Is your vehicle road trip ready?
August 11 2022, Atlantic Toyota Dealers
Is Your Vehicle Road-Trip Ready?
With warmer weather on its way and travel restrictions mostly (and hopefully) behind us, many of us will be anxious to get back on the road again this spring and summer. Whether it’s long-delayed visits to friends and family, or just a desire to get back out there and re-experience the freedom to travel, make sure your vehicle is up to the trip. Car care is necessary year-round, but especially before a road trip, so here are a few key things to consider before your next road trip:
Fluids
Fluids are the lifeblood of any vehicle. Service intervals on your car's six essential fluids usually depend on mileage, so consider how far you've driven since your last service, and how far you plan to go on your trip in order to decide what needs attention. If you’re going to hit a service milestone mid-trip, you may want to take care of that job early:
Oil
Oil can deteriorate over time, especially with fluctuations in temperatures, so even if you’re not driving as often, it is generally recommended to have your oil checked every 8,000 km or changed at minimum every twelve months. Check your vehicle’s maintenance schedule for specific guidance on when to change the oil for your vehicle. If you've gotten an oil change within your recommended timeframe, use the dipstick to check the oil condition and fill level. If it's black, gritty or below the minimum fill line, get it checked out right away.
Radiator fluid
Engines produce a lot of heat and the radiator keeps it cool. Radiator fluid, which is also known as coolant or antifreeze, works to extract heat from the engine and dissipates it through the radiator. A low coolant level will likely result in overheating, so check your coolant and top it off if necessary. Make sure to flush the system at least every two years.
Brake fluid
When you push the brake pedal, fluid compresses inside the brake lines, forcing the brake pads to clamp on the rotors and slow down your car. Brake fluid is essential to braking, so make sure to top off your brake fluid if necessary, and flush the system with fresh fluid every 2 years or 40,000 km.
Power steering fluid
Power steering fluid makes turning the wheel easy at any speed, but it can become contaminated, making your steering less responsive. It’s a good idea to check the level and condition of your fluid every time you change your car’s oil.
Transmission fluid
Few things ruin your drive like a jerky transmission. Transmission fluid helps gears mesh smoothly, and when it goes bad, uncomfortable shifts can be the result. Fortunately, transmission fluid lasts a long time. Check your vehicle’s maintenance schedule, but generally it's a good idea to replace the fluid at 100,000 km anyway.
Windshield washer fluid
Long drives can make your car filthy and there's nothing on your car's exterior more important to keep clean than the windshield. After all, you have to be able to see where you're going. Adding windshield washer fluid is easy - just purchase a jug, open the hood, and pour it into the windshield washer reservoir. You may want to keep an extra jug in the vehicle as backup too.
Tires
As you might expect, tires are critical to safety, comfort and fuel efficiency, so it's important to check their condition before you leave.
Air pressure
Every road tripper needs good gas mileage, particularly with gas prices soaring, and underinflated tires are guaranteed to waste gas. Conversely, overinflated tires make ride quality worse because they're less compliant. The wrong air pressure also causes tires to wear unevenly, which shortens the tires’ lifespan. You can find out how much air you need in your tires in the owner’s manual or on a sticker inside the driver’s door. Check your tire pressures before you leave, and then roughly every 2,000 km as you travel. Be sure to check your tire pressure again if you encounter a significant change in temperature, as that affects the pressure within your tires as well.
Rotation
Even if your tire pressure is correct, variations in suspension calibration, weight balance, driving habits and road conditions make tires wear at different rates. Because of this, it's important to periodically rotate your tires between different locations on your car. Swapping tires from right to left or front to rear helps them last longer because each spot wears down a tire in different areas. Check your maintenance schedule, but tire rotations should be completed every 9,000 to 15,000 km, or as soon as you notice that one side of your tire tread has worn down significantly faster than the other side.
Replacement
If your tires are starting to look bald, the quarter test is an easy way to check if it’s time for replacements. Just insert a quarter into one of the grooves. If you can see the tip of the caribou’s nose, then you should have your tires looked at by a technician who can professionally check and record tire tread depth to determine if new tires are needed. While most tires last anywhere from 40,000 to 80,000 km depending on their type and use, if damage like punctures, exposed cords or sidewall bulges occur, they should be replaced immediately.
General Maintenance
Cars have many components that must be maintained to stay in good working order, so make sure to check a few key parts before you hit the road:
Brake pads
Brake pads provide the friction needed to slow and stop your car. They wear away with use, eventually becoming too thin to work effectively. Usually it's obvious when this happens due to the irritating screeching or squealing noise they make when there isn’t enough pad material left. Replacing the brake pads should fix the noise and more importantly, make your road trip safer. Depending on what your brake pads are made of and how they're used, they should last for 40,000 km or more.
Air filters
The road is a dirty place. Cars use air filters to prevent dust, debris and bugs from entering the engine and interior. Eventually these air filters reach capacity and can become clogged, impacting engine performance, fuel economy and interior air quality. Check your vehicle maintenance schedule, but your engine air filter and cabin filter should generally be checked every 6 months or 8,000 km. Fortunately, these are usually inexpensive and easy to change.
Your vehicle works hard on a road trip, so make sure to give it what it needs to keep running smoothly. Happy trails!
