Make Sure Your Car is Ready for the Trip
Your family vacation is getting close. You
are excited about spending quality time with
your family and getting away for a few days.
However, before hitting the open road don’t
forget to make sure that your car is up to the
task.
This checklist provides you with peace of
mind and could alert you to any trouble as you
get ready to head down the highway:
- Check engine oil —
level should be between the "add" and "full"
marks. If it’s low, add a quart, but don’t
overfill. If oil appears to be dark or
opaque, it’s probably time for an oil
change.
- Check coolant — coolant
keeps your car from overheating. Make sure
that the level is between "high" and "low."
Remember that the cooling system operates
best when the coolant is a 50/50 mixture of
water and antifreeze.
- Check belts and hoses —
look for cracks and signs of wear,
especially on the fan belt. Check the
coolant hoses for leakage and cracks.
Replace if they appear to be worn.
- Check tires — make sure
there are no cuts or bulges and that the
tires still have good tread. Check the
pressure with a pressure gauge and add air
if needed (maximum amount of pressure is
noted on the outside of the tire). Also,
don’t forget to check your spare tire, just
in case.
- Check lights — turn on
all your lights and walk around your car to
make sure that all lights are functioning
properly. Also, ask someone to stand behind
your car while you test your brake lights.
Just to be on the safe side, you should also
include an emergency kit in your car comprising
of a quart of oil, a gallon of water, some basic
tools, jumper cables, gloves, a flashlight with
spare batteries, duct tape, a first aid kit,
flares, and the most important tool of
all...your cell phone.
If you encounter any trouble while checking
out your car, make sure to have a professional
mechanic inspect your vehicle prior to your
departure.
