Automotive Readiness- Road Trip Checklist
For many Canadians, summer means barbecues, swimming, and road trips. Road trips to the beach, to the campground, to relatives across the country, and more. Even though you might be ready and excited for the road trip, is your car ready? Before you embark on your trip, it might be beneficial to tick off your automotive road trip checklist.
1. Check Your Automotive Fluids
It’s always wise to have a full tank of gas before leaving, but gasoline isn’t the only fluid which you should be concerned about. If you bring your vehicle into Bert’s Tire and Auto in Elora, our technicians can check several different automotive fluids for you. We’ll check your brake fluid to make sure you can stop properly, your radiator fluid to prevent overheating, your transmission fluid to prevent transmission problems, your power steering so you can steer properly, your windshield fluid, and of course your engine’s oil.
2. Examine Brake Pads
You need more than brake fluid to stop your car from moving. You also need brake pads that are in good working order. Having an expert check your brake pads to ensure they’re in good, safe working order is crucial for a safe road trip. Brake pad replacement intervals vary depending on your usage. Heavy usage or improper braking can reduce the longevity of your brake pads. If you think your brakes might be performing at less-than-optimal levels at all, it’s imperative to get your brakes checked before a road trip.
3. Test Your Battery
There are few feelings worse than waking up early, packing your car with all your gear, and putting the key in the ignition and… nothing. A dead battery can ruin any road trip. If your battery is more than two years old, it’s time to have it checked. This includes the connections to the positive and negative terminal leads.
4. Inspect Your Tires
Your tires go through a lot- they get battered and bruised over time and due to road conditions. But you need your tires in good condition if you’re going to embark upon a road trip. It’s important to have the physical condition and air pressure of your tires checked before hitting the road. Under-inflated tires reduce fuel inefficiency and worn-down tires can’t provide the traction and handling you need.
5. Ensure All Your Lights Work
Having both tail lights or either headlight out isn’t just dangerous, it’s illegal. Ontario law requires at least one working tail light and two working headlights, so even if you don’t plan on driving much at night, you need to make sure these lights work. Road trips can be expensive; you don’t want to add to the costs by having to pay one or more police-issued tickets for damaged or non-working lights. If you bring your vehicle to Bert’s Tire and Auto, we can check your lights and help you tick off all the items on your road trip car maintenance checklist.
Come to Bert’s Tire and Auto before you leave Elora for your road trip.
At Bert’s Tire and Auto, we’ll perform all the maintenance and repairs necessary to get your vehicle road trip ready. To book an appointment for anything on your road trip checklist, please click here. To learn more about any of our services or products, please contact us via our website or call 226-314-1034.