Back to all

Easy Miles ? Do Columbus Driving Conditions Affect Service Intervals?

August 1, 2021

Have you ever noticed that your vehicle has a schedule in your owner's manual for what is called “severe service” maintenance? Let's define what severe driving conditions aren't: The easiest driving a vehicle experiences is traveling on the interstate for 20 miles (32 kilometers) or more at a constant rate of 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers per hour) in 75°F (24°C) weather with only passengers on board. Change any one of those parameters and you are adding stress to your engine. Change them significantly and you are driving under severe conditions.

Let's look at the parameters one a time. First, the length of the trip. Short trips around Columbus are harder on an engine than longer ones. As your engine cools down, water in the air condenses onto the engine. When you heat the engine again, the water evaporates off. This is healthy. But on short trips, the engine doesn't stay hot enough long enough for all of the water to evaporate. So it starts to build up in the engine oil leading to sludge, which can clog up your engine and lead to serious engine damage. If most or all of your trips around the Columbus area are less than four miles, you should be using the severe service maintenance schedule. Changing your oil more frequently at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Columbus in Columbus will help prevent the formation of sludge.

Most of us Columbus drivers think of severe Ohio weather conditions when we think of severe driving conditions. And we're right. Cold Ohio weather takes its toll on the oil in your vehicle. Remember how water has to evaporate out of the oil to keep your engine healthy? It can take up to ten miles of driving for an engine to get hot enough to get rid of moisture in the oil when the weather is cold.

Hot Columbus weather is also bad for vehicles. When an engine runs, it gets hot. The longer it runs, the hotter it gets. If it gets too hot, it breaks down. So it has to be constantly cooled to keep running. Hot Ohio weather means your cooling system has to work harder to keep your engine from getting too hot.

So, in the end, most of us Columbus auto owners drive under severe conditions some of the time. Smart Columbus residents will ask themselves the question: "Should I follow the severe service maintenance schedule?" An honest evaluation of our driving habits is the best way to determine which schedule to follow.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Columbus
4188 W. Broad
Columbus, Ohio 43228
614-276-0164
http://www.tuffycolumbus-broadst.com

 

More articles from Tuffy Columbus (West Broad)

Steering You Right (Tie Rod End Replacement)

February 16, 2025

For drivers, S stands for safety. And there are three other words that start with S that are all equally important: starting, stopping and steering. For your vehicle to be at its safest, all three functions must be in top shape. Steering is one of those things we take for granted. After all, y... More

Breathe Easier (Cabin Air Filter)

February 9, 2025

When you get in your vehicle, how does it smell? If it's not so nice, it may be time to have your cabin air filter changed. It's not the same one that filters out the air used in the engine. The cabin air filter screens out dust and other particulates from the outside air so when it enters the c... More

It's (Not) Complicated (Engine Air Filter)

February 2, 2025

While many components of your vehicle are complex and composed of lots of mechanical and electrical parts, there's one that isn't complicated but still important. It's your engine air filter. (And, we should point out, the engine air filter isn't to be confused with the cabin air filter. The ca... More