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6 Tips for your Last-Minute Summer Road Trip

· 4 min read

Thinking about planning a road trip to make the most of the last few weeks of summer? Don’t let car troubles hold you back from making those summer memories. Here are a few car maintenance tasks to take care of to ensure your car is ready before you hit the road!

  1. Tires - Making sure your tires are in good shape is essential to a smooth and safe trip. Both overinflated and underinflated tires can cause problems, so be sure to check your tire pressure. If you aren’t sure what the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle is, you can often find it on the placard on your driver’s side door jamb or in your car’s manual! While you’re at it, you should also check the tread on each of your tires. If they are wearing unevenly it might be time to rotate your tires, or if they’ve all worn down too much it might be best to replace them before your trip! Brighton Ford offers an array of tire care and maintenance, and has 13 different name brand tires for you to choose from!
  1. Fluids - Before you head out you’ll want to make sure the six major fluids are either changed or topped off. These major fluids include oil, radiator fluid (also called coolant or antifreeze), power steering fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and windshield washer fluid. The need to change these fluids typically goes by mileage so check when you last had your vehicle serviced, and if you are going to hit that mileage milestone on your trip it’s best to get your car serviced before you go. The Works Fuel Saver Package at Brighton Ford comes with an oil change, as well as tire rotation, brake inspection, battery test, and Vehicle Check-Up Report, so it’s a great option to cover all your bases before a trip!
  1. Brakes - Having your brakes in good working order is a vital part of vehicle safety. To check on these, take a quick drive around to test out your brakes. If there’s any vibrating, grinding, or squealing, you should have a professional look at your brake pads to see if they need to be replaced. The technicians at Brighton Ford are highly trained and certified to perform all sorts of brake maintenance and repairs.
  1. Belts, Hoses, and Air Filters - A couple of other important factors for vehicle function and safety are the belts and hoses under the hood, and your air filters. Belts should be tight, and not have any visible frays or cracks, and there should be no leaks coming from the hoses. Both the engine and cabin air filters prevent debris from entering the vehicle, and they should be changed every 10,000 to 15,000 miles according to popularmechanics.com!
  1. Cleaning - There’s nothing better than a nice clean car, especially if you’re going to be driving for a long time! Before you set off for your adventure, take the time to give your vehicle a good clean. Remove all the trash and unnecessary items (those bags of clothes you’ve been meaning to donate are taking up valuable luggage and souvenir space!), and give your car a good vacuum! Don’t feel like doing a deep clean yourself? Brighton Ford has a fantastic team to do interior and exterior details!
  1. Emergency Kit - Sometimes, things go wrong in spite of all of our attempts to prevent it. That’s why it’s a good idea to have an emergency kit somewhere in your car! Your kit can include anything you may need in case of an emergency. Some staples could include jumper cables, water, non perishable snacks, a flashlight, batteries, a basic tool kit, a blanket or towel, and a first aid kit.

The best way to enjoy your summer road trip is worry free because you took the steps to ensure that your vehicle is safe, clean, and working at its best! Want to get service done on your car, but don’t have the time to come into the dealership? Brighton Ford offers Mobile Service! Our technicians can perform a lot of the same services remotely that we do in the dealership, such as oil and filter changes, brake services, batteries, tire rotations and more. Schedule a time for our Mobile Service Technicians to come to you, and get your vehicle ready to ride!

Call us at 1-800-NEW-FORD today!

