Preparing Your Car for a Holiday Road Trip

Are you and your family about to embark on a road trip for the holidays? Before you leave the house, you should first check on a few things involving your vehicle. The last thing you want is for something to go wrong and leave you and your family stranded far from home! 

Check Tires & Tire Pressure

The first thing between you and the icy road beneath are your tires. Can your tires properly handle the conditions you may be driving into? Especially if the climate changes drastically, your vehicle’s tires may not be up to the task of snow and ice.  You should be aware of both the tread and pressure of your tires. During temperature drops, air inside the tire contracts, resulting in the molecules of air not taking up as much space. Fill the tire to the correct PSI, and also make sure to check for proper tread depth.

Check Your Car Battery and Fluids

Before you hit the road, pop the hood and check on some of the more easy-to-reach places. Check out your battery first, making sure to clean off any corrosiveness and tighten terminals if needed. Checking battery life is also a smart idea if you have the proper equipment. If not, certain shops offer free battery checks. Along with battery maintenance, it’s easily as important to make sure certain fluids, such as coolant/antifreeze, are at proper mixtures and aren’t leaking. Antifreeze is needed in freezing temperatures at a 50/50 dilution to be able to cool your engine down. If you only have water within your coolant system, you run the risk of serious damage during a freeze. Other fluids you can easily check are wiper fluid and the oil. Add wiper fluid that won’t freeze, and make sure you’re on top of your oil changing schedule!

Emergency Preparedness for Your Vehicle

Checking all of these simpler areas are definitely important, but even after doing so, anything can happen. Being two steps ahead of the game is important; that’s why you should be bringing certain items that could help you in a needy situation. Some of these items include: gloves, jumper cables, an easy-to-use jack, a ratchet set, a headlamp, some road flares, and a well-inspected spare tire. There are hundreds of items you could bring along in case of an emergency, but these are just a few essentials. 

The holidays are a fun and exciting time, but they can quickly take a bad turn if you experience car trouble. Although your vehicle could be perfectly fine before this short inspection, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Doing say may just prevent a situation like a blowout or dying battery!