Use this quick list to check the major issues that leave families stranded most often.
Checking tires, fluids and belts will give you a really good idea of if your car will make it on a road trip. If your car passed inspection and has no known engine issues, a long trip will not damage your engine.
Taking time to check to be sure your car is in good shape will give you a lot of confidence to take your car on a long road trip.
There are only 3 or 4 major issues to check when you are deciding if your car will make it on a road trip:
Tires
Tires are the number one thing that causes a highway breakdown.
Check the tread and the air pressure in each tire. You can use a coin to check tread depth, put a quarter upside down in the tire tread, if the tread touches George’s head you have enough tread.
Tire pressure gauges are available everywhere, we bought a good one at Walmart, but you can find this pen style pressure gauge on Amazon. You can also measure the tire pressure at a air pump at a gas station, but these are less reliable because of the constant use.
Be sure to check your spare, it should be in good condition and you should have all the tools you need to change it.
Fluids
Check the oil, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid and power steering fluid. Some fluids need to be checked when the engine is cold and some need to be checked when the engine is hot.
Check the chart to see when you check each of the 6 fluids in your car.
| Oil | When engine is cold |
| Transmission | When the engine is hot and when the engine is cold, when the engine is running and in park or neutral. |
| Coolant | When engine is cold |
| Brake Fluid | When convenient |
| Windshield Washer Fluid | Check each time you fill up with gas |
| Power Steering Fluid | When convenient |
Older cars may have high mileage, and I made a printable checklist and a guide to checking your own car before a road trip in the linked post.
When possible, ask a mechanic to show you how to check the fluids in your car. Many employees at an auto part store will help you find the fluids, but be sure to put safety first. These checkers can be performed by a professional mechanic as well.
Battery
A weak battery will not provide enough electricity to start your car.
Battery testers are available for home use, but you can also bring it into an auto part store and they can charge and test it.
As a general rule, batteries should be replaced every 5 to 7 years. Check the date on your battery and consider changing it if it falls in that range.
Lights and Known Issues
Most cars that have been regularly maintained and pass a state safety inspection will be fine on a road trip, but if you have any warning lights on the dash, or a known issue, all bets are off.
Any lights on the dash should be read and addressed, if your engine is making excessive noise or there is a known issue like a cracked oil pan or coolant leak.
Many auto parts stores will read the codes that your car is throwing for free. They can print out a report and you can ask them what they mean, or go home and start googling to see if you can correct any issues.
A check engine light is scary, but it may be a very simple fix, knowledge is power.
Do not attempt a long road trip in a car with a check engine light on unless you know what is causing the light to be on.
Should I get my car checked before a road trip?
Most modern cars do not need a tune up before a road trip, but regular maintenance is very important.
Regular oil changes, maintenance on belts and fluid flushes are recommended at different intervals by your car’s manufacturer.
For example, a 2012 Honda Civic should have regular maintenance as indicated in the manuel. Here is shown that when the wrench code shows code B the long highlighted list of things need to be checked. They also recommend changing the air filters every 24,000 miles, but every 15,000 if you often drive in dusty or heavily polluted areas.
Regular maintenance is what keeps your car running well for many years.
I was watching a video about car maintenance and this line really stuck out, “oil does not leave you stranded, it fails more elegantly, taking years off the end of the car’s life”
Perform any regular or needed maintenance, but if that is taken care of you do not need any special things done before a long trip.
Are Road Trips Bad for Your Car?
Road trips are just miles.
It is generally believed that highway miles are easier on a car than city driving.
Adding miles to a car does decrease the resale value, so if you plan to sell your car soon, try to minimize the miles you put on the car. You could try to rent a car for your road trip. This post has a handy quiz to help you decide if you should rent or buy.
Road trips to National Parks may be lots of high altitude or windy roads that will be tough on your engine.
Road trips may be hours and hours of highway miles.
This video was really interesting to me, he is discussing how he checks if a car has had mostly highway miles or mostly city miles.
Is my car too old for a road trip?
While age is a factor in determining the health of your car, it is not the only thing to consider.
If your car has been regularly maintained and has no known issues you can take it on a road trip. Take your car on the highway and be sure to get it up to the speed limit and drive for 20 to 30 minutes to be sure that it does not overheat.
High mileage cars need more regular maintenance, but cars do not fall apart when they hit a certain age or number of miles.
High mileage cars should be checked just like a new car before a long road trip. This post contains a printable checklist for a high mileage car.
Older cars that are not high mileage should also be checked, but you should pay closer attention to the electrical components, to be sure they are not damaged by rodents. Check rubber fittings and your serpentine belt for dry rot.
When mileage does not match age the car may have been stored for a number of years and is susceptible to damage by mice or the elements. It was likely not serviced in those months or years that it sat in storage, so check fluids well.
