Service and Repair

Can I get a replacement vehicle if a fault has not been fixed?

The seller has only one opportunity to repair your vehicle if there is a breach of your consumer rights. You can allow the seller a further attempt at repair if you wish. However, if you give them this opportunity, you will not be able to ask for a different remedy until that repair has either failed to rectify the issue, or another problem occurs.

If you are offered a replacement vehicle, it should be like-for-like so far as is possible. However, if you request a newer model or one with lower mileage, or a car with a higher specification, you may be asked to make some payment towards this.

What if I can’t afford to pay for repairs done on my car?

If pre-agreed repairs have been carried out on your car, and on receipt of the bill (e.g. an invoice), you don’t have the ability to pay, then the first step is to speak to the business to try to come to an agreement with them, such as putting a payment plan or affordable installments in place.

If this is not possible, the business may have the right to retain your vehicle until payment is received. If the vehicle is being retained due to an unpaid bill, the business has to maintain it whilst in their care. However, they are able to charge reasonable costs for doing this, and their terms may state that storage fees may be applicable. This can end up increasing the overall debt.

Can I leave my car with the repairer indefinitely if I can’t pay?

You may be able to come to an agreement with the business to use the car for part of full payment of the outstanding sum, or arrange to pay for the disposal.

However, if you are unable to pay the bill, leaving a car on a business’s premises without their consent is never advisable due to the potential for an escalation in costs.

A business may be able to take possession of the vehicle if they chose to take the dispute to court following an unpaid bill.

What do I do if I have a complaint about a repair conducted by a business appointed by my insurance company?

If a repair was conducted by a business appointed by the insurer of your vehicle, and a dispute arises about the standard of work or contract, your complaint needs to be raised with the insurer. The Motor Ombudsman is unable to handle disputes of this nature.

What can I do about car bodywork defects?

Bodywork defects on a vehicle may arise due to the following reasons:

• Through corrosion (also known as ‘in to out’ corrosion)
• Surface corrosion (also referred to as ‘out to in’ corrosion)

Through corrosion results from a defect in the metal (as a result of a manufacturing problem or treatment of the bodywork). When this occurs, the metal beneath the paintwork begins to deteriorate, therefore giving rise to perforations in the bodywork (this can appear as bubbling).

Surface corrosion can be caused by external influence, such as stone chips removing the paintwork, deep scratches, over-polishing, adverse weather (hailstones), and salt in the air.

If you encounter corrosion, the first step is to take your car into an approved repairer by the vehicle manufacturer (they will be able to inform you of your local business), for it to be inspected in order to determine the cause of the corrosion, and the type.

Often, a vehicle manufacturer’s warranty will cover surface corrosion for a period of three years if it has been caused by a build defect. As for through corrosion, the warranty policy will state the duration as to how long this is covered for, which is usually longer than the coverage period provided for the base warranty.

It is always worth reading the terms and conditions of the warranty agreement carefully when purchasing a vehicle to understand the coverage and duration of the policy.

If you require an independent technical report to assess a bodywork issue, you can find more information about how to obtain a report here.

If you have been unable to resolve your complaint to your full satisfaction, and you have reached a state of deadlock with a Motor Ombudsman-accredited business, you are able to submit your dispute to The Motor Ombudsman for help getting it resolved.

If you haven’t notified a garage that you wish to keep old parts from your car once they have been removed, the business should keep the parts until you have collected the vehicle and will normally dispose of them in a reasonable timeframe after the repair for space and safety reasons.

If the removed components are no longer available to view or keep, contact the business to find out if there is any other evidence they have kept showing their condition (e.g. videos or photos). If there isn’t any such evidence, you may wish to consider discussing with the business, before raising a dispute with The Motor Ombudsman, as to whether they may be open to some form of remedy to recognise the fact they have been unable to provide the old component(s).

Read The Motor Ombudsman’s article “Looking the part” for further information.

As the owner of the vehicle, you are entitled to keep any parts that are removed from your car during a service or repair, regardless of their condition. When booking in your car for work, it is important that you notify the garage at this stage not to dispose of any old parts that are taken off your vehicle.

Read The Motor Ombudsman’s article “Looking the part” for further information.

How do I submit a case to The Motor Ombudsman?

