Top Tips For Traditional And Electric Car Maintenance In 2025

Whatever vehicle you drive, regular maintenance is crucial to ensure you get the best efficiency and service life. Modern vehicles are far more high-tech than cars from a decade ago, and the latest hybrid and electric vehicles have different maintenance and servicing requirements than traditional gas-powered cars. We cover the most critical aspects of both here and provide some handy tips to help keep your automotive investment on the road longer. 

Traditional Gas-Powered Vehicles

Gas-powered cars have been around for over 130 years, and in that time, they have become ever more efficient and powerful. But, whether your car is brand new or a classic from the ‘60s, it will still require regular servicing and periodic repairs to keep it functioning properly.

Regular Servicing:

• Oil and Oil Filters
• Air Filter
• Cabin filter
• Spark Plugs

Most cars require servicing annually or every 10,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Using high-quality, fully synthetic oils and OEM specification oil filters for modern vehicles ensures you get the best performance and gas mileage possible. Air filters keep dirt and grit out of your engine. Cabin filters clean the air you breathe, and spark plugs keep your engine running efficiently. 

Periodic Repairs And Servicing:

• Fuel Pumps
• Timing belts and tensioners
• Batteries
• Pumps – Water, Fuel

Certain service items only need to be done every few years, like flushing the coolant and brake fluid and replacing your fuel filter. Other items may need replacing as they reach the end of their service life.

Your OEM battery should last for years, but eventually it will require replacing. Always use the correct size and specification replacement battery to prevent damage to your vehicle. Timing belts can fray and wear out, and fuel pumps may also fail over time. The most important bit of advice here is to always install OEM-specification parts to get the best possible.

Gas-powered vehicles can have either mechanical or electric water pumps, these will need replacing as the vehicle ages, and you should only use the correct specification pump to prevent overheating and ensure that the cooling system operates as the manufacturer intended.

Driving Tips: 

• Avoid harsh acceleration
• Check your tire pressures
• Check the oil and water levels
• Warm the car up

Avoid harsh acceleration and braking; this puts an extra strain on the vehicle and causes components like the transmission, brakes, suspensions, brakes, and engine to wear out sooner.

Low coolant levels can cause the engine to overheat and damage the cylinder head(s), engine block, and even the water pump. A low oil level can also severely damage the engine. Have them checked – along with the tire pressures- every four weeks or so. Make sure to warm up your engine before driving enthusiastically, as not doing so will cause accelerated engine wear.

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

We often hear that electric cars require almost no maintenance and are far cheaper to run than their gas-powered counterparts. This is not entirely the case, as electric vehicles (EVs) still need servicing. They still have many moving parts and serviceable items like electric water pumps, cabin filters, and battery coolant. However, if regularly maintained, they can be more cost-effective than a gas-powered vehicle. 

Regular Checks: 

• Cooling System
• Cabin filter
• Tires

EVs have fewer moving parts than gas vehicles but still require an annual checkup. Some EVs have battery fan filters that need yearly replacement. The battery cooling system and the tires, brakes, and suspension system also need to be checked. The cabin filter typically needs replacement annually.

Periodic Repairs And Servicing: 

• Cooling pumps
• Brake pads and brake fluids
• 12-volt Batteries
• Wheel hubs and suspension bushes

Some EVs weigh more than gas vehicles. This puts additional strain on the suspension, brakes, and wheel hubs. Depending on the age and mileage of your EV, you may eventually need to replace the hub bearings and electric water pumps.

All EVs also have a traditional 12-volt battery, just like a gas-powered car, in addition to the main battery pack. This is so that certain essential functions can still be used even if the main battery fails or goes completely flat. In time, this 12-volt battery will also need replacement, and you should always use an OEM-quality replacement designed to take the extra load of a modern EV.

Driving Tips:

• Avoid fast chargers
• Keep battery level between 20-80%
• Check tire pressures

The most expensive part of your EV is its main battery pack. So, it makes sense to adopt driving habits that help extend its service life. Using fast chargers regularly can shorten the lifespan of your EV battery pack as the rapid charging process heats the battery more than a slow charger.

You shouldn’t let the battery fall below 20% regularly, as a very low or complete discharge can damage the cells over time. It is also not recommended to leave the battery fully charged for long periods. Tire pressures should also be checked regularly, as they directly correlate with tire wear, rolling resistance, and suspension wear.

Hybrid Vehicles

Vehicles that have a gas engine and a battery pack are called hybrids. Plug-in hybrids have larger batteries and allow for some all-electric range. In contrast, mild hybrids have small battery packs and help the gas engine to run auxiliary devices and, in certain cases, provide extra power for short bursts. 

Hybrids can offer good fuel economy, but the added complexity may require more maintenance. Both the gas and EV maintenance tips apply here.

Choose GMB For Your OE and Aftermarket Automotive Products

GMB has been an industry-leading OE and Aftermarket automotive product manufacturer since 1943. We have locations on both east and west US coasts, California and New Jersey. Whether you have an EV, gas-powered vehicle, or a hybrid, always use the right OEM-spec fluids and components. Contact us today to order your high-quality GMB parts like water pumps, timing belts, fuel pumps and much more.