Here are some prices from a five star Jeep stealership in my area. Diff fluid change: $80 per differential, oil change: $40, air filter change: $30, transfer case fluid change: $140, tire rotation: $20, alignment: $40. Then they charge even more to "check your brakes" without actually fixing them. By the time you get all of this done to your Jeep at a stealership, by the end of the year, you've paid them a small fortune just to keep your Jeep filled with clean fluids. You can save all of this money, and you can feel proud of yourself by doing all of this service yourself.

Can You Do It? Yes, You Can!

Yes, you can do all of this service yourself. Last year I could do nothing, and this year, all of this seems all-too-easy. Here is a schedule of when to do various maintenance tasks for your Jeep, plus some of the tasks have write-ups that tutor you on how to do it yourself.

Servicing your Jeep is not that difficult. It may seem surrounded in arcane mystery to you now, but it is actually not rocket science. Just a little reading on your part, looking at some pictures, a quick trip to Sears and Autozone to get some tools, and supplies like fluid and filters and you are ready to go.

Are the tools expensive? The tools you get to keep, and usually even when you buy tools for a job, the tools cost less than the markup the thieves at the service department of your local stealership charge you for these jobs. Even buying tools last year, I estimate that I saved over $1000 with 30,000 miles of driving my Jeep and regular service that I did myself.

Spot Checking Your Jeep During Service

When you work on a particular part of your Jeep, you should also take the opportunity to run through this checklist and make sure your Jeep is running good and that nothing has come loose, broken, disconnected, or is leaking.

2004 Factory Service Manual Schedule (and a little extra)

The Jeep Factory Service Manual (FSM) shows the following schedule of maintenance for my 2004 Jeep Wrangler. You should try to get the FSM from Jeep (or from someone on Ebay for 1/10 the price) for your make and model of vehicle to check for accuracy. If your Jeep is a 2003 or a 2005, I'm pretty sure the below is the same. If your Jeep is a YJ or CJ, then only some of this applies, and you might have other things to service on your Jeep that are self servicing on the TJ. I have no information about the Jeep TK at this time.

I have added in a few things that you might wish to do more often than the FSM recommends based on advice I have received from the wise men at Jeepforum.com.