If you have a complaint about a business, for example following work you have had carried out on your vehicle, you need to ensure that you have given them a chance to resolve your issue first.

If you are unsure as to how to submit your complaint, it is worth asking the business for their complaints process to ensure that your concerns are going to the right place.

Explain what’s happened and let them know how you would like things to be put right, preferably in writing. The business then has eight weeks to give their final answer to your complaint but can respond at any point within this period.

If you’re not happy with the response from the business, or don’t receive one at all after waiting eight weeks, you can submit your case for us to look into. The business that you have a dispute with must be accredited to The Motor Ombudsman.

Accredited businesses are listed on this website as follows:

• Independent garages, bodyshops, repairers and franchise car dealerships accredited to the Service and Repair and / or the Vehicle Sales Codes are listed on our Garage Finder.
• Vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) accredited to the New Car Code can be found here.
• Vehicle warranty providers accredited to the Vehicle Warranty Products Code can be found here.

What do I do if my garage is taking too long to fix my car?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the garage has an obligation to conduct repairs within a “reasonable” time frame. What is considered reasonable will depend on the type of repairs required. For example, we would expect a wheel to be replaced in less time than it would take to dismantle an engine.

When the garage fails to repair the car within a “reasonable” period, you may be awarded a discount on the repair costs. If you’re unhappy with the amount of time the garage is taking to repair your car, then you should firstly raise your concern with the garage directly, ideally by submitting a formal complaint to the business in line with their complaints procedure.

If you’re not satisfied with the final response of the business, or more than eight weeks has passed since raising the complaint with the business, then you may escalate the complaint to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

What should I do if I’m unhappy with the garage’s work on my car?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the garage has an obligation to use reasonable care and skill when completing any repairs, servicing or investigations on your car. Therefore, if the garage has failed to use reasonable skill and care in the work provided, then the business has an obligation to do the work again or provide you with a refund.

In order to resolve a dispute regarding the standard of work, you should firstly raise your concern with the garage directly, ideally by submitting a formal complaint to the business in line with their in-house complaints procedure.

If you’re unhappy with the final response of the business, or more than eight weeks has passed since raising the complaint with the business, then you may escalate the dispute to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

When does my car need a service?

Servicing schedules vary from vehicle to vehicle, so if you are unsure of when your next service is due, we recommend that you speak to your garage, consult the owner manual, or contact the manufacturer of your vehicle.

Some cars feature a self-diagnostic system, which will notify you when a car service is due. Drivers are advised not to ignore these warning signs even if they occur before 12 months or 12,000 miles has been reached.

In order to enjoy the benefits of your warranty, you will need to follow your manufacturer’s service schedule for full and interim services. These should be undertaken when you reach a prescribed mileage limit or age of the vehicle (e.g. 10,000 miles or one year).

Always make sure you keep your service schedule up to date so that you can show proof of regular maintenance when selling on the vehicle, or for warranty purposes.

You must use an approved MOT Test Centre for your annual MOT test. This may be an Independent Garage of a Franchised Dealer or Manufacturer Authorised Repairer.

Only centres showing the blue sign with 3 white triangles can carry out your MOT.

To find your nearest Motor Ombudsman-accredited centre, you can use our handy online Garage Finder

To find out more about MOT’s such as read our handy guide here.

Do repairs to correct paint defects on a vehicle fall under a warranty?

You may have a paint quality issue with your vehicle due to:

• Chips as a result of a fault in the manufacturing process or any other problem due to the use of poor-quality paint ingredients;
• Debris or contamination of the paint (e.g. resulting from dust particles);
• Uneven coating; and
• Variations in the colour across the bodywork.

Before getting the paintwork repaired, you should check the terms and cover of your warranty policy. When buying a new car, a vehicle manufacturer will often offer a specific warranty policy covering the paintwork.

If the paintwork warranty is still valid, you should contact the vehicle manufacturer by submitting a formal complaint to the business in line with their internal complaints procedure.

If the paintwork warranty has expired at the time the issue occurred, you may wish to have the seller of the vehicle repair the problem under your sales contract in line with the Consumer Rights Act 2015, if it has been less than six years since buying the car.

