Got a long drive coming up? Whether this is vacation, going to visit a family member a long way away or a trip for work, it is important that you take the time to ensure that your vehicle is ready to hit the road. Hopefully so that you will not encounter any issues that could ruin your trip. Here are a few of the key steps to take to prepare your car.

Check Fluids Levels

Your car will be using a number of different fluids and these can become depleted over a long distance, so it is important to check your fluids levels and top up if necessary. The key fluids to top up to the recommended level include:

Engine oil

Transmission fluid

Brake fluid

Coolant

Power steering fluid

Windshield washer fluid

Check Car Battery

The battery is the heart of the car. So you certainly don’t want to have any battery issues on your trip. You can test the car battery to check its health before setting off. Make sure to do this well in advance of the trip so that you can find find the right replacement car batteries if needed.  

Tyres

The car tyres can suffer from wear and tear over a long distance, so you want to check their condition before you set off to ensure that they are ready for a long trip. You should top the tyres up to the recommended pressure and inspect them for any signs of damage. You should also check the tread depth with a 20p coin – 1.6mm is the legal minimum. Naturally you will want to replace any tyres that are nearing this before you set off.

Brakes

You certainly do not want to have any problems with your brakes while behind the wheel, so you should check the brake pads before you set off to ensure that they are not worn. when you prepare your car you should also pay close attention to the performance of the brakes while driving. Be wary of any changes in performance or strange noises.

Lights

You also need to make sure that all of your lights are working before setting off, especially as you are likely to be driving at night. You may need someone else to help you out with this.

These are the main checks that need to be completed before setting off on a long drive. You do not want any car trouble to ruin the trip, plus you also need to have peace of mind knowing that the car is in a roadworthy condition before setting off.  You should pack an emergency kit with essentials like a flashlight, portable charger and jump leads.