A mechanical failure during an extended drive isn’t simply a hassle. It can be costly, hazardous, and typically avoidable. In most cases, the preparation you make (or neglect to make) the week before your trip will determine whether you experience a trouble-free journey or find yourself stranded for hours.
The Five-Fluid Check
Let’s start by checking under the hood. Obviously, you should look at the engine oil. But don’t just look, pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert it, and then check the level and color of the oil. If it looks black and gritty, get an oil change before you go. Also, be sure to follow the oil viscosity recommendations in your owner’s manual, because highway driving at sustained speeds puts more thermal stress on your engine than stop-start city driving.
Next, coolant. It’s more important than you think. An overheated engine is one of the most common summertime breakdown culprits, and a quick fix is usually just pouring some from a jug or flushing the old stuff and pouring in the new. Check the overflow tank when the engine is cold. If it’s low or the coolant appears rusty, fix it before you hit the road.
A quick check of brake fluid, power-steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid finishes the under-the-hood checks-off. They take less than five minutes to inspect, and the results of not doing it range from mildly inconvenient (splatting bug carcasses all over the windshield and running out of washer fluid) to deadly (plowing into a semi at 70mph with a brake pedal that sinks to the floor).
Inspecting The Rubber
Tires are more important than people give them credit for. Low tires create extra friction and heat on the road, reduce your gas mileage, and increase your chances of a dangerous blowout. Regardless of whether a car can monitor tire pressure for you, take a minute to inspect all your tires, as well as your spare, with a basic gauge. Also, check the number printed on your door jamb sticker, which is the real recommendation – not the maximum PSI number printed on the tire itself. The second thing to look at is tread wear. Most tires use a simple pointer. If the small raised bar in your tread groove is level with the surrounding tread, you’ve hit the legal limit, and the tire is no longer good. The old penny test also still works too: if you can see the complete top of a coin sticking in the groove, your tires are worn low for highway use.
While you’re at it, look at the belts and radiator hoses. The serpentine belt drives the alternator, power steering pump, and water pump off a single loop. Cracks, fraying, or glazing on that belt can leave you stranded without warning. Squeeze the radiator hoses – they should feel firm, not soft or spongy.
When To Hand It Off To A Professional
The do-it-yourself checks outlined above are quite simple. However, certain components require a specific tool to measure accurately. Visual inspection won’t indicate whether your brake pads have 2mm or 8mm of material left, and whether your wheel alignment slightly pulls the vehicle to the left when it’s loaded.
For brakes, suspension, and the battery it’s money well spent to book a professional auto service inspection before a long trip. The amount of material left on the brake pad affects the stopping distance, and a fully loaded vehicle with passengers and luggage uses the brakes very differently than an empty one does. Suspension parts that feel fine on a bumpy road four blocks from home can create terrifying highway wandering or excessive body roll.
Keep a special eye on batteries. If it’s over three years old, have a shop test its cold cranking amp capacity. Heat and steady electric demand from the air conditioner and phone charger can push a marginal battery over the edge. More drivers call for roadside assistance for failure of the battery than any other component.
Brakes and Suspension Warning Signs
Don’t hesitate for an expert to notice something that’s apparent to you. Squeal when braking under normal conditions? Wear indicators rubbing on the rotor. Grinding noise? Pad wear and metal-on-metal. Soft, spongy, or low pedals? Air or moisture in the brake lines.
For suspension checks, let the car tell you. Run over a speed bump. If the car continues to bounce up and down, the shock absorbers are likely worn. If you hit the brakes and the car pulls hard to one side, or you can’t let go of the wheel without drifting, alignment or suspension issues will wear you out over the long haul.
Pack A Contingency Kit
Despite all the planning, mechanical glitches can occur. A roadside kit is essential and should contain jumper cables, a portable tire inflator, a pressure gauge, reflective triangles, a flashlight, and ample drinking water for a few hours in the heat. A minimal toolkit with basic sockets and a multi-tool completes the setup.
Prep isn’t about expecting the worst. It’s about making sure the worst doesn’t cost you the trip.
