Does an AWD/4WD Vehicle Require Additional Scheduled Maintenance? - Cars.com News
With all- or four-wheel drive (which for the purposes of maintenance are the same), there are more things that can go wrong and need repairs, such as transfer cases and differentials, but the routine maintenance schedules (listed in the owner's... For example, on all-wheel-drive Chevrolet Equinox and four-wheel-drive Tahoe/Suburban models, the transfer case fluid should be changed every 97,500 miles (or 45,000 miles in "severe" service, as defined by the automaker). The Jeep Cherokee's maintenance schedule doesn't mention transfer case or differential fluids (the latter are also known as differential or axle oil). On Ford F-150s, the transfer case and front differential oil (as well as the rear differential oil) should be changed every 150,000 miles. On a Toyota Tacoma 4x4, the differential oil and transfer case fluid should be changed every 60,000 miles in normal use and every 15,000 miles with frequent towing and/or driving on unpaved roads. In addition to having a couple more items on the maintenance schedule, all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles carry additional costs, both in a higher purchase price (compared with two-wheel-drive versions of the same vehicle) and lower gas... Source: www.cars.com
