Prepare your vehicle for the summer

WITH all the good weather we’ve been seeing this early summer, many of us will be looking forward to hitting the road, whether it’s for a cozy caravanning adventure or a short, sweet stay somewhere in our beautiful country. With many leisure trips planned for the coming months, there are essential vehicle checks we should be doing before our trips to help ensure the safety of family, friends and other road users.

First, check tire pressure and tread wear, which can and will affect safety and fuel economy; if there is a problem, fix it. With weather forecasters predicting temperatures in the summer months to reach the 30s, we need to take extra precautions to avoid sweltering. Check your air conditioning system, it’s not hard – if it doesn’t blow freezing cold air when it’s full, it’s faulty. Get it checked by a professional, you’ll be glad you did.

Replenish all vital fluids. Check your washer fluid and fill it with the prescribed water and windshield washer mixture and this will help keep the screen clean. It’s also a good idea to pack a spray bottle of bug repellent and a microfilm cloth to keep the windshield clean (I never leave without them).

If your car has not been serviced recently, check the engine oil while the engine is cold. If the oil is low, fill with the correct engine oil. Your vehicle’s manual will tell you if it uses a fully synthetic oil, a synthetic blend, or a conventional oil (they don’t mix well, by the way).

Make sure your battery is up to scratch, as a lot of stop and start driving during the summer doesn’t give the alternator much of a chance to fully recharge the battery. Check your windscreen for chips, as during the warmer months on dusty roads with the inevitable roadworks, debris and gravel can cause scratches and chips on the screen. If you get a chip on a ride, fix it quickly; if you already have one, get it fixed before you leave.

Prepare a safety kit for the trunk of your car with a few essential items that will help you if you run into trouble on the road: jump cables, tire pressure gauge, warning triangle, first aid kit, phone charger, flashlight, clothing spare, a blanket, hi-vis vest and a small waterproof pack-a-mac coat and pants in case of a puncture on a rainy day. Don’t forget sunglasses for all your passengers and a baseball cap for yourself.

And finally, in the event of a breakdown on a motorway, get all the occupants out of the vehicle and climb the bank or over the safety barriers to a safe place. Many people are killed or injured waiting in their car when they are hit by another vehicle on the shoulder.

For this summer season, be prepared and have a fabulous time on the road.