Summer Road Trip Checks: Get Your Car Ready Before You Go

Why holidays find faults

A long motorway run in hot weather, with a fully loaded car and the air con working hard, puts far more strain on a car than a normal week of commuting. Cooling systems, tyres and tired batteries are the usual reasons families end up on the hard shoulder.

Most of these problems give warning signs beforehand, so a check a week or two before you set off is time well spent.

Tyres and pressures

Check tread depth on all four tyres and the spare if you have one. The legal minimum is 1.6mm, but more is much safer in a summer downpour. Look for cuts and bulges on the sidewalls.

Most handbooks, and the sticker in the door shut or fuel flap, give a higher pressure for a fully loaded car. Set them cold before you leave.

Oil, coolant and screenwash

Check the oil on level ground with the engine cold and top up if it is near the minimum. Check the coolant level in the expansion tank, never open it when hot. Fill the screenwash, because summer insects cover a windscreen quickly on the motorway.

Air con and cooling

If your air con is not as cold as it used to be, have it looked at before a long hot drive rather than after. Also keep an eye on your temperature gauge on the way. If it climbs above normal, pull over safely and let the engine cool.

Towing, roof boxes and bike racks

Extra weight and drag mean more fuel and harder work for brakes and tyres. Make sure bike racks do not cover your number plate or lights, and check the towbar electrics before you set off.

A pre-holiday check in Oldbury

If you would rather have someone else look over the car, an interim service before your holiday covers oil, filters, fluids, tyres, brakes and lights. Bring it to us on Park Lane in Oldbury or call 0121 544 3736 to book.