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!
- 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!
- 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!
- 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.
- 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!
- 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!
- 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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