How to Prepare Your Car for Long Road Trips (and What to Do If Things Go Wrong)
There’s nothing quite like a long road trip. The sights along the open highway, new destinations, maybe even a few playlists on standby. But before you fill your vehicle to the brim and hit the road, some preparation ensures that your adventure remains fun.
Most people check their vehicles for gas, tire pressure, and maybe even enough oil before they head out. But a little pre trip vehicle maintenance comes with the intention of saving time, stress, and money later. It takes twenty additional minutes for peace of mind and an opportunity to check things that might become problematic halfway through your road trip.
Preparing Your Vehicle for a Successful Long Drive
Be sure to check your fluids. Not just oil. Unless you want to hear under-car explosions the hard way, make sure your coolant, brake fluid, and windshield washer fluid all check out. There’s no worse feeling than needing to stop short on a downgrade and realizing your brake fluid’s low. If you’re traveling in heat or mountainous regions, your coolant may end up being the reason why you pull over to call it a day.
Paying attention to tires requires more than a visual inspection. In addition to ensuring proper air pressure, check the tread depth. If your tires are bald, they will struggle to maintain traction during the rain or emergency turns. Investigate for bulges, wear, and tear, or cracks. And don’t forget about the spare. It’s easy to dismiss a flat spare until you’re on the side of the road with a flat tire and a flat spare—not fun!
When it comes to batteries, unless you’re running a hybrid, there shouldn’t be much need for concern. But during a long road trip, battery precautions matter more than an everyday commute. If your battery is older than three years and sluggish, get it tested prior to the trip. It’s problematic in towns you don’t know should your options be limited, so it’s best to get it looked at beforehand.
Belts and hoses are what fail intermittently without much advance notice. Minor inspections can catch cracks in belts and soft hoses and ensure that performance outputs are working well over the long ride. Better to catch them now than when you’re already on a seven-hour road trip.
What to Pack for Peace of Mind
Even with a perfectly maintained vehicle, things can still happen. Having the right supplies makes a breakdown less stressful.
An emergency kit should include jumper cables, flashlights (with working batteries!), basic tools, duct tape, and zip ties. Water and snacks are also good staples to always have in addition to a blanket. If you’re traveling miles away from gas stations and towns, a phone charger that can charge while the car is off is a good bonus.
Keep important phone numbers saved in your phone—your insurance company, roadside assistance if you have it, and a reliable towing service. For drivers in the Newcastle area, having contact information for services like Fenwick towing means help is just a call away if something unexpected happens on the road.
When Things Go Wrong
Here’s the thing. No matter how well you maintain your car, things can still go wrong, especially on long road trips. Driving on extended highways puts different stressors on cars than daily commuting patterns. But knowing what to do when things go wrong keeps them from getting worse.
If your car is making strange sounds, pulling to the side on its own, or lights are going off, do your best to pull over. Ignoring an issue because it feels a little strange often makes a minor issue a major problem with a necessary repair. Get completely off the road if possible, activate hazard lights, and check what the problem is.
Some problems are minor fixes, like a loose gas cap that engages the check engine light. Although it’s not recommended to fix it in the middle of nowhere, a gas station may be able to assist with air in low tires. But overheating, grinding, spilling, or steering complications require a professional.
Making the Right Call
For whatever reason, people think it’s best to drive a damaged vehicle to the nearest town (instead of calling for a tow). It’s rarely the case. Failing transmissions and over-heated motors become increasingly complicated and frayed when drivers decide to ignore them; however, calling for a professional tow means an expense—but it’s often less expensive than the repairs of letting it go.
In today’s world, towing companies do more than just tow broken vehicles, but they often provide roadside assistance for minor issues like dead batteries and flat tires. A quick call can save you from an entire tow.
Staying Safe While You Wait
Once you’ve called for help, the next step is to ensure the safety of all involved. Generally, if you’re on a highway, it’s better to stay in the vehicle with seatbelts on with traffic. If it’s a safer situation off the road and away from traffic, it’s fine to stand, but do not get too close to traffic. If you have warning triangles or flares, put them out.
Keep your phone charged and let someone know where you are and what’s going on. Towing services should give you an estimated time of arrival, which helps everyone involved keep track of their plans.
The Trip Isn’t Over Yet
Getting towed doesn’t have to ruin your entire trip. A towing company can send your vehicle straight to a reputable shop—and if you’re not from the area, many mechanics come highly recommended with service company contacts for after-hours support. Once you’re back on the road, you can make plans to return or move forward.
The best road trips are when preparations meet flexibility. Check your car before you leave, have supplies packed, and know who to call if things go wrong. Most long-distance driving is successful. Those who are prepared will be better equipped to deal with hiccups along the way.