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Jan 13, 2026

Winter Emergency Supplies Blog

There’s an extra list of things to worry about when it comes to driving in the winter time. Most of us have seen (or been in) cars that get stuck in a snow bank or can’t get traction on an icy patch. And one of the worst feelings is leaving work at the end of the day, it’s already dark outside, and realizing that there are a couple of inches of snow and a layer of frost covering your windshield. So, with the winter weather moving in, now is the time to triple check that you have everything you need in case of an emergency! Here are a few things we find extra helpful! Windshield Scraper- This one seems pretty obvious, but it’s one of the worst things to be caught without! Small Shovel- If you have the space in your car, keeping a small shovel can be an absolute life-saver for digging out the space you need to get moving. Sand or Cat Litter- Sometimes, a little extra traction is all your tires need to get you moving again. Putting a little bit of sand or litter in front of your tires can often give you the boost you need! Jumper Cables- The last thing you want to be doing is sitting in a car with a dead battery, shivering while you wait for someone who has cables to get to you. Cell Phone Charger- In tandem with the jumper cables, it can be pretty hard to get help when your phone is out of battery! Boots- If you are someone who wears less protective foot wear, it might be helpful to keep a pair of boots in your vehicle. A pair of stilettos are fine in the office, but not very conducive to scraping your windshield or digging out your tires! Emergency Kit- If you are stuck beyond getting yourself out, it’s always smart to keep some emergency supplies to hold you over until help can make it out to you. Drinking Water and Snacks- We always hope that we won’t be stuck for long, but it’s even worse to be stuck for a while and to be hungry or thirsty. Blankets- In a situation where you can’t run the vehicle, it’s good to have at least a blanket or two to bundle up in! Extra Layers- Like with the blankets, it’s good to have extra socks, gloves, hats, scarves, jackets, or any other layers to keep warm, or layer up if you have to get out of your vehicle! First Aid Kit- This is a good one to keep in your vehicle at all times, just in case! Flashlight and Batteries- With the sun setting early in the evening, having a flashlight, and making sure it has the batteries to work can be super important. The best way to avoid an actual emergency is to be prepared, so take a few minutes to go over what you may need to keep safe and warm on the road this winter!

Dec 30, 2025

Closing the Year with Purpose: Our Partnership with LACASA

In this final week of the year, we are honored to close things out on a cheerful and humbling note by celebrating our long-standing partnership with our friends at LACASA Center, which serves survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual violence in Livingston County. This year, our team not only stepped up as presenting sponsor of the LACASA gala and volunteered on the gala committee and at the event, but also helped make possible the donation of a new transit van to support LACASA’s critical work in the community. Through our Home for Good campaign, we were able to support the creation of LACASA’s new “forever home” facility, which brings comprehensive shelter, advocacy, and counseling services together under one roof for survivors and their families.​ We are deeply proud of our team and leaders whose generosity, time, and commitment have helped make giving back to LACASA possible, and we remain grateful for the opportunity to stand alongside an organization that provides safety, dignity, and hope to more than 5,000 victims and their families each year.

Oct 27, 2025

EV Charging Times

When it comes to electric vehicles, a common question that gets asked is “How long does it take to charge?”, and the answer is it depends! Here we’ll break down the important things you’ll need to know to get charged up and ready to drive. Charger Level - A major factor in how long it’s going to take to charge your vehicle is the level of charger that you are using. Level 1 - These use a standard 3 prong socket, and standard 120V household power, and they are plugged directly into a wall socket. The power is dictated by the home’s wiring, and can add around 3 to 5 miles of range per hour of charging. Level 2 - These chargers have a 240V connection, and should be installed by a professional electrician. Adding about 25 miles of range per hour of charging, this is commonly used as a home charger because it is capable of completely charging a vehicle overnight. There are also tens of thousands of these available around the U.S. at public charging stations. Level 3 - In these chargers, the DC (direct current) conversion happens in the charging station rather than in your vehicle, which for you means quicker charging! Depending on the charger, a level 3 could add up to 100 miles of range in anywhere from an hour to just a few minutes. t’s also important to note that there are a lot of factors that can influence how quickly your vehicle charges, and how long it holds its charge. Take into consideration the size of your battery pack, the efficiency of your vehicle, and the weather (especially temperature)! Check out our Electric Vehicle page to learn more about how you can use the FordPass app to find and use for chargers all around the country! By: Skylar Deming, Marketing Associate

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Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable taxes, title, or registration, which the consumer is responsible for paying.

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