Code provides that “ Vehicles must be built, marketed, operated, used, maintained and, if necessary, repaired in such a way as to ensure the safety of all road users. the road .

Therefore, it has many uses, it is mainly used to:

Summarize all the repairs carried out : this makes it possible to know what is no longer to be done and to guide the mechanic in the maintenance of the car.

Although the information only became clear and known to everyone in 2014, the service book was nevertheless liberalized in 2002. Since then, servicing can be done freely with the automotive professionals of your choice , other than the brand. and without obligation of guaranteed revisions at the manufacturer. However , you must strictly follow the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations and be up to date with all revisions.contained in the maintenance booklet to continue to benefit from the legal warranty and the manufacturer’s warranty. It is indeed imperative to be able to demonstrate, through the maintenance log, that no lack of maintenance or negligence is the cause of a breakdown, and to be able to check that the revisions have been carried out as required. .

Good to know: When selling a vehicle, a certificate of administrative status is also mandatory .

What does the maintenance log contain?

The information provided in the maintenance log is precise and valuable , the manufacturer places all his recommendations there , while the mechanic records each operation carried out.

Advice and explanations on small repairs to do yourself (changing tires for example) and on cleaning the vehicle (carpet, seat, etc.) .

When and how to fill in the maintenance book of a vehicle?

Having your vehicle serviced regularly, according to the deadlines noted in the service book, is recommended to ensure its longevity. Depending on the model, the type of engine but also the number of kilometers on the odometer or the date of the first entry into service of the vehicle , revisions are made at different frequencies: every six months, every year or even see every two years in some cases. The frequency of a vehicle’s maintenance log also depends on the use made. Depending on whether the vehicle is used on short journeys in the city center or, on the contrary, for longer journeys, on the road and motorway.

Apart from the number of kilometers traveled by the vehicle during the year, the age of the car can prove to be a second important criterion when setting up the periodicity of the revisions on the maintenance log of the vehicle. . This criterion becomes a priority when it is not a vehicle that is frequently used and which circulates very little . It is then necessary to plan for a service every two years , without waiting for the vehicle to have reached the recommended number of kilometers between each service

Revisions related to the use made of the vehicle

The signs of wear differ greatly depending on the use made of the vehicle . Aside from the age and the number of kilometers traveled by the car, the checkpoints scheduled for each service and their periodicity vary . This is particularly the case for a petrol vehicle which essentially makes short trips in the city centre. Its maintenance will not be the same as that of a diesel vehicle that is used for long road and highway trips. Indeed, vehicle maintenance operations must be personalized according to the terrain on which the vehicle is driven (mountain, snow, steep or damaged terrain, flat terrain, etc.), the roads(highway, city centre) or even the distances travelled .