Before popping your vehicle\u2019s hood to do a basic check of things like fluids and belts, there are a number of things to inspect in a walk around. Start with the easiest: toot the horn to ensure that it\u2019s functioning. Then, in addition to checking the operation of all your lights (just ask someone to apply the brakes and signals as you inspect), you\u2019ll also want to pay attention to your vehicle\u2019s tires. If they\u2019re on the older side, you\u2019ll definitely want to look for dry rotting, which displays as tiny cracks or spiderwebbing in the rubber. While a small amount of this might be okay, if you see a regular pattern, it\u2019s best to visit a tire shop for a second opinion. While you\u2019re at it, you can also inspect the amount of tread that\u2019s left on your tires by using a penny. Slip a penny into the grooves of your tires with Lincoln\u2019s head facing down (standing on the top of his head). The rule of thumb is: if you can see his full head, then it\u2019s time for new tires.<\/p>\n
As you inspect each tire, also be sure to check their air pressure. Not only will this help to ensure safety, but it can save you a few bucks on fuel over the course of your trip. Most vehicles include a sticker placed on the inside door frame where you\u2019ll find the recommended tire pressures (which often differ from front to back). And if you don\u2019t already have a pressure gauge, now\u2019s the time to pick one up for a few dollars and add it to your glove box. Don\u2019t forget to check your vehicle\u2019s spare tire as well, as the last thing you want is to find out that it isn\u2019t service-ready when you need it. In most cases, the spare is stored in an obvious location, but if you need help locating just check your vehicle\u2019s owner\u2019s manual.<\/p>\n
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Step 2: Check Engine Hoses and Belts<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve completed a walk around, it\u2019s time to pop your car\u2019s hood. Starting with the easiest points, give your vehicle\u2019s hoses and belts a quick visual inspection\u2014looking for cracks, splits, dry rotting or evidence of leaks. If you can push or pull on a belt and it bends easily, that\u2019s a good sign that it\u2019s loose and\/or stretched and ready for replacement. Any that look suspicious should be checked prior to heading out, as those can spell major disaster for an engine (and vacation).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Step 3: Top Off Engine Fluids<\/strong><\/p>\n Next you\u2019ll want to check your car\u2019s fluids\u2014including coolant and windshield<\/a> washer fluid. The easiest of these to check is typically the washer fluid, which is stored in a plastic reservoir mounted somewhere in the engine bay, often alongside the front grill or a fender. You\u2019ll find a clear or translucent plastic or rubber tube coming from the reservoir\u2019s cap. Look for blue liquid, or, if it\u2019s empty, look for a cap that displays what looks like a tiny sprinkler on top of it (signifying washer fluid spraying onto the windshield). Verify this in your owner\u2019s manual. Once you\u2019ve found it, just ensure that it\u2019s filled to the max fill line. When topping off, be sure to use windshield washer fluid that\u2019s approved for use in vehicles, as anything else will either be ineffective at cleaning or could even clog or damage your system.<\/p>\n The second reservoir you\u2019ll want to hunt down is for your engine\u2019s coolant. This is where your vehicle draws and stores additional antifreeze (coolant) when needed, in order to maintain the proper operating level in your car\u2019s radiator. This reservoir also prevents you from having to remove the cap on your radiator to check its level or add fluid, which can be dangerous\u2014especially when the vehicle is hot (so don\u2019t do that). Most antifreeze is either red or yellowish-green in color, but if you have any trouble locating the right reservoir, it\u2019s best to consult your owner\u2019s manual for \u201ccoolant.\u201d<\/p>\n On the side of the reservoir container (which often just looks like a plastic bottle with a tube attached to its cap) you\u2019ll find a high and low mark, typically with an indicator for \u201chot\u201d and \u201ccold\u201d and\/or \u201cmin\u201d and \u201cmax.\u201d Just check the level based on your engine\u2019s temperature (if you\u2019ve just driven, it will most likely be hot) and add approved coolant to keep it within the range shown on the reservoir bottle. If the bottle is empty to begin with, you\u2019ll want toyou\u2019re your car cool<\/a> completely (completely) before removing the cap on your radiator to have a peek. After topping off the radiator, you can then add the appropriate level to the reservoir, but it\u2019s a good idea to have your system checked for leaks.<\/p>\n Your car\u2019s owner\u2019s manual is where you\u2019ll find the recommended type of coolant for your vehicle, should you need to purchase any, but you can also consult an employee at your favorite auto parts store. Whether your coolant is low or not, it\u2019s a good idea to keep a bottle in your trunk, or at least a jug of distilled water, in case you experience overheating and need to top off after cooling down.<\/p>\n Step 4: Check Engine Oil<\/strong><\/p>\n Moving to your engine\u2019s oil, you\u2019ll need to check this by pulling a \u201cdipstick.\u201d Be sure to do this after your vehicle has had a chance to sit and cool a little, allowing the oil to settle, as that\u2019s what will give you the most accurate reading. Either consult your owner\u2019s manual to locate the dipstick, or just look for a ring-shaped pull tab\/cap (to slide your finger in) that has an icon of an oil can on it. When you pull the stick, be sure to wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel, then reinsert slowly and completely before removing to take a proper measurement. After removing the dipstick a second time, you\u2019ll find two marks on the end of it\u2014often indicated by lines, dots or holes. For the perfect level, oil should cover the dipstick to the higher of the two marks. Your owner\u2019s manual is where you can find the appropriate type of oil to use, should you need to add. Whether it\u2019s needed or not, this is yet another item to throw in the vehicle before a long trip. If additional oil is needed, the fill cap is typically easy to locate on the top or side of your engine, but consult your owner\u2019s manual if there\u2019s any doubt.