What to Check Before a Long Road Trip

6 tips

• Check all four tires plus the spare. Use the pressure on the door sticker, and check tread depth with a penny: if you can see the top of Lincoln's head, the tire is worn out.
• Top off the fluids: engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, and power steering fluid if your car has it. Low coolant on a hot highway is how engines overheat.
• Test the lights, wipers, and horn. Replace wiper blades that streak or chatter, and carry a spare quart of oil and a gallon of coolant in the trunk.
• Check the battery terminals for white or green crust. Clean it off with a wire brush. A crusty connection is a common reason a car will not start after a rest stop.
• Look at the belts and hoses. Cracks, fraying, or soft, swollen hoses are a warning sign; a broken serpentine belt on the road means no power steering and no charging.
• Make sure the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench are actually in the car, and that you know where they are. A flat tire is a small problem only if you have the tools.

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