8 things you need to check in your car before your road trip

Before setting off on a long journey, it’s extremely important to perform a quick maintenance check of your car before your road trip to ensure it’s up to the task ahead. Here are the eight important areas to look at to help ensure you remain safe and avoid a breakdown.

1. Fluids levels (Oil & Coolant)

This is the first check which is under the bonnet.

You should check the fluid levels, as most usually these checks are done when the car is in the garage. If your level of the coolant or oil is low, this might hurt the engine. The reason could be leakage which needs to be discovered and fixed, or the other reason could be prolonged service, in this case, the oil needs to be changed and the coolant needs to be topped.

Make sure that brake fluid is also checked, if this level is too low, your car is not safe to drive.

2. The Lights

If you are driving during the night or in misty conditions, you need to make sure that all the lights of your car are working at its optimum level, in case if you are traveling in an unknown area or county side. This is an easy but very important check.

Very often brake lights or indicators lights have an issue. This is crucial to Work at its best.

3. Wipers

Checking the wipers is very simple, operate the wipers and check if the windshield is getting cleaned properly. In case the water is left on the windshield which might hamper your vision, which means the wiper needs to be changed.

4. Tyres and wheels

Tyres are one of the important part of the vehicle. This is part which connects the car to the road, we cannot do anything for the road condition, but we have to make sure the tyres are kept well.

Check the thread depth of the tyre. If this depth is below the average mark, plan to replace the tyres.

Check the tyre surface, if you see any damage, inflections or bubbles, plane to get it fixed or change the tyre.

The most important check is the tyre pressure. One should check the tyre pressure on weekly basis. The tyre pressure should be as mentioned on the tyre, If a tyre is above the limit it. Might burst the tyre, it will wear in the middle of the tyre, if the pressure is low, you might get flat tyre.

5. Brake

Breaks are again an important part which should be considered for checking.

The brake pads mostly affected. The inner part of the pads should be needed. Over 5mm in. Thickness, else this should be replaced.

Handbrake should be working well. As these are very much required when you park the car on the slope or you are driving uphill.

6. Drive belts

Check the driving belt, If your drive belt is not functioning, it might shut down the engine.

Some cars have the airbag working based on the drive belt. So to keep your airbags functional, you need to. Have driving belts functioning properly.

7.Spare wheel

A simple still essential check the availability of spare wheel, the tyre pressure of it. This will help you in case one of your tyre goes flat while you are on your drive.

Along with spare tyre your also check the availability of the jack, jack rod and spanner, placed nearby and they are in good working condition.

Make sure that you get the air pressure checked for the spare tyre along with the in-use tyres.

8. Steering

You can only test the steering while you are driving. The car should not bubble around while running On high speed. Also, the car should not be pulled over a side of the road, if this is happening on you should get it checked.

Some more checks you can do is, keep tracking the engine sound, keep looking the engine temperature, clutch and brake operation, if you notice any change in normal functioning, you should get it checked by the expert.

Conclusion

In performing a quick maintenance check of your car before your road trip is crucial to ensure both safety and reliability. By inspecting these eight important areas, you can significantly reduce the risk of a breakdown and enjoy a smoother, worry-free trip. Taking the time to prepare your vehicle not only enhances your safety but also ensures that your journey is as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. So, before you hit the road, make sure your car is ready for the adventure ahead. Safe travels!