How do you track your vehicle maintenance?

[dbsoundman]

Now that I've got my 4runner (with about 148k miles on the odometer currently), I'm planning on taking on a lot more vehicle maintenance myself, including maintenance on my Honda CRV, which has about 175k miles on it. However, I haven't done any real maintenance myself yet. I've got friends who have tools and knowledge, but I can't live at their house for the next few months, so I need to be able to plan out my maintenance, and prioritize what I can DIY and what I should have a mechanic do instead.

I've got quite a backlog of items to take care of on both vehicles as well, as the maintenance record on the 4runner is unknown (can't get it from Toyota because apparently they don't have any records), and I have to call my old dealer to get the records on the CRV, but I suspect it's up for a few major items coming soon, or at least fuel filter and spark plugs and some fluid changes...

So, my question is how do you manage your maintenance situation? Do you try to maintain a real schedule, or do you follow more of the "wait and see" philosophy, and when a problem begins to manifest itself, you then fix it? I understand some things require attention before they go, but I'm just having a really hard time grappling with what I need to do, and when I need to do it. I can't afford to do it all at once, nor do I have enough time, or many tools, and I can't just go live in my coworker's garage for a few months while I get all this stuff done!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

 

[shootmymime]

small note book in the glove box that records simple things like last oil change.

 

[mjohns2]

I primarily use Toyota Owners Official Website after each service has been completed, I then download a copy and keep it in my computer and kind of like shootmymine stated I also have a small notepad file (iPhone) with what's been done and pending:
(And I keep my receipts)

Date: 11/07/12
Service Type: Dealer
Service Provider: Power Toyota Cerritos
Mileage: 5,018
Repair Order Number: XXXXXXX
Description: Default, Multi Point Inspection, Included In Maintenance Service, Battery Pass, Brakes-Green Inspected Brakes And Okay. Please See Your Advisor On Your Next Vis, Green-Tire Inspected Tires And Okay, Customer States Perform Courtesy Car Wash.

Date: 11/12/12
Service Type: Tires
Service Provider: American Tires
Mileage: 5221
Description: Replaced spare to back right, purchased new spare

Date:
Service Type:
Service Provider:
Mileage: 10,000
Description: Replace Engine Oil and Oil Filter

 

[dbsoundman]

Thanks, that is helpful. Part of my problem is also pending maintenance though -- I have a long list of things that should be done as preventive maintenance on both vehicles, but I have to prioritize because there's simply not enough time or money in one weekend to do it all. I'm talking all kinds of fluid changes, fuel filter replacement, maybe a timing belt, etc. I just can't decide which items would be higher on the hierarchy when at this point they're all basically equal urgency (meaning nothing has failed yet, or shown signs of failing).

 

[Synister]

I would definitely recommend registering at the official Toyota Owners website as was already mentioned, it will also give you access to all the owners manuals and list any service ever done on your vehicle by a dealer. The 4runner maintenance schedule is 5k mi and all of things you mentioned (fluids, belts, plugs, etc) have mileage replacement times. Nothing you've mentioned is necessarily preventative but has a dedicated service interval. Only the V8 needs a timing belt, your signature doesn't specify which you have. If you want to "baseline" your vehicle, i.e. start from as clean a slate as a vehicle with 148k can, I would start by replacing all the driveline fluids (rear diff, center diff, front diff, engine oil), grease the driveshaft zerk fittings, and unless you can pinpoint when the plugs were replaced, I would change those as well. Take a look at the air filter and replace as necessary. These items are essentially all of the owner maintenance you can do and will take the better part of a day to knock out.

 

[dbsoundman]

I would definitely recommend registering at the official Toyota Owners website as was already mentioned, it will also give you access to all the owners manuals and list any service ever done on your vehicle by a dealer. The 4runner maintenance schedule is 5k mi and all of things you mentioned (fluids, belts, plugs, etc) have mileage replacement times. Nothing you've mentioned is necessarily preventative but has a dedicated service interval. Only the V8 needs a timing belt, your signature doesn't specify which you have. If you want to "baseline" your vehicle, i.e. start from as clean a slate as a vehicle with 148k can, I would start by replacing all the driveline fluids (rear diff, center diff, front diff, engine oil), grease the driveshaft zerk fittings, and unless you can pinpoint when the plugs were replaced, I would change those as well. Take a look at the air filter and replace as necessary. These items are essentially all of the owner maintenance you can do and will take the better part of a day to knock out.

