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Last Updated on October 23, 2023
Road trips are always exciting until you have got yourself a flat tire or a dead battery. Incidents like these can ruin the entire road trip and cause inconvenience that could have been avoided in the first place.
Many car owners don’t know the vital car maintenance tips. Having a car means nothing if you are not ready to take care of it. Getting your car prepared for a road trip is not a very difficult thing, and you can easily do it on your own. In rare cases, the car does need an expert or a mechanic, but it is your job to find out if your car falls in that category or not.
Going on a road trip means it is unlikely you will come across a mechanic or a gas station for a long time and you need to get ready for those delays. Your car should be in perfect condition, with proper fluid levels and a working car battery. In case you don’t have a hint on how to prepare your car for this road trip, keep on reading.
1. Check The Car’s Lights
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Headlights and tail lights of your car need to work properly, or it can be hazardous. Sometimes the lights are dirty, and car owners don’t take notice. You have to clean your lights thoroughly. If it has been a while since your car’s lights have been installed, it is likely that they will malfunction on the way. Malfunctioning lights in the middle of the night, or during a foggy morning, is the last thing you need. It puts you at risk of accident from both front and behind.
Make sure that your car’s lights are fine. If your headlights are old, it is better to get new ones instead. Install LED lights as they are a better option and provide a better vision to the driver. We recommend getting H6054 Led At Carifex, you can try them out.
2. Check All the Fluids
Your car performance depends on many things, and one of them is the fluid in your vehicle. This fluid includes brake fluid, oil, and washer fluid. All of these fluids have their own function in making sure the car stays fine.
The brake fluid is vital for your brakes. A fluid leak can cause your brakes to fail, and it can be fatal for the passengers. The engine oil makes sure that all the car parts are lubricated. You need to spare a few minutes and make sure that there is no fluid leak.
3. Inspect the Tires
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Are your tires in good shape? Is the tire pressure fine? Tires need to be changed after a few years. If your car has old tires, you should replace them before going on any road trip. Driving with worn-out tires inside the city is dangerous enough, you don’t want to be taking this risk on a road trip.
The car tires should not be over-inflated or under-inflated. You can check the air of your tires at any gas station, and it won’t take much time.
Another common issue that is related to tires is when the tire gets punctured. To avoid that situation, you should have a spare tire in your car.
4. Pack Your Emergency Kit
Your emergency kit is there to save your life and forgetting it behind can cause you a lot of inconveniences. Instead of waiting for another car to come and help you, you should be prepared for all kinds of circumstances. Your emergency kit should include:
- A flashlight
- A fully charged jumper pack or a set of jumper cables
- Reserve water and food (the water can also help cool down the car engine if needed)
- A first aid kit
Before you embark on your journey, make sure that you have packed your kit with all of the above-mentioned items.
5. Check If Your Car Needs Any Repairs
Your car doesn’t have to be old to need any repairs. Sometimes there are damages that you as a car owner are unaware of. These damages can result from accidents etc. For older cars, such repairs are not unheard of.
The best way to find out if your car needs a trip to the mechanic is by driving it for a few minutes in your own neighborhood. You may have driven your car recently, but this time, you should pay close attention to every detail. Check if there are unusual noises or if you are having trouble using the car brake.
6. Your Car Battery Should Be Charged
The terminals or posts on the side of your battery can have a lot of corrosion. The positive terminal usually has more corrosion than the negative one. If you find a lot of corrosion on your battery terminals, then clean it or have a mechanic do it for you.
A quick way to clean the terminals at home is by mixing baking soda and water. It will neutralize the acid on the terminal. For it to work properly, take off the terminal and clean both. If you only clean off the top of the terminal, it won’t make a difference.
7. The Heating/Air Conditioning Should Be Working Properly
If you are travelling in winters, you will need to cozy up in your car, and for that, your heater should work properly. In case you are travelling in summers, the need to check your air conditioner becomes even bigger. A summer road trip can be uncomfortable without an A.C.
Typically people make the mistake of not checking their A.C after the winters. The gas in A.C can leak over time, rendering it useless. Check your heater and air conditioner before you travel, so there is time to get it repaired (if needed). And in the case your car does break down or you get in an accident during a road trip, you can use services such as DingGo. They basically send you car repair quotes in your area.
These car maintenance tips are small but quite handy. Sparing a few minutes of car check-up will save you a lot of inconveniences when you are on the road. For an even more convenient road trip, you might want to consider a Texas limo service.
About the Author:
This post is written by Mark Hilton. He is a digital nomad who is obsessed with automobiles and loves road travelling. He has worked in several automobile companies and has been covering technology online for over five years. In order to know more about his site, you can visit Carifex.
