Severe Service Defined

Special Operating Conditions
The Severe service intervals indicates services that should be performed on vehicles that are driven under especially demanding conditions. Specific conditions require specific services. The severe service intervals indicates at which mileage intervals each service should he performed. You should perform these additional maintenance services if you drive primarily under any of the conditions noted. If you drive only occasionally under these conditions, it is not necessary to perform the additional services.

Driving on Rough, Muddy or Snow-covered Roads
- Rotate tires
- Inspect ball joints and dust cover
- Inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs
- Inspect drive shaft boots
- Inspect nuts and bolts on chassis and body
- Inspect steering linkage
- Re-torque drive shaft flange bolts
- Lubricate propeller shaft and re-torque bolts

Driving on Salt-Covered Roads
Lubricate propeller shaft and re-torque bolts

Driving on Unpaved or Dusty Roads
- Inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs
- Inspect or change engine air filter
- Lubricate propeller shaft and re-torque bolts

Extensive Idling or Low-Speed Driving for Long Distances
- Inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs


Towing a Trailer or Using a Camper or Car-Top Carrier
- Inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs
- Inspect nuts and bolts on chassis and body
- Replace differential oil
- Replace transmission fluid or oil
- Replace transfer oil
- Lubricate propeller shaft and re-torque bolts


Off-Road Driving
If you own a four wheel drive vehicle you should check the following items daily whenever you drive off-road through deep sand, mud or water.
- Brake Tines and hoses
- Brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs
- Engine air filter
- Differential oil
- Steering linkage
- Transfer oil
- Transmission fluid or oil
- Wheel bearings
- For all fourwheel drive vehicles you should also lubricate the propeller shafts daily

Notes on "Severe Service"

Some vehicle manufacturers provide separate maintenance procedures for vehicles operated under Severe or Special circumstances. Other manufacturers provide recommendations for service at more frequent intervals for vehicles operated under severe conditions. For any vehicle operated under severe conditions, as defined by the vehicles manufacturer, always check the regular maintenance schedule for procedures that may not appear at the similar interval under severe service.

Example:

Manufacturer recommends tire rotation at 10,000 mile intervals under regular maintenance.
There is no tire rotation recommendation shown in the severe service schedule, which has 3,000 mile intervals.

At a minimum, recommend rotation at 9,000 and 18,000 mile intervals etc., or as close to the regular schedule as possible. Depending on vehicle usage and obvious tire wear, this recommendation should be increased as necessary.