`Tis the season for family get-togethers and feasts, and in the coming months it’s likely you’ll be driving over the river and through the woods, or perhaps even farther, to get where you need to be during the holidays. But before you hit the road, you need to be sure your car isn’t going to break down—that’d end your trip real quick, wouldn’t it?
Here are five things you absolutely need to check to be sure that they are in fighting condition before you hit the highway:
Tires
You would probably know by now if there were a hole or slow leak, but it never hurts to check! Slow leaks especially can sneak up on you, and by then you’ve probably already shredded the tire and are on your way to being an emotional mess. Flat tires are stressful. Avoid them.
In addition to ruining your gas mileage, poor tire pressure can actually lead to a flat tire later. The night before you leave or on your way out of town, stop and get the tire pressure checked. Most auto garages and service stations, and especially tire specialty shops, will check and fix your tire pressure for no charge—especially if you’ve done business with them before.
The recommend PSI (Pressure per Square Inch) of each tire is listed in the owner’s manual and also typically just inside the driver’s door frame. Some cars can take up to two pounds psi above the listed number for better gas mileage (especially if you’ll be driving for longer than 4 hours to get to your destination) depending on how smooth you need the ride to be.
Coolant
Your coolant tank likely contains antifreeze, and as long as you’re satisfied so far with your brand’s performance, there are only two things you need to check:
Is it full? Look to see if the coolant reaches the “full” line on the coolant reservoir; if it does, you should be just fine. If it doesn’t, top it off or check to see…
Is there a leak? Check under your car for a suspicious liquid the same color and odor of your coolant—you may need a new tank.
Oil
Not to say that you need to get your oil changed every time you head out of town or go on a long trip—that would be ridiculous.
But how many miles has it been since your last change? If you’re going to get to that point before you get home, or if you’ve gone past the point on that little windshield decal and have just kept putting it off, now may be a good time to at least think about changing the oil, whether you change it yourself or pay a mechanic. Your change oil light may have burnt out, and that could leave you high in the mountains with a dry engine.
Windshield Wipers
This is pertinent for everyone, because you never know when a freak storm will strike, but especially to those of you motorists driving where snow is a definite possibility. The time to find your wipers need replacing is not in the middle of a downpour.
Check to be sure your wipers are in proper working order and that the blades are in proper working order—they shouldn’t leave obscuring streaks across the windshield or scrape it. If you need to, replace the blades.
Heaters
This is, technically, a comfort creature, but too much discomfort can lead to distracted driving—your mind isn’t on the road, it’s on how much you wish the temperature was warmer! And it can be a real safety issue when your defog/defrost won’t work on the windshield.
Check to make sure the cabin filters are clean and that the heater heats up evenly. Be sure to check that the vents in the car all open so that any and all passengers you have will be comfortable too!
You shouldn’t have to worry about more than a few questions of “are we there yet?” during your holiday travels—but following this checklist will get you from Thanksgiving Turkey to Christmas Cranberries and everywhere in between safe and sound (and with your car in one working piece)!
