The winter school holidays are upon us, and that means that a lot of families will be hitting the road and heading to secluded holiday spots or to visit relatives. Before you get going on your next adventure, there are a few checks you should perform on your car to make sure your travels go smoothly and don’t have any unexpected car troubles. 

1. Check your coolant and oil levels

The most impactful check you can do on your car before a road trip is to check your coolant levels and your water levels. You may need to top them up or replace them before your trip. 

You may also identify a leak in wither system, in which case it’s advised that you book your car in for a service as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your car. Oil leaks are particularly common if your vehicle has been idle for a while, so it’s worth checking for any leaks if this is the case.

2. Check your brake lights and headlights

Broken car lights are one of the easiest things to overlook on your car, because you don’t see them when you’re driving, and you may never notice the lack of light. When you’re driving at night-time and relying on your headlights as your only source of light, you are going to regret not checking on those lights before you left home. 

Dull headlights can also signal battery issues in your car, so take the time to check all your lights in darkness to identify any problems. 

3. Check on your spare tyre

If you’re in the middle of nowhere, with kids in the back of the car who are hungry and tired, your spare tyre is going to be your lifeline if anything goes wrong with your main 4 tyres. 

There is absolutely nothing worse than going to use your spare tyre and finding that it’s not usable, so take the time now to check for cracks, cuts, impacts, and punctures. 

4. Listen for unusual noises

It’s easy during the day-to-day running of your car to get used to a few weird noises here and there, but those are exactly the sort of thing that you should pay attention to when you’re planning to take a road trip.

Any grinding or squeaking noises can be a sign that something’s not right with your car, so if you’re hearing anything weird, that’s a sign that it’s time to take a trip to the mechanics.

5. Clean your car thoroughly, inside and outside

Over time dirt and grime can eat away at the interior and exterior materials of your car. Giving your car a deep clean can not only make it look and feel like new again, but it can also protect your car’s interior against wear-and-tear, which it is likely to get a lot of during a road trip.

It’s important that the outside gets cleaned just as thoroughly as the inside to avoid paint corrosion. Bird poo, for example, can eat away at your car’s exterior paint causing discolouration and etching. 

If you are about to embark on an epic road trip and want to make sure your car is in tip-top condition, come in and see our team at Pearson Automotive! We are your local Milton car repair hub and mechanic. Give us a call to discuss your concerns, or book a service or repair today to get a vehicle service quote.