Brake Repair, Fluids, and Tire Pressure Should All Be Dealt with Before a Road Trip

Summer break is often the perfect time for a road trip, but it can be ruined easily by a car that is constantly breaking down. To avoid problems during your vacation, you should check a few aspects of your vehicle before you leave. Consider a few things to check and get repaired before going on your next vacation with your car. 

One of the first things to check is the pressure in your tires. Having low pressure can cause a blowout while you are driving, as you end up putting more weight on the sidewall as you drive. This is not only inconvenient, as you would need a new tire, but it is also dangerous since you could lose control of the vehicle. Having tire pressure that is too high may result in your car bouncing a bit as you drive, resulting in an uncomfortable trip. It may also be harder to stop since your tires do not grip the road very well this way. Therefore, it is wise to get the pressure checked with a gauge, and then fill up the tires as much as you need to before heading out on your vacation. You are also encouraged to check this issue each time you get gas while on your road trip.

You should also get any necessary brake repair before you leave. Clearly, stopping in time is a major part of safe driving, and brakes that do not work well can compromise your ability to stop before you rear end someone or hit a light pole. Additionally, brakes that squeak or grind are not pleasant to listen to, especially on a long trip, and they are a sign that your vehicle needs to be checked out. The costs of brake repair can range depending on whether you need new brake pads, rotors, calipers, or simply more fluid. As long as you budget for a few hundred dollars, you will probably be all set to fix your brakes before your vacation. 

You also need to check your car's fluids in general. For example, make sure it has enough oil since you could ruin the engine if it does not. Obviously, checking the gas amount is important so you do not get stranded on the side of the road. Find out if the vehicle has fluid in the windshield reservoir since this is necessary if you want to be able to clean your windows as you drive. You can expect to get lots of dirt, debris, and dead bugs on the windshield as you drive, and being able to wipe all this off without stopping is helpful. 

You can do most of these tasks on your own, such as checking fluids and tire pressure. You can even check the auto's brake fluid on your own. However, brake repair should usually be done by a professional, unless you know how to change pads, rotors and calipers on your own. In most cases, getting all this done before you leave for vacation is cheaper since this way, you can shop around and compare prices instead of going to just any shop out of desperation on your trip.