Understanding How Engines Work: My Automotive Blog

Before you finally take off on your long awaited road trip, you will want to make sure that you are conducting a vehicle safety check. This way, it will be less likely that you will experience any problems that could have been avoided. To help you do this, you might want to take a few moments to review the following things that should be checked out.

Tread On Your Tires

A great way to reduce your chances of a blown tire is to make sure that there is plenty of tread. There are two ways to check this yourself. You can buy a tire tread gauge or try the quarter trick. Take a quarter and place it in the tire tread, upside down and so that the front of the coin is facing you. Can you see the top of the president's head with ease? If so, then you do not have enough tread on your tire and should consider having them replaced before you take off down the road.

Battery Charge And Terminal Condition

First, make sure that you are taking a few minutes to clean your battery terminals if they are dirty or look like they are corroded. This is easily done with terminal cleaners sold through your auto parts supply store and following the directions on the bottle. While you are shopping for this cleaner, you might want to ask if they offer the free measuring of the charge in your battery. Even if they require a small fee, it may be worth it. They will determine how much charge is left in your battery. From that measurement, they will be able to advise you as to whether your battery should have enough juice for a road trip or if it should be replaced first. 

Fluid Levels And Replacement

You want to make sure that you are checking the levels of your windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid, and antifreeze. You may want to invest a little money in having your transmission fluid flushed and refilled, as well as an oil change. This not only gives your vehicle the care that it needs, but it helps to make sure that there will be no trouble with the fluids while you are on the road.

With those few things in mind, you should have no problem making sure that you are as prepared as possible when it comes to the condition of your vehicle. So visit a local auto repair shop, such as Fantastik Auto Repair, to make sure everything looks good before you head out.