3,000 miles 5,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
6,000 miles 10,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
9,000 miles 14,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
12,000 miles 19,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect Brake Linings While wheels are off, peek at brake pads up front to see if they are worn. At 12,000 miles, your rear drums should be fine. If worn but not ready to be replaced, check again every 3,000 miles until only 3/8 pad remains. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
15,000 miles 24,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
18,000 miles 29,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
21,000 miles 34,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
24,000 miles 38,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Replace Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect the PCV Valve (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Replace it if necessary. 4.0L engines do not have a PCV valve. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
27,000 miles 43,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
30,000 miles 48,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect Brake Linings Replace if only 3/8" pad remains or less. You should also pull the drums in the back at this point and take a look at the rear brakes. Replace the shoes and/or adjust so that shoes touch drum correctly. Drain and Refill Automatic Transmission Fluid You can back flush it or drop the pan and drain it. Controversy over which is the best method abounds. Drain and Refill Transfer Case Fluid Drain fluid, put in new fluid. Replace the Spark Plugs Pull off coil rail, unscrew spark plugs, replace with Champion Truck Plugs #4412. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
33,000 miles 53,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
36,000 miles 58,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Inspect Brake Linings Replace if only 3/8" pad remains or less. You should also pull the drums in the back at this point and take a look at the rear brakes. Replace the shoes and/or adjust so that shoes touch drum correctly. Clean and Dry Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
39,000 miles 62,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
42,000 miles 67,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Clean and Dry Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
45,000 miles 72,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Inspect Drive Belt The serpentine belt may be starting to wear. Inspect it and put on a new one if needed. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
48,000 miles 77,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Clean and Dry Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Inspect Brake Linings Replace if only 3/8" pad remains or less. You should also pull the drums in the back at this point and take a look at the rear brakes. Replace the shoes and/or adjust so that shoes touch drum correctly. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
51,000 miles 82,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
54,000 miles 86,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Clean and Dry Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
57,000 miles 91,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
60,000 miles 96,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Replace Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect the PCV Valve (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Replace it if necessary. 4.0L engines do not have a PCV valve. Replace Ignition Cables (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Pull out the old ones, pop in some new ones. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Drain and Refill Automatic Transmission Fluid You can back flush it or drop the pan and drain it. Controversy over which is the best method abounds. Drain and Refill Transfer Case Fluid Drain fluid, put in new fluid. Replace the Spark Plugs Pull off coil rail, unscrew spark plugs, replace with Champion Truck Plugs #4412. Inspect Drive Belt The serpentine belt may be starting to wear. Inspect it and put on a new one if needed. If you already replaced it back at 45,000, then skip this. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Inspect Brake Linings Replace if only 3/8" pad remains or less. You should also pull the drums in the back at this point and take a look at the rear brakes. Replace the shoes and/or adjust so that shoes touch drum correctly. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
63,000 miles 101,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
66,000 miles 106,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Clean and Dry Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
69,000 miles 110,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
72,000 miles 115,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect Brake Linings While wheels are off, peek at brake pads up front to see if they are worn. At 12,000 miles, your rear drums should be fine. If worn but not ready to be replaced, check again every 3,000 miles until only 3/8 pad remains. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
75,000 miles 120,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Inspect Drive Belt The serpentine belt may be starting to wear. Inspect it and put on a new one if needed. If you already replaced it back at 45,000, then skip this. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
78,000 miles 125,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Clean and Dry Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
81,000 miles 130,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
84,000 miles 134,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect Brake Linings While wheels are off, peek at brake pads up front to see if they are worn. At 12,000 miles, your rear drums should be fine. If worn but not ready to be replaced, check again every 3,000 miles until only 3/8 pad remains. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Inspect Drive Belt The serpentine belt may be starting to wear. Inspect it and put on a new one if needed. If you already replaced it back at 45,000, then skip this. Replace Timing Belt (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) The serpentine belt may be starting to wear. Inspect it and put on a new one if needed. If you already replaced it back at 45,000, then skip this. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
87,000 miles 139,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
90,000 miles 144,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Replace Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Drain and Refill Automatic Transmission Fluid You can back flush it or drop the pan and drain it. Controversy over which is the best method abounds. This time the FSM says you should replace the filter and adjust bands this time. Drain and Refill Transfer Case Fluid Drain fluid, put in new fluid. Replace the Spark Plugs Pull off coil rail, unscrew spark plugs, replace with Champion Truck Plugs #4412. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
93,000 miles 149,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Inspect the PCV Valve (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Replace it if necessary. 4.0L engines do not have a PCV valve. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
96,000 miles 154,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect Brake Linings While wheels are off, peek at brake pads up front to see if they are worn. At 12,000 miles, your rear drums should be fine. If worn but not ready to be replaced, check again every 3,000 miles until only 3/8 pad remains. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
99,000 miles 158,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Flush Engine Coolant Time to replace the coolant in your engine with new stuff. There are three kinds: green, gold, and red. Green is used in most engines before 2000, gold is used in some engines after 2000, and Jeep stealership coolant is red. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
102,000 miles 163,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
105,000 miles 168,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
108,000 miles 173,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect Brake Linings While wheels are off, peek at brake pads up front to see if they are worn. At 12,000 miles, your rear drums should be fine. If worn but not ready to be replaced, check again every 3,000 miles until only 3/8 pad remains. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
111,000 miles 178,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
114,000 miles 182,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
117,000 miles 187,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.
120,000 miles 192,000 km	Oil Change Drain oil, change oil filter, refill with new oil Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on ends of steering tie rod. Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints Use a grease gun to squirt grease into zirk fittings on the other zirk fittings in the front of your Jeep. Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only) Unfasten five clips, open air box, lift out filter, drop in a new one, close the box, close the clips. Replace Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Mine is a 4.0L. I don't know how to do this, but it doesn't sound hard. Inspect the PCV Valve (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Replace it if necessary. 4.0L engines do not have a PCV valve. Replace Ignition Cables (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only) Pull out the old ones, pop in some new ones. Check Alignment Use a tape measure to check toe-in, adjust if necessary by loosening tie rod turnbuckle and turning with a pipe wrench, and then straighten steering wheel by loosening drag link turnbuckle and turning it. Drain and Refill Automatic Transmission Fluid You can back flush it or drop the pan and drain it. Controversy over which is the best method abounds. Drain and Refill Transfer Case Fluid Drain fluid, put in new fluid. Replace the Spark Plugs Pull off coil rail, unscrew spark plugs, replace with Champion Truck Plugs #4412. Inspect Drive Belt The serpentine belt may be starting to wear. Inspect it and put on a new one if needed. If you already replaced it back at 45,000, then skip this. Axle Service Remove differential covers, drain fluid, clean, apply RTV gasket maker, put back together, and fill with more gear oil. Rotate Tires Put the front wheels on the rear and cross over, put rears on the front on the same sides. Inspect Brake Linings Replace if only 3/8" pad remains or less. You should also pull the drums in the back at this point and take a look at the rear brakes. Replace the shoes and/or adjust so that shoes touch drum correctly. Service Checklist Take a good look at various components to make sure they are connected, torqued, not leaking, filled with fluid, clean, and working properly.

