Travel Prep: How to Perform a Pre-Trip Inspection on Your Car for Holiday Travel

When you have family spread out over the states, even one state, your calender year isn't broken down into months. It's broken down into holidays and the noted times of travel. When planning for a trip, there is always a laundry list of items that are needed and things to do to make sure you forget absolutely nothing when you finally walk out and lock that door behind you. Unfortunately people rarely consider making a pre-trip inspection on their automobile a part of the planning process. Bypassing a quick inspection of your vehicle is an open-invitation to find yourself broken down on the side of the road. With Murphy's Law, you can almost guarantee that it'll be a few miles from civilization if you're making a long trip. You can do a lot to avoid the costly fees of towing and small services by being proactive and following a few simple steps to inspect your car.

A good walk-around and inspection of your vehicle usually won't take more than 30 minutes, though it's entirely dependent on how familiar you are with the family truckster. Now, just because you drove it yesterday and the day before and the day before that doesn't mean that it's going to run fine for you tomorrow. Consider each item listed, and take the time to check on each.

The first thing you should do, especially if your vehicle sat overnight, is to start it up and take it for a short drive. A few blocks is enough. When you return home, shut the engine off with the vehicle in park and check your oil. Pull the dipstick, wipe it clean with a clean shop towel (napkins and paper towels can leave lint). Once you wipe it clean, replace the dipstick then remove it again and check the oil. Look for color, weight and level. Your oil should be relatively clear and light in color. It should have the consistency of a thin syrup. If it's thick and dark or black, and dirty consider an oil change immediately even if you just recently had one. If the color and weight is fine, but its low, add the appropriate amount to fill it. It's not recommended that you add fresh oil to old dirty oil.

While you're under the hood, check your other fluids. Make sure you have a full reservoir of washer fluid and that your lines are clear and spray the window evenly. Being caught in a situation where your view is blocked by dirt, road grime or mud and your wiper sprayers are out of adjustment could make it difficult to clear your windshield. When you check the spray angle, check the blades of your wipers. Make sure the blades make even contact to the windshield and not worn, cracked or tearing. A new set of wipers typically cost around $14-$18.

Check your power-steering fluid to make sure it's at the appropriate level, as well as your brake fluid. These reservoirs often have collapsible tops on the lid. As the reservoir drains, it sucks the collapsible top down. When you remove the lid, you can guage how low the fluid is by how much the inside of the cap has been drawn out.

Check your transmission fluid. You can do this by yourself or with another person. If you're alone, set your parking brake on your vehicle and place the car in neutral with the engine running. Be very careful under the hood while the engine is running, as your engines fan can engage at any time. This can cause serious injury if you're not careful. Remove the dipstick for the transmission and wipe it clean with a shop towel. Replace the stick then remove it again and check the level, weight and color of the fluid. Trans fluid is typically bright red in color and should remain clear. It should also have a semi-sweet smell. If your transmission fluid is dark, dirty and/or smells burnt you should have your transmission inspected by a mechanic for potential damage. They may recommend a transmission flush to clean out and replace all the fluid. If your fluid in your transmission is OK, but low simply replace the fluid with the appropriate amount.

Check your serpentine belt. With the engine off, and key removed from the ignition check the serpentine belt in your car. This is the wide belt that wraps around several of the key parts of your engine. Water pump, fan, alternator, etc. It's typically on the front of the engine by the fan. Some vehicles have more than one belt. With a flashlight, look over the belt carefully for cracks and splits in the material. Deep cuts and splits can cause a belt to tear, shred and break when driving. This is a sure fire way to end up stranded. If your belt shows any signs of wear, consider a replacement. Belts are cheap (often less than $20) and are easy to replace. If you're not comfortable, have a mechanic change it for you. A reputable mechanic/shop will often give a lifetime warranty on belts. You also need to check the "play" of the belt. The belt should be tight with only a small amount of play. half inch, perhaps a little more. Any more than an inch of play and your belt could slip, causing mechanical problems. It could also slip, falling into the fan of your engine where it could be shredded or cause damage to other components under the hood.

