Spring is here, and for many people that means taking a break and getting away for a little while. With kids out of school, warmer weather on the horizon, and flowers blooming, this time of the year signals the perfect time to hit the road and take in the sights. Before you pack up your vehicle, you need to make sure that it will get you to your final destination. Is your vehicle ready for your spring break road trip?
Is Your Vehicle Ready for Your Spring Break Road Trip?
The fact is, while you may do everything you can think of to prepare your vehicle for a road trip, there are probably a few things that you are forgetting, and if the timing is just right, they can cause problems on your trip.
We have provided some road trip preparations tips, to hopefully help you reach your destination with no issues along the way.
Check your key batteries and carry a backup key if possible. We know, it isn’t very likely that you thought of this one. We can admit that we forget about it a lot ourselves; however, your vehicle’s key is essential to you reaching your destination. Nowadays most keys are powered by a battery and have a chip in them. If your key happens to die while you are away from home, or you lock it in your car, it’s not as easy as it once was to fix the issue. If you have a spare key, when on a road trip, it is highly recommended that you bring it along and store it in a different place than your main key. If you don’t have a spare key, bring a backup battery, just in case.
Assess your tires and ensure your spare is in a drivable condition. Tires are the only part of a vehicle that are in direct contact with the road, so extra care is needed to ensure they are correctly inflated, display even tread wear, are free from any obvious defects, and are of the size and type specified by the manufacturer (Forbes). Tires are one of the biggest causes of highway breakdowns and accidents, so it’s crucial that you ensure that they are ready to hit the road when you are. If you have a spare tire in your vehicle, make sure it is usable and that you have all the tools you need, should you need to change your tire on the side of the road.
Test your battery. When you are getting your vehicle ready for your spring break road trip, ensuring your battery can handle the trip is key. Vehicle batteries loose strength over time. Check your battery to ensure it is secure and visit a local automotive repair shop to test the strength of your battery. Check out our other tips for getting your battery ready for your next road trip.
Top off all of your vehicle’s fluids. There are several important fluids for your vehicle, and it is important to maintain proper vehicle fluid levels and have clean fluids, as they play a vital role in almost every function of your car, especially if you will be driving it for long periods of time. Check that engine oil, coolant and brake, transmission and power steering fluids are at the correct levels for safe vehicle operation. When adding fluids, use products that meet the specifications listed in the owner’s manual (AAA).
Getting your vehicle ready for your spring break road trip shouldn’t be a difficult task, but is something you must do to ensure your trip is not ruined by car, truck, or SUV troubles. While we have reviewed some vehicle preparation tips above, there are other things you should do before you drive away: check all of the vehicle lights, replace your wiper blades if needed, inspect all belts and hoses, and pack a travel kit in case you get stuck or run into other safety issues.
At Advanced Transmissions & Emissions we can help to ensure your vehicle is ready for your travel plans.
Advanced Transmissions & Emissions specializes in transmission repair, rebuilding, and remanufacturing and all your Phoenix automotive repair needs from transmissions, clutches, AC, steering, suspension and more. We are a full-service auto mechanic repair shop.
Visit us today or fill out our online form for service.
