No summer is quite complete until you’ve gone on an exciting road trip. However, before you hit the road with your friends or family, you want to make sure your vehicle is in tip-top shape, so you won’t have to worry about breakdowns. Fortunately, getting your car ready for a summer road trip is much easier than you might believe, especially when you choose the right maintenance tasks.
Here are a few tips for preparing your vehicle for your next summer road trip to ensure your adventure is fun and stress-free.
Oil Change
Oil changes are one of the most common, important car maintenance tasks. This is especially true when you’re preparing for a road trip. If your oil is too dirty, it can cause a great deal of wear and tear on your engine, possibly leading to a lockdown if you neglect to change your oil before subjecting your engine to the added stress of a long road trip.
If you’ve changed your oil recently, then you should at least check your oil levels, adding more engine oil if you find you’re getting a little low. Making sure your oil is clean and at the proper level will help you avoid most road-trip breakdowns.
Battery
There’s almost nothing more frustrating than returning from a road trip pit stop only to find your battery has died, which is what makes checking your battery such a crucial part of road trip preparation. First, you need to make sure your battery charging system is working correctly, including checking to see if your battery has a strong charge. Second, you need to examine your terminals to see if they are clean. If not, clean them with baking soda and water.
Checking your battery before a road trip will make sure you’re never stranded after being unable to start your vehicle.
Tires
Summer can be a difficult time of the year for your vehicle’s tires. During extreme weather seasons, your tires will undergo a great deal of wear, reducing their tread and ability to provide you with the proper level of traction.
Before any long road trip, you need to check the tread levels of your tire to make sure they are adequate for your trip. You should also consider having your tires rotated before your trip to make sure they wear evenly. Finally, check your tire pressure and compare the reading to your manufacturer’s recommended level.
Brake System
When you’re planning a road trip, you want to make sure you and your passengers will be safe until your journey is complete. It is for this reason you need to be certain that your braking system is in working order. In addition to making sure your brake fluid is at its proper level, you should have a service professional check your braking system. This can include examining the brake pads, rotors, and hoses.
Making sure your brakes are working properly will make sure you have a safe, exciting road trip. Schedule these maintenance tasks before your road trip to avoid a vehicle breakdown in the middle of your vacation.
This photo, “Highway,” by Novica Nakov used under CC BY-SA 2.o. “Highway” is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.o by Gay Family Kia.
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