Summer. Season of beach, heat, vacations and, for many, of extensive road trips in which, in the space of a few days, they end up subjecting their cars to cover the same mileage that, under normal conditions, would take a few months to cover.
Now, of course, the effort associated with long hours of travel with the house on your back, on days when temperatures are often (abnormally) high, ends up "passing the bill" to mechanics, and if this is not well maintained, there is a serious risk that a pleasant trip with family (or with friends) ends up on the trailer.
To avoid inconvenience, we leave you here a series of tips (or a checklist if you prefer) of everything you should check before going out on the road and with which you can minimize the risks of ending up standing on the side of the road with the bonnet open .
1. Review
Leaves no doubts, does it? If the light has been on on the instrument panel for some time and you are planning to go on vacation, it might not be a bad idea to stop by the workshop first and comply with the maintenance plan established by the brand.Subscribe to our newsletter
If the date of the review is approaching, the ideal is to anticipate the review a few days (or weeks). It's the best way to confirm whether or not your car is able to travel. In addition, if you need to change any part, you should leave plenty of time before the departure date.
2. Oil level
As you well know, oil is essential for the proper functioning of the engine, that's why we also have some tips regarding it. Its level must be within the limits established by the manufacturer (neither less nor... more, even to avoid situations such as auto-combustion cases). Therefore, before hitting the road, we advise you to check the oil level and, if necessary, replenish it.
If the car has been idle for a long time or the expected date for oil replacement is approaching, do not look at the expense and change the oil, as you believe that, in this case, it is not saving that will be the gain.
3. Coolant level
Since they are “hands on” checking the oil level, we advise that they do the same with the coolant level. Attention, we are talking about coolant and not water, as this is corrosive and therefore should not be used in the cooling circuit.As with oil, also with the coolant must respect the values imposed by the manufacturer, and it might not be a bad idea to change the coolant, as there is a tendency that, over time, it becomes in an electrolytic solution due to the metals it comes into contact with, becoming a corrosive agent.
4. Brakes and tires
Other components to check before hitting the road are brakes and tyres. As for the brakes, if they detect any strange behavior during braking (such as yaws to one side or unbalance) or if they hear the traditional “squeak”, it can indicate the pads for reform.
In the case of tires, the first thing to check is the pressure. Then check the level of wear and if they still have “floor” or if they already look more like slicks.
Another factor to look out for is the age of the tire itself (if you don't know where to find it, this article explains where to find it). Is that even if it still has a good tread, the rubber of an old tire loses qualities, and may even be dry, which increases the risk of lack of grip or even bursting.
5. Lights
Let's be honest, there are few things more unpleasant about an overnight car trip than bumping into those one-eyed cars where only one of the headlights is working.However, to avoid being part of this group, we advise you to check the status of all the car lights before a trip. Ideally, this is done with the help of someone outside to check that all the lights are working. They can also do this alone, parking the car close to a wall to see the reflection of the lights.
6. Windshield wiper
In this case, there are two things to check. First they must confirm that the brushes are in good condition. It's rare, but it rains in summer too, and if there's anything unpleasant it's having windshield wipers that mess more than they clean or that treat us to a symphony of chilling squeaks.
Secondly, check the liquid level in the windshield wipers, because after a day spent on dirt roads along the beach, believe that this liquid will come in very handy, especially if you have to travel with a beautiful sunset. sun ahead.
7. Direction
Finally, the last tip we have to give is to check the status of the direction. To do this, check for vibrations in the steering wheel (which may indicate a wheel needing to be balanced) or if, by dropping the steering wheel on a flat straight and at a constant speed, the car “pulls” to one side (which is synonymous from an unaligned direction).
If any of these symptoms are felt, our advice is that they do not hit the road without first checking the source of the problem (and solving it). In addition to being uncomfortable to drive a car with misaligned steering or unbalanced wheels, doing so entails safety risks.
After following all these tips and ensuring that the car is ready to go to the end of the world (or the Algarve, you decide), all that remains is for us to wish you a safe trip and enjoy the summer behind the wheel