Planning to go on a road trip for the 4th of July? A lot of people like to go on road trips over summer holidays. It’s a lot of fun, and whether your trip is destination-based or more about the journey, it’s exciting to see new things. But you don’t want to risk your car breaking down several hundred miles from home. Here are some road trip car maintenance things you should do before the trip to make sure that doesn’t happen. They require you to get under the hood a little, but hey, it’s better than being stranded with a dead car in a city you don’t know.
Check the oil
If you’re getting close to oil change time or the trip’s mileage will put you over 3,000 miles since your last oil change, get your oil changed before you leave. If not, at least make sure to check the oil level and top off as needed.
Check your other fluids
This is probably the easiest road trip car maintenance you can do. Power steering fluid, transmission fluid, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and coolant are all important for your car to run properly. Make sure you check their levels and top them off as needed.
Check your belts and hoses
A quick visual inspection is fine – look for cracks, bulges, or blisters in hoses and cracks, wear, or looseness in the belts. If you spot anything amiss, get them replaced. It might cost a little bit, but it’s better than having a belt fall off while you’re on the road.
Check your tires
Make sure the treads aren’t worn down too much and your tire is properly inflated. The amount of pressure your tires should have is usually listed on the inside of the driver’s door. Improperly-inflated tires waste gas and increase your risk of a blowout.
Check the battery
If your battery is more than a few years old, make sure the terminals are free of corrosion (white chalky-looking stuff – you can scrub it off with a wire brush). You can also have an auto parts store test for problems. Beware if your car seems sluggish to start – it could be a sign that you need a new battery.
Go for a test drive
Just because you drive every day to work doesn’t mean your car is ready to go. Take it out for a trip on the local freeway and look for anything that sounds or feels different or wrong (such as shaking, squeaking or grinding noises, or vibrations in your pedals) or anything unusual in your gauges. If you suspect something is not quite right, take it in to a mechanic for some road trip car maintenance – they’ll be able to get you in long-distance driving shape.
A pinch of road trip car maintenance is worth a pound of repair later on – especially if you want to avoid finding yourself in the middle of nowhere in the dark with no idea why your car just died. Stay safe, make sure your car will keep running, and have a great 4th of July!