If you have been unable to resolve your complaint to your full satisfaction, and you have reached a state of deadlock with a Motor Ombudsman-accredited business, you are able to submit your dispute to The Motor Ombudsman for help getting it resolved.

Do I need courtesy car insurance?

You must have motor insurance at all times for driving a car on public roads.

You may need to pay an additional cost to the garage or company supplying your courtesy car to cover insurance, however they may also provide the insurance free of charge.   You might also be covered under your own car insurance or be able to arrange cover for a small additional fee.

Therefore, if you unsure about the insurance status of the courtesy car, then you should contact your courtesy car provider for further clarification.

Can a garage charge for diagnostic work?

The short answer is yes. A garage can charge you for diagnosing a fault with your car.

However, whether the diagnostic costs are covered by your warranty will depend on the terms and conditions of the agreement. Therefore, if the work is being covered under warranty, we recommend you contact your warranty provider if you want more information on whether your agreement covers diagnostic costs.

Can I claim compensation?

Unlike a civil court, The Motor Ombudsman’s adjudication service does not award compensation for losses which are not easily quantifiable such as loss of earnings, inconvenience or stress.

If you have suffered a demonstrable financial loss due to the actions of an accredited business, we can instruct the business to refund the money – but we would not stipulate an amount of general compensation. We tend not to make financial awards for things that cannot be easily quantified as stated in our enquiry form under “Adjudication Terms of Use”.

What to do about a poor MOT?

If you disagree about the outcome of an MOT, you need to report this to the DVSA. You can usually complain if your vehicle has failed its MOT and you think it should have passed or your vehicle passed its MOT, and you think it should have failed.

You should discuss the test result with the MOT test centre first before starting any repairs. If you remain unhappy, you can then appeal against the test result by completing the form on the following website www.gov.uk/government/publications/complain-about-an-mot

If your vehicle has failed but you believe it should have passed, you must report this to the DVSA within 14 working days of the test. They will give you an appointment within 5 days to recheck your vehicle. You will need to pay another fee but if your appeal is successful, you will get some or your entire fee back.

If your vehicle has passed but you do not think it should have, you need to report this to the DVSA within 3 months of the test if the fault is a corrosion-related problem or within 28 days if the fault is for any other defects. Again, you will receive an appointment within 5 days to recheck your vehicle, and you do not have to pay. At the end of this appointment, you will get an inspection report listing any vehicle defects and advisory items.

How do I resolve a problem with a garage or dealer?

In the first and foremost, you should approach the garage or dealership and raise your concerns with them directly. It is okay to raise it with them verbally first but if you find you are not getting anywhere, you should ask the garage / dealer for their in-house complaint process. You should submit a formal complaint in writing and ask them to respond within 14 days. If they do not respond, you should follow this up with them. If you are submitting a letter by post, it is usually advisable that you send the letter via recorded delivery to make sure they receive it.

If it has been, eight weeks and they have not responded, you can refer the complaint to TMO for an independent review. If they respond but you are unhappy with their response, you can refer the complaint to TMO. You should ask for their response in writing and provide a copy of this response to us, with your complaint form.

How do I get compensation from a garage?

Unlike a civil court, The Motor Ombudsman does not award compensation for losses, which are not easily quantifiable such as loss of earnings, inconvenience or stress. If you have suffered a demonstrable financial loss due to the actions of an accredited business, we can instruct the business to refund the money – but we would not stipulate an amount of general compensation.

Should wish to make a claim for non-demonstrable losses then you may wish to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau on 03454 04 05 06 for some guidance on your legal rights as we will not be able to assist you further.

How do I complain about my car?

If you encounter an issue with your car, it is important to understand who to complain to, and what your rights are as a consumer.

Once you know who your complaint is with, you should inform the business about the problem with your car in the first instance before contacting a dispute resolution provider, such as The Motor Ombudsman.

You must then provide them with a reasonable opportunity to resolve the issue according to their own complaints procedure.

If the business is accredited to one or more of The Motor Ombudsman’s Codes of Practice, you can find out how to submit your dispute here.

There are different types of issues that may be the source of complaints about your car:

How do I complain about an issue with a used car?

If you have bought a used car, and a fault develops within the first 30 days, you may have the right to return it and receive a full refund. After this period, and if there is a problem, you may still be able to get a repair or replacement. For more information about what to do if you have an issue with your used vehicle, and your consumer rights, click here.

