Checking that they have enough snacks and popping a pair of sandals in their suitcases are the only checklists that many people have before going on a road trip. Turns out, a car tune up may have served them better. There’s nothing that will put more of a damper on the mood than smoke under the hood or a flat tire.
Taking your car or truck in for a tune up before you hit the open road is the best way to get your vehicle prepped for a road trip because you check off so many boxes. When you get a tune up, the mechanics at All Around Auto Repair will check your: coolant, fluid levels (oil, brake, transmission, and power steering), battery, filters, and small but essential things like your windshield wipers.
Check Those Fluid When You Tune Up
Fluids have been called the lifeblood that keeps vehicles on the road for longer because they provide the lubrication to keep all of your vehicle’s parts running smoothly. Nowhere is that more apparent that your car’s engine.
- Regularly Change Your Oil
Getting your oil changed when you go in for a tune up is critical because fresh oil provides the lubrication that your engine’s parts need to keep functioning smoothly.
Your engine’s pistons and crankshaft, for instance, don’t get on well without oil that’s changed about every 5,000 miles or so.
- Stay Cool: Radiator Fluid
And you know that nightmare scene of getting stuck on a lonely stretch of highway with smoke under the hood?…well, that could have potentially all been avoided by simply having your radiator fluid checked when you took your car in for a tune up.
Radiator fluid is sometimes called coolant because it relieves a lot of the heat from your engine.
The fluid that the mechanics at All Around Auto Repair put under your hood helps to transfer heat from your engine – where it could cause overheating – safely to your vehicle’s radiator.
- Smooth Operator: Transmission Fluid
Transmission fluid is one of those things that a lot of people don’t notice until they don’t have enough.
When your car or truck doesn’t have enough transmission fluid changing gears can be pretty clunky, and you might have trouble shifting gears period.
Over time low levels of transmission fluid can put a lot of stress on your engine. The good news is that, depending on the age of your car, you might not need to frequently change the transmission fluid.
If your vehicle is older, though, changing your transmission fluid every 50,000-70,000 miles is a very good idea.
- Brake and Power Steering Fluid Check
To be really comprehensive a tune up should include a check of your brake and power steering fluids. Brake fluid can help your brake pads work better and should be flushed about every 30,000 miles. Auto-care experts also recommend that you have your power steering fluid checked about every 30,000 miles as well.
That makes sense since cars need a tuneup about every 30,000 miles (newer vehicles) or 45,000 miles (older vehicles) to ensure long-lasting durability on the roads.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Tire Check
To get the best fuel economy and have the lowest odds of a blowout, you need to have your tire pressure checked about every 1,000 miles.
Having your tires rotated at your regular tune up can also reduce wear and improve weight distribution. Planning a longer road trip? You might want to have your tires replaced when you get a tune up. Contact All Around Auto Repair to get your vehicle ready for braving the open road.
