Preparing your automobile for a road trip

Check the following before going on a long road trip.

• Stay on top of your regular maintenance. Whether you are getting ready for a road trip or not, most important thing when it comes to your automobile is regular maintenance. This include your oil and filter change, tire rotation and critical element checks. Before you go on a road trip you need to take your vehicle to the mechanic for a quick checkup.
• Check all your fluid levels. Oil, coolant, brake fluid, and power steering fluid levels are important oil levels you need to maintain for efficient running of your vehicle.
• Check headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals to see whether they are working properly or not.
• Check tire pressure and wear and tear. Tire pressure levels are posted on your car mostly on the doorjamb of the driver side door. If not check your owner’s manual for the recommended PSI for each tire. Keep in mind that outside temperature and climate changes can affect your tire pressure and make sure to check your tires during the trip. You can check your wear and tear of tires by the coin method and minimum tread should be 2/32-inch.
• If you know how, check all belts for possible cracks.