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Step 5: Check the Air Filter<\/strong><\/p>\n Another simple check that might not leave you on the side of the road but can greatly impact your car\u2019s performance and fuel efficiency includes the engine air filter. You can consult your manual for instructions on how to locate and open the air filter canister (the plastic housing that holds the filter element), which typically opens via a few simple clasps. Have a quick look to see how clean the filter is. The inside surface (on the backside after you remove it) should always be sparkling clean, as that\u2019s the side that faces your engine\u2019s air intake. The frontside can have a little dirt on it, but if it looks excessive, then it\u2019s probably worthwhile to pop in a new filter, which you can pick up for relatively cheap at an auto parts store and install yourself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Step 6: Check Transmission Fluid<\/strong><\/p>\n Before shutting the engine bay, for vehicles with an automatic transmission you can check the level of its fluid more or less the same way you check engine oil\u2014with a dipstick. But be forewarned that this process can be a little more involved for those who aren\u2019t familiar. Checking the lubrication level on manual transmissions (often called \u201cstick shifts\u201d) is a little beyond most DIY\u2019ers because it requires climbing under the vehicle to remove a plug-bolt. (If you\u2019re a novice, we don\u2019t suggest that you attempt it.) At the same time, if you\u2019ve had your car\u2019s transmission fluid checked and\/or changed in recent years, then chances are this is unnecessary to begin with. But for cars with automatic transmissions, the process is a little easier. The key here is in locating and identifying the right dipstick, but if you\u2019ve already located the dipstick for engine oil, your transmission\u2019s dipstick is really the only one left and is typically located lower in the engine bay, often toward the back.<\/p>\n The pull (usually with a finger loop) will look about the same as what you use to check your engine\u2019s oil but is typically a different shape and\/or color. If there\u2019s any doubt about whether you\u2019ve found the right stick or not, your best bet is to consult your vehicle\u2019s owner\u2019s manual, but you can often tell by the length of the dipstick, which is typically longer than the one used to check engine oil.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also need to ensure that your transmission\u2019s temperature is at an appropriate level for checking. Unlike your engine\u2019s oil, which needs to be settled, in most cases car manufacturers suggest that the transmission be at a certain operating temperature prior to checking. Anything else will give you a false reading, so be sure to follow the instructions. Also, adding transmission fluid is a little trickier than oil, so if you find that it\u2019s low, it\u2019s probably best to have it looked at prior to leaving, especially to ensure that you don\u2019t have any leaks. Otherwise, your transmission could end up slipping and leaving you on the side of the road along the way.<\/p>\n Step 7: Check the Windshield<\/strong><\/p>\n Last but not least, it\u2019s time to check your windshield. And the good news is\u2014this could be the easiest thing on your list (aside from the horn). But it\u2019s also one of the most important.<\/p>\n Before you inspect your vehicle\u2019s glass, take a quick look at your windshield wipers. If they\u2019re dry rotted, cracked or otherwise look like it\u2019s time for replacement, stop at a local auto parts store before heading out. In most cases, if you purchase new blades, an associate is happy to help you install them right in the parking lot. Otherwise, most replacement blades come with instructions and clip into place pretty easily.<\/p>\n When it comes to your windshield, there are just a few things to look for. The first and most obvious includes chips or cracks. And while you\u2019re looking for those, don\u2019t forget to inspect the outer most edges of the windshield where you might not look or notice on a daily basis while driving.<\/p>\n Any chip or crack should be addressed as soon as possible, as under the heat of the summer<\/a> sun or the cold air of winter, those defects can grow rapidly, becoming serious safety issues. It\u2019s important to know that your windshield does more than just block out wind and protect you from rain and road debris; it\u2019s also a structural part of the vehicle\u2014no different than its fenders or roof. In fact, your windshield is among the most important in cases of a vehicle rollover, not only helping to keep you inside, but to prevent the roof from caving in. In addition to interfering with your view, a chip or crack can compromise your windshield\u2019s<\/a> ability to hold up in the event of an accident, so those issues are worth addressing immediately. In most cases, chips and cracks can be repaired by a professional auto glass repair technician (and often without cost to you, depending on insurance), but when they\u2019re too large to repair safely, you\u2019ll need to have your windshield replaced.<\/p>\n Other forms of windshield failure include water leakage, which can be more difficult to spot than physical damages. If you\u2019ve ever opened your vehicle after a heavy rainstorm and found any amount of water in the front floorboards, then there\u2019s a possibility that the sealants<\/a> and\/or gaskets used to affix and seal the windshield to your vehicle\u2019s body could be failing or have defects from an improper installation. Those you\u2019ll want to have checked by an auto glass company. So long as the windshield is in good condition, chances are they can remove and reinstall the glass (properly sealed) according to the Automotive Glass\u00a0Replacement Safety Standard\u2122 (AGRSS).<\/p>\n Other signs to watch out for include the sound of water dripping or\u2014in severe cases\u2014rippling back and forth within the dashboard area. The same is true for sunroofs, which can leak, causing water to pool in your car\u2019s headliner or trickle down the roof support pillars, where it can compromise the operation of side airbags. Any of those signs and sounds are things that you\u2019ll want to have checked immediately, as they can lead to damaged electronics, or, worse yet, total vehicle failure.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Step 8: Hit the Road<\/strong><\/p>\n The good news is\u2014while the list sounds long, the entire pre-trip check should only take you an hour or so to complete. And whether you do it yourself or not, it\u2019s worth taking the time to familiarize yourself with your vehicle.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/info.glass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/oil-3964367_1920.jpg\")
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