Road-Trip Checkup: 5 Things Your Car Needs Before You Go
Before hitting the interstate, there are a few things to consider to keep your Family Truckster in tip-top, road-trip condition. Here are five that could prevent you from seeing the side of the road in East Armpit, U.S.A.
1. Make Sure Your AC Is A-OK
Air conditioning is one of those unspoken heroes of holiday travel. When it's working, it's easy to take this cool, modern-day convenience for granted. But when it's not, travel pretty much just halts as you sweat it out in the cockpit of your 2002 Subaru Sauna.
The Remedy: Have a professional check the refrigerant to make sure the levels aren't too low. Leaks can also go unnoticed for a long time. Better to find out now than at a rest stop in Death Valley.
2. Check Those Tires
You're not the only one under a ton of pressure. Your tires have grown tired of your commute and are showing as much as wear as your favorites wedge heels.
The Remedies: Give them a once over before your big cross-country excursion. Road temperatures get extra hot during late spring/early summer, so the pressure will rise in your tires. Signs you have a problem? Look for dry rot or large bumps around the joints. Minor issues can get major fast, resulting in flats or blowouts in the middle of a desert straightaway with nary a tow truck in site.
Tire-tread depth is also an issue, so consider the penny test to see if you're in trouble yet. Simply turn the penny upside down and insert it between your treads. If all of Lincoln's head is exposed, it's time for some new tires.
3. Replace Worn Windshield Wipers
It never rains on Memorial Day, right? Wrong. Many states with tropical climates will drive severe thunderstorms your way in the middle of the afternoon. (Thanks, Florida.) And besides that, all good road trips send insects splatting to their grisly deaths right before your very eyes. Replace your windshield wipers every six months.
The Remedy: Quality wipers to deal with the elements. Many experts recommend replacing them every six months or so, regardless of how they look. So have a look. If they're starting to warp or leave streaks of dirt across the windshield when you clean them, it may be time to call in the reserves.
4. Get Those Brakes Checked!
Squealing pigs: cute. Squealing brakes? Better get those checked -- especially if you're about to endeavor upon a lengthy road trip involving hills. Or flat road. You get the point.
The Remedy: As the most important safety feature on a car, brakes can have a profound impact on that little thing called stopping, so have a mechanic check them before you conquer the interstates. Brakes need to be replaced when the brake pad is worn down past the minimum thickness specified by the car manufacturer or state regulations. Other signs they need to be replaced? If they're soft/mushy, hard or resistant, or if the warning light on your dashboard goes on.
5. Replace Coolant
After running a marathon, you need Gatorade, right? Well, your car is not much different.
The Remedy: Check and possibly replace the antifreeze in your coolant system to avoid a roadside calamity involving lots of steam in your face. Old coolant often leads to leaks, which can lead to overheating, which can lead to hitching a ride on Route 66. Coolant should be added 50/50 with water, so make sure to master the levels -- and check all your levels while you're at it: brake fluids, transmission, oil, power steering.
Find auto repair shops near you.