Service Intervals

Sometimes, well, we're all human, and I know that I've forgotten to have something done, or I have done something wrong and then redone it later, and it throws the entire neat and tidy schedule of maintenance out the window. Or, sometimes you buy a used Jeep, and you are wondering what you need to do to be sure everything is cool with its fluids.

Some guys keep track using a spreadsheet. They even enter formulas so that they just enter their mileage on the spreadsheet, and then the rest of the sheet glows red where they need to do work.

Here's a chart that tells you how often to do each of the items on the list above, for making a spreadsheet, or counting on your fingers, depending on how sophisticated you feel.

So, you if you bought a Jeep with 45,000 miles on it, I would do everything on this list that is to be done every 45,000 miles or more often to be sure, even if the owner or dealer claims they did it. Often they put in the wrong product or bad products anyway, and we both know you baby your Jeep when it comes to fluids.

Oil Change	3000 miles (5000 km)
Lube Steering Tie Rod Ends	3,000 miles (5,000 km)
Lube Steering and Suspension Ball Joints	6,000 miles (10,000 km)
Rotate Tires	6,000 miles (10,000 km)
Clean and Dry Air Filter (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only)	6,000 miles (10,000 km)
Inspect Brake Linings	12,000 miles (19,000 km) Every 3,000 miles after that until you replace, then reset to 12,000
Check Alignment	12,000 miles (19,000 km)
Axle Service	12,000 miles (19,000 km)
Replace Air Filter (4.0L Engine Only)	15,000 miles (24,000 km)
Drain and Refill Transfer Case Fluid	30,000 miles (48,000 km)
Drain and Refill Automatic Transmission Fluid	30,000 miles (48,000 km)
Inspect PCV Valve (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only)	30,000 miles (48,000 km)
Replace Spark Plugs	30,000 miles (48,000 km)
Replace Air Filter Element (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only)	30,000 miles (48,000 km)
Inspect Drive Belt - Replace if Needed	45,000 miles (72,000 km) And every 15,000 thereafter until you replace it, then wait 45,000 miles again.
Replace Timing Belt (2.4L 4 Cylinder Engine Only)	90,000 miles (144,000 km)
Drain and Fill Auto Transmission Fluid & Replace Filter/Adjust Bands	90,000 miles (144,000 km)
Flush Coolant	99,000 miles (158,000 km)

Not on the List

Some things that you should do are not on the list:

Flush Brake Fluid System. I have no idea why brake fluid is not on the list at all. I took my Jeep to a stealership at 30,000 miles to have them look over my shoulder, and the service guy recommended I change the T-case fluid (I changed it 3 hours before they saw it - so they didn't even check it) and that I have the brake fluid flushed, which according to the FSM, you never do unless you have having brake problems.

