What is the Mercedes-Benz A & B Service?

One of the most effective ways to get the best out of your Mercedes-Benz is to stick to a routine maintenance schedule. Mercedes has tried to make this task as easy as possible by creating the A Service and B Service options for its vehicle owners. But what’s the difference between these two service options? And how do you know when it’s time for an A Service or B Service?

These are just two of the questions we’re regularly asked here at Mercedes-Benz of Tyler, Texas. Our team has put together the answers for you so you can better understand why both service options play an important role in keeping your car in top condition.

What Is the A Service?

The A Service should be carried out on your C-Class sedan, GLE SUV, or other Mercedes-Benz vehicle after 10,000 miles or one year of driving, whichever comes first. Thereafter, it should be performed every 20,000 miles or two years of driving. For example, your A Service should be performed after 30,000 miles or three years, 50,000 miles or five years, and so on. These are only rough guidelines, and they may vary depending on your driving habits. Your vehicle’s maintenance counter will alert you as to when your next A Service is due.

The A Service includes changing your engine oil and filter. In addition, one of our fully trained service professionals will check and adjust your tire pressure. Your brake components will be inspected and all fluid levels checked and adjusted, if necessary. Because this is the first service performed after you purchase your Mercedes-Benz, it isn’t intended to be as comprehensive as the B Service, which follows one year later.

What Is the B Service?

The B Service should be performed after 20,000 miles of driving or two years, whichever comes first. After the first B Service appointment, you should have a B Service carried out every 20,000 miles or two years. This pattern means that you should have a B Service after 40,000 miles or four years, 60,000 miles or six years, and so on. As you can now see, the B Service and A Service follow one after the other so that your Mercedes-Benz receives one service appointment after every 10,000 miles or one year of driving.

The B Service includes changing your synthetic engine oil and oil filter. We’ll also check and adjust your tire pressure if required. Your brake fluid will be replaced and brake system components inspected. We’ll also replace the cabin dust filter and check all other fluid levels. Finally, your maintenance counter will be reset for the next B Service appointment.

Are There Exceptions To Consider?

There are some exceptions to the pattern of A Service and B Service appointments outlined above. This service plan only applies to Mercedes-Benz model years 2009 and newer. Vehicles from the 2015 model year have their own specific service plan, which you should ask your service professional about when you visit our maintenance center.

Vehicles manufactured by the high-performance Mercedes AMG® nameplate have different service schedules that’ll be detailed in your owners manual. In addition, diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz vehicles require some additional servicing that isn’t included in the standard A Service and B Service offerings.

The other exception is if you notice any obvious problem with your vehicle between service appointments. If the issue is impacting your Mercedes-Benz’s performance, it’s best to get it checked out by a professional straight away rather than waiting for your next scheduled service appointment. Problems can rapidly get worse and cause additional damage to your vehicle, resulting in a higher repair bill that you could have avoided.

Why Is Regular Servicing Important for Your Mercedes-Benz?

As we’ve already explained, routine maintenance is one of the best ways to keep your Mercedes-Benz performing well. Regularly changing your synthetic engine oil and filter helps ensure your engine is lubricated, which reduces unnecessary wear and tear. Failing to change your engine oil frequently enough can damage your engine’s components and reduce its efficiency. Engine repairs are among the most expensive repair jobs, so you want to avoid them as much as possible.

Getting your tire pressure checked and corrected helps make sure that your car handles well on the road. Tires with low pressure can impair steering and braking, which can be dangerous for you and other motorists. Another problem resulting from low tire pressure is that your tires will wear out more quickly, leaving you with the extra cost of purchasing a new set.

The routine inspections our service technicians perform during each service appointment are important for preventive maintenance. Rather than waiting for a problem to get serious and cause further damage to your car, the inspections allow us to identify issues and resolve them early on. For instance, the inspection of your brake components gives us the opportunity to check if your pads are wearing thin. We can then fit your Mercedes with new brake pads instead of letting them wear out, which can cause damage to your brake discs, calipers, and other components.

A final point to keep in mind is that sticking to your routine maintenance appointments can count in your favor if you ever decide to sell your car to help fund your purchase of one of the latest Mercedes-Benz models. Used cars with a full maintenance history are typically in better condition than their competitors and will fetch better resale prices as a result.

Reserve Your Service Appointment at Mercedes-Benz of Tyler

Now that you know the difference between the A Service and B Service, we hope that you’ll know which one to ask for the next time you stop by our Tyler, Texas, service center. If your Mercedes-Benz sedan or crossover is due for a service appointment, why not make use of our online reservation tool to pick a time that fits with your schedule? If you have any questions about routine maintenance or scheduling an appointment, feel free to contact us.

Mercedes-Benz GLE by Jason Lawrence is licensed with CC BY 2.0