5 Essential Vehicle Prep Tips for your Summer Road Trip
The bags are packed, the playlist is ready, and the open road is calling. But before you back out of the driveway for that much-anticipated summer getaway, there is one crucial question: is your vehicle road-ready?
Summer heat and long highway miles can push a car to its limits. To keep your vacation running smoothly—and to avoid the headache of a breakdown—follow these top five tips to prep your vehicle.
- Check Your Tires (And Don't Forget the Spare)
Your tires are your only point of contact with the road, yet research from AAA shows that 60% of drivers do not check their tire pressure at least once a month. Hot asphalt increases tire pressure, elevating the risk of a blowout if your tires are already over-inflated or structurally worn.
- The Fix: Check your tire pressure when the tires are cool, ensuring they match the PSI listed on your driver’s side door jamb. While you are at it, check the tread depth and ensure your spare tire is fully inflated. Or, stop in and have our team check it for free!
- Top Off Vital Fluids
Fluids are the lifeblood of your engine, keeping it cool and lubricated when temperatures spike.
- The Fix: Park on a flat surface and check your engine oil, coolant, and brake fluid. If you are within 1,000 miles of your next scheduled oil change, it is best to get it done before hitting the road. Finally, top off your windshield washer fluid with a bug-removing summer formula. Want the brands your vehicle maker recommends? Our Parts Teams can help!
All of our service center managers noted that before you leave for a summer road trip you should check your oil, fluids and tires. “Make sure your tires are road-trip ready before you leave -- Tire pressure (including the spare tire, if you have one), tread depth and overall tire condition like any cracks, bulges, or embedded objects and whether the tires are rated appropriately for the season and conditions you'll encounter.” - Chuck Smith, Stuckey Nissan Service Center Manager
- Test Your Battery
We often associate dead batteries with freezing winter mornings, but extreme summer heat is actually harder on your car’s battery. Heat accelerates chemical degradation, meaning a weak battery can fail without warning.
- The Fix: Inspect the battery terminals for white, green, or blue corrosion and make sure the connections are tight. If your battery is more than three years old, have a professional test its remaining capacity to ensure it holds a charge. Did you know we test your battey for FREE?
- Inspect the A/C and Cabin Filter
A functioning air conditioner is a matter of safety and sanity on a long summer drive. If your A/C is struggling to blow cold air, it might just need a refrigerant recharge, or your cabin air filter might be clogged.
- The Fix: Turn the A/C on full blast to test its cooling capacity. If the airflow feels weak or warm, have the system inspected. Replacing a dirty cabin filter will also improve airflow and keep dust and pollen out of the interior. But wait, did you know we also perform a FREE basic A/C check at our service centers?
- Pack a Roadside Emergency Kit
Even with perfect preparation, the unexpected can happen. Being stranded on the side of the highway is stressful, but a well-stocked emergency kit makes it much safer.
- The Fix: Pack a dedicated kit that includes jumper cables, a flashlight with extra batteries, first-aid supplies, basic tools, reflective warning triangles, and extra drinking water.
Our Service Center Manager’s top 3 things they recommend you have in your emergency kit: jumper cables/jump pack, blanket and flashlight.
Hit the Road with Confidence
Don’t let a preventable mechanical issue derail your summer plans. If you would rather leave the prep to the pros, the service team at Stuckey Automotive has you covered. Schedule a pre-trip inspection today, and we’ll make sure your vehicle is in peak condition for wherever the road takes you.