Car checklist before a long trip

From the author

A long trip is a serious exam for your car. Even a small problem such as a worn wiper, for example, may cost you a comfort of the whole trip. Things like poor battery, out-of-balance tire or improper alignment may turn your trip into a nightmare. Therefore, the money and effort you spend to prepare your car will certainly pay off. In this article, I described simple tips that may help you to check your car before a long trip. However, I mentioned o­nly few components that may be visually inspected. There are many components such as brakes and suspension that may o­nly be inspected by a repair shop. I'd definitely suggest going to a dealer or repair shop for thorough vehicle inspection. Ask for o­ne of those maintenance packages with oil change, tire rotation and mechanical inspection. Don't leave it for a last moment, do it some time before going into a trip. Remember, Safety First!

Check your Owners Manual

Read your owner's manual - It's the best source of useful information. From how to use an overdrive when towing a trailer to how to change the tire and where is the jack located - it's all there. Also, you may find out the proper tire pressure and how to check the oil level, where is the transmission dipstick located, and a whole lot more.

Under the hood

Check the engine oil

Many engine problems ranging from troubles with electronic to major engine failures are initially caused by simply lack of oil changes. If your next oil change is due soon, definitely do it before trip. To check the engine oil place the car o­n a flat surface, warm up and stop the engine. Wait for a minute allowing the oil to flow down the oil pan. Cannot find the dipstick? - check your car owner's manual to see where exactly it's located. Usually it has some kind of bright color handle that indicates "ENGINE OIL". Pull the engine oil dipstick wipe it with a clean rug or tissue and insert it back fully. Pull it out again and check the level. If the oil appears too black - it needs to be changed. If it looks OK, but the level is low, you can just top it up using the same type of oil as you already have in the engine.

Automatic Transmission fluid

Long trip with a full load will be another exam for your automatic transmission. If your transmission fluid change due soon I'd suggest to do it before trip. How to check the transmission fluid: Warm up the car. Place the car o­n a level surface. Set the hand brake. With the shifter lever in Parking position and the engine idling [the procedure may vary o­n certain models, refer to the owner's manual] pull the automatic transmission fluid dipstick, wipe it and insert it back fully. Pull it again and check the fluid level and condition. Conventional transmission fluid has red or pinkish-red color when it's new. Over the time under high temperature and load the transmission fluid looses it's qualities and oxidizes becoming more brownish. If it appears too dark it's better to change it, especially if you going to tow a trailer. If the trailer is very heavy, consider to install additional transmission fluid cooler.

Engine antifreeze (coolant)

Check the engine antifreeze level in the overflow tank - it's visible from outside. The level should be between "Min" and "Max" marks. (Don't open the radiator cap when it's hot!) If it appears low, look for possible leaks. Any leaks should to be fixed before taking a trip - lack of coolant o­n the road may cause engine to overheat which is vital for the engine.

Battery

Unfortunately, there is no way to tell when the battery will die - sometimes it happens unexpectedly with no prior signs. However, if you feel that cranking speed is slower than before, the battery is probably close to its end. Usually the new battery may last from 2 to 5 years so if your battery is 4 - 5 years old I'd just replace it before going to a trip. Check the battery condition visually. If you see any acid leaks, cracks or any other damage - replace the battery. Make sure the battery terminals are tight and not corroded. Corroded terminals will cause troubles o­n the trip.

Other items to check under the hood

Look at the drive belt (in the picture), if it appears cracked or glazed, or has any other damage - replace it before trip. Check the brake fluid, power steering fluid and make sure to top up the windshield washer reservoir with all-season windshield washer fluid. If you don't remember when last time you changed your air filter, change it now. Dirty air filter will cause lack of power and excessive fuel consumption. Look for anything irregular - leaks, loose clamps, kinked hoses, etc.

Check the tires

Check the tire pressure. Recommended pressure is indicated o­n the manufacturer's label, which usually located in the driver's door opening or in the glove box. Some German cars have this label in the back side of gas tank lid. You also can find it in the owner's manual. Feel vibration at cruising speed? - have your tires balanced. There is a safe limit of the tread wear. If the tire is worn below this limit, it's unsafe to drive. Refer to the result of mechanical inspection. Uneven tire wear indicates alignment problem.

Suspension and steering components

A steering and suspension of your car is something that you need to rely o­n in a long trip. Unfortunately, it o­nly can be properly inspected in a repair shop. Here are just a few signs of possible problem: Having any vibration? Irregular noise? Knocking while driving over bumps? Have your car inspected, there is definitely some problem. Look inside the wheel arch (look at the picture)- all four struts (shock absorbers) appears dry? If any of them leaks oil - it should be replaced before a trip. o­nce it will be short o­n oil, the car will start bouncing like a boat and any road roughness can throw the car out of the road. The car "wanders" from side to side at highway speed? The steering wheel is out of center? A car pulls aside? Check the wheel alignment. Improper wheel alignment may easily cause a car to skid at a high speed.

CV joint boots

All front wheel drive and many of four wheel drive vehicles have CV-joints (Constant Velocity joint) used to transfer the torque to the front wheels. The CV-joint is greased inside and sealed by a rubber boot that unfortunately tend to break sometimes. O­nce it breaks, the grease comes out and the whole CV-joint may become inoperative in a short period of time due to lack of lubrication. CV-joint located o­n the internal side of each of the front wheels. You can check CV-joint boots visually looking inside the front wheel arch from the front of the car with the wheel turned outside. The boot should be dry. If it's broken, you will see a grease splashed all over the area. If the boot does broken, it needs to be replaced before a trip.

Convenience features

Check the horn, wipers and all the lights. A couple of spare bulbs (one for the headlight, o­ne for the back) may be helpful. Replace the wipers if they don't clean the windshield perfectly. If you still have original wipers installed you may just replace wiper rubber refills which cost just a few bucks and may be purchased from a dealer. Check the windshield washer operation. Make sure your heater / air conditioner works properly. Have a broken or cracked rearview mirror? - fix it before a trip.

Spare tire, wheel wrench and the jack

Check the spare tire pressure. If it's full size (the same size as the others tires) spare, the pressure should be the same as in the other tires. If it's a small temporary use tire the proper pressure is indicated o­n the tire, usually it's 50 - 60 psi. Check the owner's manual for exact data. If your car has a spare tire secured underneath make sure it can be easily removed - the mechanism may be rusted through. Check if the jack is still operable. If you have wheel locks installed make sure you have the key and the wrench to open the wheel nuts.

What worth to have in a long trip

- Jumper wires or booster battery - Tire repair can as the o­ne in the picture. You can use it to inflate and temporarily seal a flat tire to be able to get to the nearest repair facility. - Spare headlight bulb - A 1 quart (1 liter) bottle of engine oil - Flashlight and set of simple tools (like pliers and screwdriver) - List with important telephone numbers (towing, roadside assistance, etc.) of the area where you are going to.