Manual Transmission Fluid Drain and Refill. Many guys change theirs anyway, but the manual transmission that is in 2003 & 2004 Jeeps does not ever require changing according to the manufacturer. You are supposed to just leave it alone, and maybe check the fluid level occassionally and top it off as needed. They claim that the fluid lasts the life of the transmission. However, many guys say that any Jeep part that is submerged underwater needs its fluid changed to get rid of any water that enters through vents. Usually that means differentials, but if you do a river crossing, then the transmission and t-case would be on the list, too.

Battery. There is no mention of how long the battery should last. Maybe miles don't matter on a battery, and instead you should get rid of it after a few years and replace it. They don't cost that much, and anyone can install one. You just use a screwdriver to loosen the nut holding the clamp on the negative terminal while wearing some rubber gloves. Don't touch anything to both terminals, or the battery could explode or shock you. Remove the cable from the negative terminal, and pull it aside. The electrical system is now disarmed, and you can safely touch the positive (red) terminal and remove it's cable. Pop in the new battery, give the old one to someone to dispose of, and clamp back the positive, then the negative cables. All done.

Distributor - Set Timing. In a 2003 or 2004 Jeep Wrangler, there is no distributor nor ignition cables in a 4.0L I-6. There is a spark plug rail that you unscrew, push aside, and then reattach. Timing is set using the computer.

Fuel Filter.

In reference to the fuel filter, BadTux writes:

Just in case you don't know -- like on all modern fuel-injected cars, the fuel pump is mounted on the gas tank because it has to push so much pressure (for the fuel injectors) that otherwise it'd cause cavitation and stuff. And the fuel filter is *in* the gas tank because it has to be before the fuel pump (eep!). So changing the fuel filter requires draining and dropping the fuel tank, taking the fuel pump off, and pulling the filter off the end and putting a new one on. Eek! It does clog up eventually, of course. Then your Check Engine light comes on, and it says your fuel filter is clogged up (actually, it says "low fuel pressure to injectors", same difference), and you have a major hassle dropping the tank and changing it. Because it's so much a hassle, and because the computer will tell you it's time anyhow, Jeep's management made a management decision to have no replacement interval on the thing but, rather, have it be a "wait for the computer to say it needs changing" kinda thing, like the oxygen sensors, mass air sensor, and other things of that sort which have a limited lifespan but are expensive as crap and the computer will tell you when one needs replacing so replacing ones that are still working is a waste of money.

Computers. Nice.

Washing Your Jeep. No mention of this, but if you don't wash it regularly, the paint job starts looking like crap, and parts with mud stuck in them stop working so good. Wash it regularly, and when you get it dirty in mud, wash it off immediately, underneath as well with a powerful sprayer in a car wash. Don't let mud sit on it for long. You think your cool with your muddy Jeep in the driveway? I have news for you: TRADE-IN VALUE. Wash your Jeep, keep it looking nice, because its appearance affects your ability to get a new one later.

Tires. I had to add in the stuff about rotating the tires. The FSM doesn't mention them. Nor does it mention how long they should last or how many miles.

Alignment. I would not pay someone to check my alignment every 12,000 miles. Instead, I would do it myself. If you don't want to do it yourself, then only take it in when the steering isn't straight, it seems to wander, if your ride wobbles, if the steering wheel is turned when you are going straight, or if you let go of the wheel and it starts turning. Otherwise, leave it alone, I think.

Brake Light Fluid. Make sure you change this! See the dictionary on this site for more information.

Other Stuff. There's lots to check on your Jeep when you service it. Every 3,000 miles, go through the Service Checklist I have provided elsewhere on this site after you finish up maintenance and make sure simple stuff like brake lights work and that things are not broken, leaking, or falling apart. If they are, get it fixed, both for safety's sake, and eventual trade-in value.