Holiday season travel: Is you car holiday travel ready?
Every year, thousands of South Africans travel by car to visit friends and family during the holiday season. If you’re one of them, it’s important to ensure your vehicle is in good condition before hitting the open road.
The holidays are an exciting and sometimes stressful time of the year for most. To experience the season to the fullest, you’ll want to make sure your car is prepared for any trips that you plan to take. The checklist below will give you an idea of what to do to help prevent a breakdown and keep your family safe:
- Repair Any Know Problems and Take Care of Outstanding Maintenance
Before you begin your holiday travels, it’s also important to take care of any routine maintenance that’s due (or overdue)—and we’re not just talking about oil changes. Routine maintenance includes everything from flushing coolant to replacing spark plugs. If you’ve been ignoring an illuminated check engine light, a strange noise from the undercarriage—or any other type of problem—you’ll want to fix the issue before you depart for the holidays
To determine what maintenance is required for your vehicle, consult the service schedule in your owner’s manual or service booklet.
- Check the Fluids
Even if you keep up on routine maintenance, your car could develop leaks and other problems between service intervals. That’s why it’s important to inspect all of the under hood fluids before setting out on a road trip.
You can usually check the engine oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid (if your car has a dipstick), power steering fluid (if equipped), and coolant from under the hood. But remember: You should never check the coolant by removing the cooling system cap while the engine is hot. Doing so could result in severe injury.
Many vehicles also have fluids (e.g., differential fluid) that must be checked from underneath the car. If you have the know-how, you can safely support your vehicle on jack stands and check these fluids yourself.
Otherwise, the next time your car is in for an oil change, you can ask a professional to do the job for you. Make sure to also check your water level and the water in the washer bottle. Check that your wiper blades are in good condition and that they are working. It’s also a good idea to take spare water with you in case the car engine overheats.
- Remember Road Trip Essentials
While you’re focusing on car care, you might also want to take a few minutes to consider the well-being of the occupants inside your vehicle. You never know what you might encounter on the open road this holiday season, so it’s best to be prepared for anything with a collection road trip essentials.
Some of the items you might want to bring along include:
- Water and food
- Medication (if you need it)
- Flashlight and batteries
- Cell phone charger
- First aid kit
- Pet food (if you’re bringing your furry friend along)
- Hazard triangles
- Tyre Inspection
Tyre pressure is also important as under-inflated tyres flex more and build up heat, creating poor handling and potentially leading to failure, creating a safety risk. Under inflated tyres are also less fuel efficient and wear out faster.
Check your tyres and tyre pressure, including the spare before undertaking a long journey.
It’s a good idea to visit a car servicing centre and get your wheel alignment checked. Inaccurate wheel alignment causes faster, uneven wearing on tyres as well as noisiness, vibration and skidding while driving, causing potential safety issues.
- Consider Having a Professional Perform a Pre-Trip Inspection
If you have any doubts about the condition of your car (or your ability to assess its condition), it’s a good idea to have a professional look at it before you leave town for a long trip. Many dealers and service centers offer free pre travel inspections so check with your local dealerships. Is your vehicle still under warranty in case of a breakdown
- Have a plan
Consider how far you are travelling and where you are travelling and prepare accordingly. If something goes wrong, will you be able to rely on roadside assist? Have you planned for what to do if you have a breakdown on the road. Who will you call? Where will you go?
These tips can help keep you and your car protected on the road. In addition to safe driving habits, your insurance policy is key to protecting you while driving.