If you and your family are planning a road trip in the near future, here are 5 essential car maintenance checks to make before you hit the road. As a family, we love a good road trip, whether that’s a 10-day tour of Europe, or a long weekend to North Wales, a road trip is always fun. However, before you leave on your trip, it’s important to do everything you can to make sure it’s both a comfortable and safe trip.
So spend a bit of time before you leave to make sure your car is roadworthy and properly maintained to avoid an unexpected breakdown. In this guest post, I’m going to share with you the 5 essential car maintenance checks before a road trip to make sure you arrive safely.
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5 Essential Car Maintenance Checks
Check Your Tyres
One of the most important checks you can make before a road trip is a tyre check. You might not think to check your tyres outside of the annual MOT requirements; however, tyres play just as essential a role in car performance and fuel efficiency as the engine or battery does. Since tyres are the only part of the vehicle in direct contact with the different road terrain, they need to be cared for more. Tread depth needs to be above the minimum level that is 1.6mm. This will protect your tyres from road debris or potholes and help the tyres last longer.
You should also check the tyre pressure to ensure they are well balanced, and they should not be overinflated or underinflated, for that matter. Moreover, checking the tread depth of tyres is another essential thing. In case you think you need to change your tyres or are worn out you can also buy tyres online by visiting Fife Autocentre website.
Check Your Fuel
Motorists often pack all the necessary things they might need on a road trip along with all essential vehicle checks but forget to fill up the car before setting off. You need to ensure that the fuel level in your vehicle is adequate to run your vehicle for a long road trip. And please, do not make the mistake of putting the wrong fuel in your vehicle.
Also, remember that fuel along the motorway and at motorway services is often considerably more expensive than your local garage. Hence, it’s worth filling up before you head off to save you time and money.
Check Your Lights and signals
It’s essential to check your lights and turning signal lights are working correctly before heading out on a road trip. This is true of any basic car maintenance check; however, it’s even more critical if you’re towing a caravan or trailer! If your lights don’t work correctly, it can result in a dangerous and avoidable accident.
Check Your Battery
You might often think that your battery is fully charged and will work during a long road journey. If you hear a sluggish sound while starting your engine, this can be one of the signs that your battery is corroding or needs a quick check or electric current. If your battery is getting older and requires a change, you can easily replace it by consulting a reliable garage.
Check Your Oil and Water
Lastly, always check your oil and water levels as part of your essential car maintenance checklist. It’s a simple task and only takes a few minutes. While you’re checking the oil and water levels, remember to fill up the windscreen washer fluid. Did you know that not having your windscreen wash to an acceptable level can even make you fail your MOT?
I hope this list of essential car maintenance checks can help you prepare for your next road trip. In addition to general car maintenance of your family vehicle, you should make sure your car has the required car insurance and has passed its essential MOT check every year. Before getting your MOT done, or if you have any concerns about your car’s onboard computer, you could always invest in an obd2 scanner that helps you check your car’s onboard computer system.
If you’re travelling with kids on a family road trip holiday in the near future, check out the post below of essential things to pack for a road trip with kids.
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