How do I complain about an issue with a new car?

If a fault develops after buying a new car, you may able to make a claim under the manufacturer’s warranty, or your consumer rights.

If you have a new car problem, and would like to find out what you can do, click here.

How do I complain about an issue with my car’s servicing or repairs?

There may have been a problem with the work that has been undertaken on your car.

For example, if you suspect that the servicing or repairs have not been carried out correctly, you may be entitled to a repeat repair or up to a full refund.

For more information, please click here.

How do I complain about an issue with my car’s extended warranty?

Purchasing an extended warranty for a car offers peace of mind against costly repairs.

However, you may experience issues relating to:

• Making a claim for a wear and tear item, such as brakes or tyres;
• The fact that you may feel the policy may have been mis-sold;
• The fact that you may think the terms of the policy are unfair; and
• The choice of garage used to repair my car under warranty.

How to complain about substandard repair?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, an accredited business has an obligation to use reasonable care and skills in the repairs of the car. Therefore, if they have failed to do this whilst carrying out the repair, then the garage should repair the car again in the first instance. This will be a free of charge repair. If this repair fails, or it is not practical, then you can ask for your money back.

In order to get the dispute resolved you should inform the business of the issue and provide them with a reasonable opportunity to repair the issue by following their complaints procedure.

If you are unhappy with the final response of the accredited business or more than 8 weeks has passed since raising the complaint with the accredited business then you may escalate the complaint to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

The garage has scratched my car, what do I do?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the garage has an obligation to use reasonable care and skills when completing any repairs, service or investigation on your car. We further this obligation in our Code of Practice for Service and Repair. Therefore, if they have scratched your car, you can expect them to put this right.

In order to resolve this, you should firstly raise your concern with the garage directly, ideally by submitting a formal complaint to the business in line with their complaints procedure.

If you are unhappy with the final response of the business or more than 8 weeks has passed since raising the complaint with the business then you may escalate the complaint to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

The garage isn’t dealing with my complaint, what do I do?

If the business does not provide you with a satisfactory response to your complaint, then follow their in-house complaints procedure, in order to provide the business with an opportunity to resolve the issue.

If you are unhappy with the final response of the business or more than 8 weeks has passed since raising the complaint with the business then you may escalate the complaint to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

The garage has stopped contacting me, what do I do?

We expect accredited businesses to provide a reasonable response to any issues you raise with them. In order to get a response from the business we recommend you do the following:

• Call the business first to try and see if this can be resolved without being made formal
• If you are unable to speak to the relevant staff member of staff during the call, leave a message and ask for a call back within 24-48 hours.
• If the garage does not return your call, contact the garage and ask them for their in-house complaint process. Submit a written complaint to the garage either by email or post, stating your concerns, the issues you are experiencing and the outcome you are seeking (we recommend that letters are sent by recorded deliver and the tracking receipt kept for future reference). You should ask the business to respond within 10 working days.
• If the business fails to respond, send a follow up email and let them know you will be referring the matter to The Motor Ombudsman, if they continue to fail to respond. Give them another 10 working days to respond.
• If it is 8 weeks of raising the formal complaint with the business and they have failed to respond or satisfactorily resolve your concerns, you may escalate the complaint to The Motor Ombudsman for further investigation.

Bodywork repairs are not covered by the Code, please refer any issues regarding body repairs to the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association. If the repair was done through your insurer, you can also contact your insurance company and follow their complaint processes.

How do I complain about breakdown companies?

If your dispute is regarding a breakdown service, The Motor Ombudsman does not offer a Code of Practice but you can ask your breakdown provider if they have a dispute resolution service and, if so, who this is.

The garage will not give me a courtesy car. Do they have to?

There is no legal or Code obligation on any accredited business to give you a courtesy car. A courtesy car may be supplied as a discretionary service and, therefore, we would recommend contacting the accredited business to request a courtesy vehicle before booking your vehicle in for service or rectification work. Bear in mind that there may be a charge for the courtesy car, to cover the costs of insurance or fuel.

Light and medium commercial vehicles are covered under the Code of Practice for Service and Repair, but only where such vehicles are not used in the course of your trade, business or profession. If the vehicle is used for business purposes, then we would advise that you seek legal advice to establish any potential claim you may have – you could contact the Citizens Advice Bureau on 03454 04 05 06.

