I just had the first 6k miles service done (at 5k) on my new Subaru by the dealer on Friday. I have long done my own car maintenance, but I thought I'd let the dealer do at least the first... and maybe subsequent services while under warranty.
The first 6k service is an oil / oil filter change and rotate the tires. And since they rotate the tires, they adjust the tire pressures accordingly. Proper tire pressures are VERY important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is safety.
Today I remembered to verify the pressures on my tires. They were WRONG. They are supposed to be 35 psi in the front, and 33 psi in the rear. I should mention that BEFORE the service, as a matter of routine, I regularly check the pressures and top off accordingly. So they were correct before the service.
After the service, the fronts were at 31 psi and the rears were at 32 psi. WRONG! Four pounds and one pound off respectively. One pound off isn't much, but four pounds off on the FRONT tires is significant, IMO.
Of course, different gauges will read differently - hopefully not WAY off, though. And one might presume that a dealer service shop would have good gauges. Perhaps not.
I have my own compressor and multiple good pressure gauges. So, I topped them off properly.
I like to go 1-pound higher than factory specs.
Once, my wife had new tires installed on her car (at the VW dealer). She brought it home, and I checked the pressures. 60 psi!!! Holy crap. It seems they mounted the tires and then forgot to bleed the pressure down. Super-dangerous.
The first 6k service is an oil / oil filter change and rotate the tires. And since they rotate the tires, they adjust the tire pressures accordingly. Proper tire pressures are VERY important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is safety.
Today I remembered to verify the pressures on my tires. They were WRONG. They are supposed to be 35 psi in the front, and 33 psi in the rear. I should mention that BEFORE the service, as a matter of routine, I regularly check the pressures and top off accordingly. So they were correct before the service.
After the service, the fronts were at 31 psi and the rears were at 32 psi. WRONG! Four pounds and one pound off respectively. One pound off isn't much, but four pounds off on the FRONT tires is significant, IMO.
Of course, different gauges will read differently - hopefully not WAY off, though. And one might presume that a dealer service shop would have good gauges. Perhaps not.
I have my own compressor and multiple good pressure gauges. So, I topped them off properly.
I like to go 1-pound higher than factory specs.
Once, my wife had new tires installed on her car (at the VW dealer). She brought it home, and I checked the pressures. 60 psi!!! Holy crap. It seems they mounted the tires and then forgot to bleed the pressure down. Super-dangerous.
