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The school holidays are almost here which for many people involves long hours spent on the road visiting people or having time away with their family. While road trips are always looked forward to, there is plenty of organisation that goes in beforehand, and one of the most important things to look at is car maintenance.
Never ignore dashboard warning lights. Pull over as soon as you can and check for any related issue.
Your car should be serviced regularly however a quick self-service should be done before any road trip. There are several items to check to make sure your car, and holiday, runs smoothly.
- Tyres
Make sure all of your tyres have the correct pressure and rotate them regularly to ensure even wear. Check that your tyres have enough tread as RTA guidelines state that the legal minimum is 1.5mm on any part of the tyre surface. You should also check for any abnormal wear and damage such as bulges or cracks, which could cause blowouts. Lastly don’t forget that the above also applies to your spare tyre.
- Oil
There are two things to keep an eye on here. The first is the level of oil and making sure there is enough. This is done simply by checking the levels on the dipstick, however you should also pay attention to what the oil looks like as it should be shiny and clean. If it’s dark and thick, then you should do an oil change, and always keep some oil handy for top ups.
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- Coolant
This can be a major issue - especially over our hot summers. Coolant prevents your engine from overheating so you need to ensure your radiator is full and inspect all of your hoses to make sure they aren’t soft or cracked. Like oil, you should always have some spare coolant to top up when needed.
- Lights
We always use them however apart from headlights it’s not often you notice if anything is not working. Headlights (both low and high beam), blinkers, brake and reverse lights should all be checked to ensure they are functioning correctly and replace any bulbs that may have blown.
By checking these items along with general maintenance, you will have a much better chance of getting safely to your destination.