How to Prep Your Car for a Summer Road Trip

This spring and summer, more people than ever will be packing up and setting out on long distance road trips. The last thing you want for you and your family is to have car troubles that could have been avoided with a few repairs and maintenance.

A road trip on the open highways of America means less stop and go, which is better on your brakes. Highway miles are always easier on a car, including your battery and alternator. You can also expect to get more miles per gallon on the highway because the engine performs more efficiently.

For a fun and relaxing vacation, Gloucester Toyota suggests you perform these 5 maintenance tips for a long distance road trip.

Basic car maintenance for road trips

Check or replace engine fluids

The first thing on your car checklist before a road trip is to fill all the fluids in your car and have your oil, oil filter, and air filter replaced. Your car’s engine will get hot, so top off the antifreeze. Know the signs that indicate it is time for a radiator flush. This is when the radiator water has flecks of rust or the temperature gauge tends to run hotter than normal.

Also, it’s important to top off your brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and your windshield wiper fluid before embarking on your road trip.

Perform engine tune-up

If it is near the time for your car’s regularly scheduled tune-up, then go ahead and take it in. An engine tune-up makes sure the car’s engine is getting the right amount of air, fuel and electric spark. Signs that your car needs a tune-up include bad gas mileage, frequent stalling and difficulty starting.

A tune-up by a professional auto service may include replacing the spark plugs and wires, distributor cap, rotor, oxygen sensor, fuel filter and PCV valve, if needed.

Check or replace the battery

Knowing what to do before a road trip includes making sure your battery is fully charged. You can use a multimeter to determine if the battery level measures 12.5 to 12.6 volts. You may also want to check the electrolyte levels and clean the battery cable connections of any corrosion. Here are signs that you may need to replace your car’s battery:

• Electrical issues such as dim lights
• Your engine starts slowly or struggles
• A car that has not been driven for a while
• Your battery is old and is due for replacement

Check tire tread and pressure

According to Consumer Reports, use a quarter to check your tire tread. Good tires should have grooves that reach to the top of George Washington’s head. Your tires are responsible for traction on wet roads along with the ability to quickly stop or securely turn corners. Other warning signs that your car needs new tires include damaged sidewalls, your tires show uneven wear, or when you’ve surpassed the tire’s tread wear warranty.

Make sure your tires are at the recommended pressure level as indicated in your auto owner’s manual or follow the tire manufacturer’s recommendation.

Replace brake pads

If your car needs a brake repair, then take it to your local mechanic. At the very least, for a long road trip, have the brake pads replaced. Worn brake pads are the cause of many accidents because it makes stopping the car difficult. Depending on your car’s make and model and your driving patterns, the brake pads should be replaced after about 50,000 miles.

Factors that wear out brake pads more quickly include frequent stopping, hard stops and variations in the rotor thickness.

Long Road Trip Takeaways

• Make sure your antifreeze levels are sufficient to prevent overheating.
• A good battery level measures between 12.5 and 12.6 volts.
• Tires should have at least 6/32 inches of tread remaining.

Call for an appointment at Gloucester Toyota as part of your car checklist before the road trip. Our certified and experienced mechanics can perform all your routine maintenance and repair problems, so your road trip is safer, and you will have peace of mind.