You rely on your vehicle, and you trust that you and your family will arrive at your intended destination safely, without incidence and without costly emergency repairs. As you are planning any upcoming road trips, mention your plans to your service technician, and he will perform a thorough inspection to ensure your vehicle is prepared to start your trip. Such preventive maintenance will help you to avoid unnecessary and untimely break downs. Once your car is in the shop, the following inspection can be completed in about 10 minutes and could save you a lot of grief:

1. Check the fluids – all of them! Antifreeze, oil, power steering, brake and transmission fluids and windshield washer solvent. Top up all fluids.
2. Check your belts and hoses. A slipping belt will affect the electrical system, the air conditioning, the power steering and the cooling system. Hoses should be firm and flexible, not spongy. Check hoses for cracks, splits, bulges or discolouration, all of which signal a potential problem and indicate that the hose should be replaced.
3. Check your tires. Ensure that they are inflated to the recommended level. Also, check for uneven wear, which could mean you need a wheel alignment, and for bulges and bald spots on your tires, which indicates that you should replace them. Once you’re ready for your trip and the car is loaded, check the tires one more time to ensure the tire-air pressure is adequate given the additional weight load. Enjoy the ride!

If you’ve not had your vehicle serviced in the last few months, you may want to bring it in to have additional inspections performed, including:

• Check the brakes: front and back
• Check the exhaust system
• Flush the cooling system (this should be done at least once every five years)
• Pressure-check the cooling system and inspect for leaks
• Test the battery to check its ability to hold a charge
• Test the alternator output to ensure the charging system is working well
• Check to make sure your wiper blades are working properly
• Check your oil to see if it needs to be changed

Once you’re ready for your trip and the car is loaded, check the tires one more time to ensure the tire-air pressure is adequate given the additional weight load. Enjoy the ride!