How do I complain about motorhome and caravan repairs?

If your dispute is regarding a motorhome or a caravan repair, then you would not be covered under our Code of Practice for Service and Repair. However, you can refer your complaint to the National Caravan Council who may be able to assist you further.

I have a problem with a motorcycle repair, what can I do?

Motorcycles repairs are not covered by the Code of Practice for Service and Repair, so please refer any issues regarding the servicing and/or repair of motorcycles to the Motor Cycle Industry Association.

Another garage could have done the work cheaper, what can I do?

The Motor Ombudsman does not regulate the price of work and labour rates can vary across different parts of the country. We suggest shopping around for some quotes before committing to any servicing or repairs. You can use our online garage finder to find local garages accredited to the Code.

My garage invoice is unclear or does not provide a clear breakdown of costs

Accredited businesses should provide an honest and transparent service, including invoices which match the price agreed and are inclusive of VAT. As such, if you think it’s unclear, let the accredited business know as they might be able to explain the issue or provide you with further documentation which is clearer.

If you’re still unhappy with your garage invoice, get in touch with The Motor Ombudsman and they’ll see what they can do to help.

The garage says they need to do more work than was agreed, what can I do?

There will be times when a garage finds that a repair is more complex than they first thought, or they have noticed further issues when stripping a vehicle down – it isn’t always possible to see the full extent of an issue during the initial diagnosis.

Having said that, a garage cannot force you to agree to any further work but you will be responsible for the costs of any agreed work that has already been completed – and potentially the costs of putting the vehicle back together, if it has been dismantled, and any recovery costs if the vehicle isn’t driveable.

I have been charged more than was agreed, what can I do?

The Code of Practice for Service and Repair states that accredited business should be upfront and clear about any costs before proceeding with the agreed work. If the garage has charged more than agreed, and you’ve got some evidence of that agreement, we would advise you to make a complaint to the garage in the first instance and see if an amicable resolution can be found.

If that’s not the case, and you need to settle the bill, you can pay and mark all invoices ‘paid under protest’ to indicate that you’re looking to take the matter further.

You can find more information about ‘paying under protest’ here.

Can the garage take a deposit before completing the work?

Garages accredited to our Code of Practice for Service and Repair should not take deposits for the work they undertake unless they are ordering a part which is non-returnable or the garage will incur a cost if you change your mind. This should always be made clear to you before you agree to the work.

Should a garage give me a warranty after their work?

All garages are required to carry out work with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 so, if something goes wrong with their workmanship, you can make a claim under your legal rights. However, many garages will also offer a warranty on their workmanship which is in addition to your statutory rights, and won’t affect them.

Similarly, with parts provided during the course of a repair, you will be covered under your consumer rights but parts may also come with their own warranty. You should be made aware of the duration of this warranty and any exclusions or limitations. Again, this does not affect your statutory rights.

I believe the garage has damaged my car or property, what can I do?

Even if a garage has damaged your car or property it can be difficult to resolve as these disputes can often be one party’s word against another – with very little evidence for us to consider.

We would always suggest that, when taking your car for work at a garage, that you inspect the car with a representative of the garage where possible to agree its condition upon arrival. Many garages will have an inspection sheet which they will ask you to sign so make sure that the condition reflected on their inspection is accurate. You should again check the cars condition upon collection before taking the car away as, once it has been removed from the garage’s premises, it may be harder to prove when the damage occurred.

You may want to ensure the vehicle is in a clean condition as if the vehicle is dirty, the garage won’t be able to produce an accurate record of the car’s condition on arrival to them and you may also not spot any additional damage when picking up the car.

You should always allow the garage a chance to resolve the matter first before contacting The Motor Ombudsman.

The garage has not fixed the problem with my vehicle, what can I do?

Sometimes, it can take multiple investigations and repairs to get to the root cause of a problem – or there could be an underlying issue which is only identified through conducting other repairs. It is always best to speak with the garage undertaking the repairs so they can talk you through what’s happened with your vehicle and why further repairs were required.