Check your air filter if accessible. The air filter has a lot of control over the fuel mileage of your vehicle. If your filter is extremely dirty and/or clogged with dirt and debris it could cause your vehicle to run rich, which burns more fuel. This isn't healthy for your engine or your pocket book. If you're money is tight, you can clean most flex air filters out with a strong vacuum or pressurized air-hose (Canned air for computers works well). Best thing to do is just change the filter though. Don't try to wash the filter.

Check the coolant level of your vehicle. You should have a reservoir for your coolant that has a level you can check both when the vehicle is hot and cold. DO NOT remove any metal caps on your coolant system if the engine is hot. It should clearly state what part of the coolant system is under pressure. Removing a pressurized cap when the vehicle is hot/running could result in severe burns from the steam and hot coolant that WILL erupt. If you only have a pressurized cap on the reservoir, wait until your vehicle has had a sufficient amount of time to cool (give it a few hours to be on the safe side) and add coolant to the appropriate level to make it meet the "full cold" line. Make sure you use the right kind of coolant. Many newer vehicles require Dexcool, a different kind of coolant than standard coolant/anti-freeze. If you're not sure what to use, consult the manual for your vehicle or contact the manufacturer.

Check tire pressure. Improperly inflated tires are a serious hazard to you and other motorists. It results in poor fuel mileage and could cause accidents if your tires come loose from the rim if you lose control. Check the tread depth for improper wear or bald spots to make sure you won't lose control from a bad tire. On the sidewall of your tire (and the user manual) you can find the max PSI for the tire size of your vehicle. Check the PSI with a tire guage. When making a long trip, you should keep your tire PSI about 3-4 PSI lower than max. This allows room for the pressure to change depending on the temperature of the tires. When tires are hot from running a long time on the road, the air inside will expand and increase the pressure. If you inflate to the max PSI, you'll also harm your fuel mileage. Allowing the tire to be a little soft just under the max PSI will put more of the tread in contact with the road, allowing for better mileage, a softer ride, and better traction. Make sure your tires are evenly inflated all the way around, including the spare tire if you don't have an emergency "donut".

Check all your lights. Headlights (hi/low), turn signals, hazards, marker or running lights, backup lights, taillights and license plate marker light. It's a good idea to stock a 1 or 2 of each light in your car anyhow just in case you lose a headlight or tail light.

Check fuses, and make sure you have spares of all types. Having the wrong fuse blow in the middle of a trip can mean a breakdown, or accident if you try running without taillights, dash lights or signals.

If you have the tools, pull your cables under the hood that connect to your spark plugs, and remove each spark plug. Inspect them to make sure they are gapped properly and are free of carbon buildup, cracks, damage, etc. Clean the ends of the plugs and wired of corrosion. Failing plugs and wires can leave you stranded. Just remember to put the wires back exactly where they came from.

Clean all your windows, mirrors included to enable the best view through the glass all around your car. If buildup occurs while traveling, take the time to stop and clean them. Keeping your windows free of debris, dust and grime will minimize glare from the lights of oncoming traffic and overhead street lamps.

Getting in the habit of running a routine every time you travel will actually increase the life of your car, as you will almost always catch problem items that appear before they become a major issue. A lot of the above items can be handle in one fell swoop if you have the money to take your vehicle to a full service oil change business. They often check all your fluid levels including tire pressure, wipers and air filters. You can get advice on what oil weight is the best for your travel depending on weather conditions and such. A full service oil change will run you around $20-$30, possibly more depending on extras you buy. These locations can also offer synthetic oils for longer engine life as well as engine and fuel treatments to improve gas mileage. Definitely something to consider for a long trip.

Even if you don't have the time to make a full inspection, even touching on a few of these items can ensure a safer trip for you and your family and memories filled with smiles and laughs, not finger pointing and 3 mile walks to the nearest service station.