Your Guide to Car Maintenance Before a Road Trip

Getting ready to pack the car and hit the road? Whether you're traveling solo, with friends, or heading out on a cross-country family vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is car trouble along your journey. The best way to minimize your risk of a vehicle breakdown or any other issue is to carry out some maintenance on your vehicle before you back out of the garage on your adventure.

Learn more about pre-road trip vehicle maintenance and contact your local GreatWater-affiliated shop today to schedule a thorough vehicle inspection and tune-up so you can have peace of mind before you begin your journey.

Maintenance You Should Perform Before a Long Trip

Hitting the road? Don't pull out of your driveway unprepared. Here's a look at some of the car maintenance you should be performing before your road trip.

Change Your Oil

An oil change is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can do to ensure the health of your vehicle's engine. Engine oil helps keep the moving parts throughout a vehicle's engine lubricated, reducing friction and ensuring smooth operation. Oil also helps dissipate heat to prevent engine overheating, which can lead to significant engine damage. What's more, if you bring your vehicle to a GreatWater garage for a routine oil change, we'll also perform a multi-point inspection to ensure other key vehicle parts and components are working properly.

Check Fluid Levels & Refill as Needed

Oil is just one fluid of many that helps the parts, components, and features of your vehicle function properly. There's wiper fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and more. Make sure your fluid levels are topped off and consider flushing and replacing certain fluids (i.e., transmission fluid, power steering fluid, etc.) per manufacturer recommendations to avoid problems on the road.

Heating & Cooling Check

No matter whether you're hitting the road in the winter or summer, you'll want to make sure your heating and cooling systems are working properly. Have the coolant level checked and also get your radiator inspected. Make sure all hoses and belts are tight and in good condition. Have your air conditioner checked while you're at it. Heating and cooling checks are important in preventing your vehicle from overheating and maintaining interior comfort.

Inspect Your Tires & Ensure Alignment

How's the tread depth on your tires? If you can see the tread wear indicator bars or the tread is at or below 2/32 of an inch, you're driving on wheels that are not safe and should get new tires immediately. There are various other tire tips to follow before a road trip:

• Make sure they're properly inflated. Underinflated tires generate excess friction with the road, which can increase the chance of a blowout and accelerate tread wear. Overinflated tires may have difficulty gripping the road and can lead to a loss of control or hydroplaning in wet conditions. Additionally, bring a tire pressure indicator tool with you on your trip and check your tire pressure frequently.
• Ensure your tires are properly aligned to ensure even tread wear and maximize tire longevity.
• Rotate your tires before your trip (if necessary). Regularly rotating your tires every 5,000 to 7,500 miles helps ensure even tread wear.
• Make sure your spare tire is in good shape and properly inflated in the event you get a flat on your road trip.

Adjust Your Steering & Suspension

Make this another "must-do" before you hit the road to make sure your steering and suspension are in good shape. Ensuring the steering is adjusted properly is crucial to vehicle control. Additionally, be sure to have your suspension checked out, especially if you're experiencing swaying or bouncing while you drive.

Have Your Brakes Inspected

Your brakes are key to safely stopping your vehicle, and the last thing you want is to experience squealing, grinding, and other signs of brake wear when you're thousands of miles away from home. That's why it's always best to have your brakes professionally checked out before hitting the road. A professional can make sure your brake pads and rotors are in good shape and can replace them if necessary.

Pack a Road Trip Toolkit

Always plan for the unexpected - especially before a road trip. The last thing you want is to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere. We suggest packing a road trip toolkit that can help you troubleshoot some of the most common car issues and keep you comfortable if you have to wait for help. Pack things like jumper cables, an extra cell phone charger, road flares, a basic toolkit, a wheel lock key, emergency clothing, and non-perishable food in the event of an emergency.

Should Car Maintenance be Based on Mileage or Time?

Maintenance or time? It really depends. While most repairs or replacements come with suggested mileage intervals, whether the parts or components need service depends on a variety of factors, like your driving style, the conditions you drive in, and the type of climate you drive in. It's always a good idea to know the mileage and time intervals where service is suggested and then to have the components inspected to truly gauge their condition and whether they need to be addressed. When you bring your vehicle to a GreatWater garage, we'll always shoot you straight and never sell you on a service that you don't want or need.

Ensure Your Safety & Find Your Neighborhood Shop in the GreatWater Network Today!

Hitting the road soon? Find your local GreatWater-affiliated shop today and schedule an appointment to have your vehicle serviced. Putting in the maintenance now can help prevent untimely breakdowns that can derail your road trip in the middle of your adventure. Contact us today for more information and to schedule a service appointment.