If you suspect there is a problem with their work, you should let the garage know and give them the opportunity to put things right. In the first instance, we would advise against taking the car to a different garage unless there are exceptional reasons for doing so – for example, the car has broken down and it’s too far away to go back to the original garage.
If the matter cannot be resolved with the garage, and you have exhausted the complaint process, then The Motor Ombudsman can assess the matter further.

If you need the car urgently, you can get the repairs carried out – it is usually best to get the garage who originally did the work to undertake those repairs and to mark the invoice or bill as ‘paid under protest’. However, please note that The Motor Ombudsman may require technical evidence in order to progress your dispute and, if the car has been repaired, this may be difficult to obtain. You could consider obtaining an independent technical report or getting a second opinion from another garage before having any repairs carried out as this will tell you whether there is a case to pursue.

The garage staff were rude to me, what can I do?

Staff should be professional and courteous to customers. If the garage staff were rude or you are concerned about the behaviour of the staff, you may wish to report it to someone senior in the business in the first instance so that this can be addressed with the individuals concerned. If it cannot be resolved then you can report this to The Motor Ombudsman and we will see if we can investigate this further.

The Motor Ombudsman monitors all of its accredited businesses so if we can see a pattern of behaviour, we would be able to take steps to ensure the accredited business improves and, if necessary, take compliance action such as training, suspension or even expulsion if the issues persist.

How do I complain about misleading garage advertisements and promotions?

Garage advertisements and promotions should not be misleading and any terms and conditions will be made clear or available on request.

If you feel that a garage advertisement is unclear or misleading, then you should follow the garage’s complaint process and if it cannot be resolved then you can report this to The Motor Ombudsman.

The Motor Ombudsman collates information about our accredited businesses including any persistent breaches of our Code so, if such an issue is identified, we will notify the accredited business that they must improve in the first instance otherwise we may look to take further action which can range from staff training, suspension or even expulsion if the issues persist.

My garage cannot find a intermittent car fault, what can I do?

An intermittent car fault is frustrating because it won’t be possible to repair the vehicle, either under warranty or at your cost, unless a fault is diagnosed.

Modern vehicles are more reliable than ever but are increasingly technologically complex, and diagnostics is not an exact science. It may take a few attempts to get to the bottom of a problem so we would advise to always seek the support of the dealership or garage in finding the root cause of your issue.

If no fault codes are recorded in your vehicle, then the dealership or garage may resort to physical and visual checks. They may also ask you to demonstrate the fault so it can be replicated or keep the car for an extended period of time to test-drive it and/or observe it, depending on the nature of the problem.

If no fault is located, you may also wish to speak to the manufacturer to see if they have any insight into the problem. As a last resort, you can obtain an independent technical inspection to try and confirm the fault and possible causes but, because independent inspections are usually visual, this may not be helpful and it would be worth having a discussion with the independent engineer to find out if they’re able to help.

How do I appeal against an MOT decision?

If your vehicle fails its MOT, you need to discuss your test results with the test centre before anyone starts repairs. You can appeal against an MOT failure if you think it’s wrong.

You will need to fill in the MOT complaint form here and send it to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) within 14 working days of the test.

DVSA will offer you an appointment within 5 days to recheck your vehicle – you’ll need to pay the full test fee again. You’ll get some or all of the fee back if your appeal is successful. Make sure you don’t start any repairs until the appeal process is finished.

If you think the vehicle passed its MOT when it shouldn’t have done, you will need to fill in the form here and send it to the DVSA within 28 days – extended to 3 months if the issue is related to corrosion. The DVSA will contact with within 5 days to discuss the complaint and you won’t pay the test fee again if they decide to recheck your vehicle.

Do I have to have my vehicle serviced at a manufacturer authorised dealer?

You have the choice of having your car serviced at an authorised dealer or with an independent garage. If you choose to service the car independently, make sure you keep thorough records of the services undertaken in case you need to make a warranty claim – as you will need to demonstrate that the services were in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Wherever you get your car serviced, make sure you service your car at the right intervals – these might be fixed at a specific time and mileage, for example every year or every 12,500 miles whichever comes sooner, or they might be flexible in which case your car will notify you when it is due for a service. If you’re not sure, you should be able to find details of your servicing schedule in the documentation provided with the car, or you can contact the manufacturer or any of their authorised dealers.