Are you planning to go on a long road trip? Nothing beats the heat of the summer like a nice long drive through the countryside, cruising the open road alone or with your friends and family is therapeutic. If it’s yours too, then check out this vehicle road trip checklist that you can follow for a stress-free drive with your travel companion.
Before venturing out on a long drive you must make sure your vehicle, your all-time travel companion in prime condition. A lot of issues can make a beautiful road trip tumble down into a maintenance nightmare.
Tyres
Let’s start with the part that directly touches the solid ground. A flat tyre is one of the main reasons that strand passengers in most of the journey, throughout the interstate. We often dismiss bulges or wear and tear and try to believe in good faith that the tyres won’t burst. But a flat tyre often lands fellow travelers in trouble.
Check Tyre Pressure
Check your vehicle manual to find out the preferred tyre pressure for your make and model. Most of the vehicles will have the safe tyre pressure etched beside the driver seat, most of the time it would be marked running along the doorframe on the vehicle body.
Some vehicle manufacturers will also instruct you to increase the pressure under heavy load conditions ( factoring number of passengers and weight of the luggage )
Check Tyre Threads
Check your vehicle thread conditions, threads can show how much grip your vehicle has against the road. A no-thread tyre situation can cause your vehicle to spin out and spiral out of control under different road conditions. Remember that tyres are the direct contact your vehicle has with the road.
Check Tyre Condition
Check your tyre for bulges or small cracks, pressure can build up when you drive for long. A heavy blowout can cause stability issues and can lead to collisions, especially when you are driving with traffic on the road.
Also, remember that wear and tear occur differently on each of the four tyres, and keep an eye out for irregularities on all four and the spare tyre stowed in the back.
Brakes
If you are not feeling confident when applying the brake, and you feel the timing is off while the brake acts squishy, get in touch with a mechanic and address the issue.
Healthy brakes should be part of any vehicle road trip checklist, it should also be an important part of the regular checkups.
Check Brakes
A squeaky sound when you apply the brakes can be the metal pads dragging off the side of the brake pads. This is an indication for a thorough inspection.
Sometimes dirt and debris can get caught up between the plates in which case all you might need is a good old cleaning.
Brake Fluid
Brake fluids help when you apply the brake to stop the vehicle or reduce momentum. Their efficiency decreases over time, and you need to change these at regular intervals while also taking into factor your road conditions.
Brake Pads
Brake pads take the wear and tear over time as these things come in direct contact with the tyres, the brake pads function to stop or break momentum by breaking off parts of themselves when dragged over a metal plate.
Rough driving conditions and incessant braking can impact the life span of brake pads. Change them whenever you feel bumps on the application of the brakes.
Oil and Fluids
The oil in your engine is vital for the lubrication of all the moving parts and is essential to your cars well being. So, before leaving, check your car’s fluids and top them off as necessary.
Engine Oil
You can check the condition of the engine oil by inspecting engine oil up close. Make sure it’s not too brown and that it follows a consistent texture free from chunks or impurities.
If you encounter a burning smell after switching off the engine after driving for a while it might be time to change the oil.
Transmission Fluids
Transmission fluids come differently for automatic and manual clutches. Transmission fluids help in smooth transmission from one gear to the other. Nobody likes a bumpy gear change, and self-repair won’t work in case of damage to the transmission unit.
Windshield Washer Fluids
This is something most drivers fail to look over when planning a trip, top off the fluids for an uninterruptable and visible journey. Top off the fluids that might run out before leaving for the journey.
Timing Belt / Chain
A timing belt in the engine is used for timing and driving various other components connected to the engine such as the water pump, alternator, power steering, and AC compressors.
Check your timing belt for wear and tear or cracks on the rugged part of the belt. A faulty timing belt can cause the engine to stall abruptly affecting other functions and components connected together bringing the journey to a halt.
Battery
Check the battery health by bringing your vehicle to a good workshop and make sure the acidic sediments are alkalized on the terminals to generate uninterrupted power flow.
With more and more vehicle functions becoming digital having a smooth power flow on all the systems ensures the functioning of components attached to the vehicular systems.
Light Bulbs and Indicators
Lightbulbs and indicators have functions beyond shedding light on less visible roads. We use light to communicate with other fellow travelers or commuters on the road. They help us convey signs to pass through or give signals to make stops and give waypoints to your destination points on either side of the road, using indicators.
Keeping them up in good conditions has much more to do with your safety than just avoiding a fine for a dysfunctional or broken taillight.
Preparing for a road trip? At Logic Fleet Service Centre we have expert technicians and the best engine diagnostic tools available to ensure your car is fit and ready to hit the road. Book your car in for a pre road trip check by calling us on 014203000 or Book your appointment online.
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