I've registered at the owner's site, but apparently my 4runner was not purchased in the lower 48, so they don't have any records on the website. I have the 5VZ-FE V6, but I was still under the impression that it needed a timing belt at some point...

I think that's a pretty good summary of the fluids, and I can definitely knock all that out in a day, or at least a weekend. I'm also replacing the radiator (pretty easy, hardest part is the refill!), adding an external transmission cooler, and I'm going to get some help from a friend of mine to replace the front lower ball joints, which again is also apparently not terribly difficult if you follow the directions and rent/buy the proper tools.

 

[Synister]

My bad, somehow I missed that you had the 3.4L V6. Yes, it is a timing belt. There should be a sticker on the front of the engine / valve cover if it had ever been replaced (I sure hope so). If not then this should definitely be a priority at that mileage. Even if it had been done at 90k, with no documentation, its tough to not want to get in there and replace it for peace of mind. Not sure of you mechanical ability but this may or may not be within your ability, I would certainly entertain the idea of a shop tackling this mx item if in fact you do decide to do it.

 

[dbsoundman]

My bad, somehow I missed that you had the 3.4L V6. Yes, it is a timing belt. There should be a sticker on the front of the engine / valve cover if it had ever been replaced (I sure hope so). If not then this should definitely be a priority at that mileage. Even if it had been done at 90k, with no documentation, its tough to not want to get in there and replace it for peace of mind. Not sure of you mechanical ability but this may or may not be within your ability, I would certainly entertain the idea of a shop tackling this mx item if in fact you do decide to do it.

Cool, I'll look for that sticker. For all I know the previous owner may have been a DIYer so he may have replaced the timing belt, but I have no way of knowing...

 

[NoDak]

if you have an android phone i would say try out a-car.

i use it to track gas, mpg, maintenance, expenses, business, mods, etc on my 12 tacoma and 10 legacy.

i am biased since i have the paid version.

 

[Sherwood4Runner]

I Type the date/mileage, and what maintenance I did in a word document. Then I put receipts for the maintenance in an envelope and label it and date it. All the envelopes go in a manilla folder.

 

[Mark86]

I keep all of my service records in a folder. After reading the above posts, I should convert to electronic records.

 

[Eacook1]

I keep every thing in the note app on my iPhone. I just put the date, what was done, and the mileage.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I have a folder in the garage for all my vehicles. when anything is done I write it down with date and mileage. A couple times a year I update it on a computer spread sheet. My 4runner would not show anything on the toyota site because I am the only one that has ever done any maintenance on it for almost 10 years.

 

[Synister]

My 4runner would not show anything on the toyota site because I am the only one that has ever done any maintenance on it for almost 10 years.

That's the beauty of the Toyota site, you can create your own maintenance entries with the date, mileage, and whatever service you did. You are probably unique in having zero dealer service over the life of the truck. With access to a dealer record of maintenance as well as the ability to log your own work, its possible to have a continuous record of ALL work done on a particular vehicle over its life.

 

[jdkilroy]

That's the beauty of the Toyota site, you can create your own maintenance entries with the date, mileage, and whatever service you did.

Does Toyota see the entries that you have made when they pull your vehicle record up ?

 

[Synister]

Im not sure, it seems Toyota's purpose in establishing this site is as a courtesy to owners rather than as a fully integrated vehicle history tracker. Most dealers only track service that they themselves have done anyways so it seems unlikely they would tie in to an owner-driven website.

 

[mjohns2]

Does Toyota see the entries that you have made when they pull your vehicle record up ?

I would image they would have access.
1. It's their site
2. When taken to a dealer, maybe not all dealers as Synister pointed out, they update that site (I'm assuming through their system via VIN)

Below is the description they upload to the site when I took my 4Runner in for it 5000 checkup

"Default, Multi Point Inspection, Included In Maintenance Service, Battery Pass, Brakes-Green Inspected Brakes And Okay. Please See Your Advisor On Your Next Vis, Green-Tire Inspected Tires And Okay, Customer States Perform Courtesy Car Wash."

 

[apiki]

I just started using an iPhone app Car Minder. You can customize reminders based on mileage or time. Turns yellow when something is coming up and red if overdue. You can output reports to a spreadsheet, which I thought was pretty sweet.

 

[kimboy]

For a v-6, I follow milestones.

30K mile for sparkplugs
60K for coolant, pads, rotors, brake flush, tires, differentials, belts
5K or 6 months for oil changes, greasing zerts, injector cleaning

Sometimes holding off a few months for warmer weather.

 

[TheeMikeB]

X100 on the Toyota Owners site.